What is a featured snippet?
Also called Position zero.
Definition
A featured snippet is a highlighted answer Google shows among its results, quoting a page directly and linking to it. It is sometimes called position zero.
Google describes featured snippets as "special boxes where the format of a regular search result is reversed, showing the descriptive snippet first." You cannot mark a page as a featured snippet; in Google's words, "Google systems determine whether a page would make a good featured snippet." You can opt out, with the nosnippet rule or a low max-snippet setting.
Winning one is a matter of being the clearest answer to a question Google already answers this way. That usually means a heading that matches the question, a concise answer directly under it, and supporting detail after. The same habits make content easier for AI answer engines to quote, which is why featured snippets are often described as the original answer engine optimization.
Why does it matter to your business?
A featured snippet puts your answer, and your name, above every other result for that question. The same writing habits make your pages quotable by AI.
Related terms
Sources, verified September 11, 2026
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