Google Featured Snippets and the rise of voice search optimization has made optimizing your content for question based queries more important than ever. When we recognize that a query asks a question, we programmatically detect pages that answer the user’s question, and display a top result as a featured snippet in the search results.” People are searching with more LSI question-based queries to find exactly what they want answers for. Knowing where to find the questions your target audience is asking, and how to answer those questions to help Google choose your content for position zero, is essential. Let’s take a deeper look into the “HOW” behind Q&A content optimization for your next Featured Snippet. Now that you have a few online spaces to find the questions your audience wants answers for, it is time to begin optimizing your Q&A content marketing initiative. Optimize Content with a FAQ Page You may have content optimized for Google Featured Snippets, but you simply aren’t getting the position zero results you hoped for. Chances are, you are answering key questions your audience wants answers for. Research on Google Featured Snippets has found a correlation between word count and position zero. There is the traditional paragraph snippet, as well as bulleted snippets, table snippets, numbered snippets, “steps” and “rules” snippets, and even charts and graphs. By earning the snippet, you are giving people the information they want right away, which results in them clicking through to learn more and gaining trust over your information.
Google is perpetually improving its understanding of natural language. Google Featured Snippets and the rise of voice search optimization has made optimizing your content for question based queries more important than ever.
You may have seen these Featured Snippets pop up in position zero after asking or typing a question in Google’s search bar. The benefit of earning a snippet is now clear to businesses and brands. In fact, Google Featured Snippets have an estimated worth of $3 million dollars, according to snippet research presented by Rob Bucci.
The quick answer: Optimize your content for Q&A’s. However, there are no guarantees – even Google noted that there is no simple way to mark a page for a Featured Snippet:
Google’s Featured Snippet support page explains that, “What’s different with a featured snippet is that it is enhanced to draw user attention on the results page. When we recognize that a query asks a question, we programmatically detect pages that answer the user’s question, and display a top result as a featured snippet in the search results.”
People are searching with more LSI question-based queries to find exactly what they want answers for. Knowing where to find the questions your target audience is asking, and how to answer those questions to help Google choose your content for position zero, is essential.
Let’s take a deeper look into the “HOW” behind Q&A content optimization for your next Featured Snippet.
1. Use Google to Your Advantage
Finding the questions searchers want answers for is simpler than you may think. In fact, Google will often provide a nice selection of alternatives when you search a query you think your target audience might use.
Remember this snippet from above? Sometimes, but not always, Google will display a list of “People will also ask” questions for you to draw from.
This is an excellent starting point for your question-based query research. As you click on each of these results, new questions may appear, until Google runs out of that cluster of related question data.
Another way you can use Google to help find appropriate questions around is to look at the LSI keywords at the bottom of SERPs.
But Google isn’t your only resource . . .
2. Use Other Tools and Platforms
Google is not the only place to find Q&As to optimize content around. There are a few other useful sites and platforms that will assist you in building your question based query list.
Quora
Quora is all about asking and answering questions. You can use this online platform to…
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