Weekly SEO news: 20 June 2017 |
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Being ranked on Google's first results page as the first result is a great thing. If you have such a ranking for the right keywords, you will get thousands of targeted visitors. Did you know that your website can rank even higher? Read this article to learn how to do this.
Featured snippets are the key
If your website is listed as a 'featured snippet' on Google's search results page, it will be displayed above the first regular result page.
Featured snippets appear only for some search queries. Usually, the snippet contains a short text from the listed web page, as well as the title and the URL of the page. Google tries to display the answer to the question of the searcher directly in the featured snippet box:
As you can see, the featured snippet is much more prominent on the first results page than the first regular result. If your website is listed as the featured snippet, you will get many more website visitors than before.
How to get listed as a featured snippet
1. Check the topic of your website
Featured snippets do not work for all websites. Queries with financial, transitional, or mathematical questions often have a featured snippet on the search results page. The same is true for questions about time, health, do-it-yourself help, or the status of something.
If you have a local business then it's unlikely that Google will show a featured snippet. Featured snippets are also unlikely for image/video searches, and shopping searches. In that case it is better to invest your time in regular web page optimization and link building (which is also important for all other sites).
2. Search for relevant words
Use the keyword suggestion tool in SEOprofiler to find the keywords that could show featured snippets. In general, higher-volume search terms often get a featured snippet if the search term includes 'who', 'how', 'where', 'what', etc.
Search for 'how to' in the keyword suggestion tool in SEOprofiler and you will get many 'how to' search terms. Of course, this also works with other questions.
There are also words that can imply a question, for example 'does', 'getting', 'making', 'cooking', etc. The 'People also ask' section on the search results page (see screenshot above) can also help you to get new keyword ideas.
3. Invite Google to choose your web page for the featured snippet section
If you want to increase the chances that Google picks your website for the featured snippet, you must show Google that your page is the right page for the question. You can do this by doing the following:
- Repeat the search term or the question in the title and in the headline of your page.
- Answer the question directly below the headline. The answer should be short, clear, and precise. Bullets often help. The answer should not be longer than one paragraph.
- Add additional information (images, videos, etc.) to make sure that the question has been answered as completely as possible.
Use clean and structured HTML code that makes it easier to parse your pages (headers, lists, etc.). If the content of your page has question/answer format, Google might also pick a short answer from your page as the featured snippet for a question.
This has a very positive side-effect
Google only picks the best pages for featured snippets. By optimizing your web pages for featured snippets, you have to make sure that your web page is the very best page that answers the question of the searcher.
It is important to structure and improve the content of your web pages to get listed as a featured snippet. It is even more important to make sure that your web page offers the best solution. This will be rewarded by Google and by your website visitors.
The website audit tool and the Top 10 Optimizer tool in SEOprofiler can help you to improve your web pages. If you haven't done it yet, create your SEOprofiler account now:
Google:
buying links is like throwing money out the window
Either you penalize and people say you should just ignore the links or you ignore and people want you to penalize the links. He personally likes the ignore method over penalty method."
Google opportunity: produce content in non English languages
Gary said look for 'where is there a gap in content' and produce content there. English is somewhat over saturated but with non-English, there are plenty of opportunities."
Google
confirmed the mobile interstitial penalty did roll out
So I questioned Gary Illyes at SMX if it really rolled out and he said it it 100% did roll out and he is confirming it rolled out. [...] I do think it rolled out but it did not have the impact we all expected. We expected hell to break lose, but I guess Google sent out enough warning for webmasters to prepare?"
Google’s John Mueller: a residential dwelling address is okay
+++ SEARCH +++ ENGINE +++ NEWS +++ TICKER +++
- Google’s definition of near duplicate content.
- No Google plans for a featured snippet specific meta tag.
- EU poised to fine Google more than $1 billion in antitrust case.
- Was there a small Google algorithms update this week?
- Google: we will bring voice search analytics to webmasters.
- Google’s mobile-first index likely not coming until 2018 at earliest.
- DMOZ is gone and you have to act: how to optimize your Google snippets
- Time is precious: things you can avoid when you optimize your website
- Update: how many clicks get the results on Google's first results page?
- SEO case study for the home building industry (including concrete recommendations)
- New in SEOprofiler: Google algorithm updates (and three other things)
- Can you optimize your website for Google RankBrain?
- More than 850 websites that could link to your website
- View all past issues...
Do you need better rankings for your website?
SEOprofiler is a web-based search marketing tool that helps you to get better Google rankings. You can create a free SEOprofiler account here. The step-by-step manual will help you to get started as quickly as possible.