Intro

Think of rich snippets as enhanced search results.

Google has evolved to handle a growing number of various search results types and displays meant to better meet the needs of searchers.

For years, we've seen Google experiment with how search results are displayed, from displaying images, videos, or "snippets" of the content itself, all in an attempt to make the experience more engaging and useful.

In this post, we'll discuss what rich snippets are, why they're significant in SEO, and how you can use them to your advantage.

What Are Rich Snippets?

Google Search results that have been modified with additional material or functionality are known as rich snippets. It basically shows lots of extra information between the URL and the description.

For searchers, these rich results bring visual intrigue, more information, and better utility. For website owners, targeting rich snippets as part of your SEO strategy can help you boost your total organic CTR (click-through rates).

Difference Between Normal Snippets And Rich Snippets

Let's use the following example to showcase the difference between normal snippets and rich snippets.

You're searching for a good recipe for homemade ice-cream. Google shows you a results list with normal snippets and rich snippets.

The normal snippet looks like this:

Google displays the title in blue, the URL in black, and a description of the page's content.

The rich snippet looks like this:

Firstly, the rich snippet appears above all other organic search results—so it’s always the first thing you see after hitting “search” on Google.

The rich snippet also features lots of extra information between the URL and the description. There is now a photo of the ice cream, the recipe's rating, time it takes to make this type of ice cream, and sometimes even the number of calories it contains.

As a result, it carries far more information than a standard snippet. That's why it's known as a rich snippet.

Why Are Rich Snippets Important For SEO?

Rich snippets appear above all other SERP results. You can spend huge amounts of time and money getting a keyword to number one or two in SERP results, but rich snippets will still come first—effectively taking position zero.

Plus, rich snippets stand out from the rest of the search results. They have a nicer appearance, and consumers gain more information just by looking at them.

This is beneficial to your site's visibility, but it can also increase your click-through rate as people like to click on things that give them the most information. Rich snippets also have an impact on your ranking in the long run as Google will discover that people like your page over others as more people click on your result.

This shows Google that your page is an excellent match for that particular search, which will boost your ranks in the long term!

Rich snippets are a great way to easily beat your competition who spent loads of time and money fighting for the first position on Google—you just need to do it right!

How To Find The Best SEO Keyword Opportunities For Rich Snippets

Ranktracker has made it easy to find the best SEO keyword opportunities.

Simply type in a word or phrase into the up-to-date global database, and get a list of comparable keywords with search volumes and difficulty ratings.

You'll get a detailed analysis of the results that appear in Google for any search term, as well as results for a particular country, region, city or neighbourhood.

The Authority and Link Profile Strength scores assist you in identifying the easiest and most powerful competitor links to replicate.

How To Steal Featured Snippets

According to SEO consultant, Tim Hanson, there's a process and science behind stealing featured snippets.

Firstly, you can't steal a snippet that doesn't already exist. So don't try to make a snippet appear. Plan your content around a snippet that already exists.

If you do it right, you can steal the snippet from as far as page two on the SERPs, and if it's done well you can get the snippet within the same day of publishing the changes on your site.

When trying to steal snippets, copy what already works. For example, if it's text and an image, you must have text and an image.

To make your content more unique, use Google synonyms and find equivalents of the copy used in the snippet you’re trying to steal. Then, make sure to have an optimised H2 before the sentence and an image with optimised alt text toward the same keyword before the sentence.

To find snippets on your site or to identify snippets on your competitors site you can use Ahrefs. Go to the "Site Explorer" and type in your domain, then click the "Organic Keywords" tab. Then, from the top menu, select "SERP Features" and check the "Featured Snippets" option.

This will show you every term for which the website ranks in the search results, as well as a featured snippet.

How Rich Snippets Can Boost eCommerce Website Rankings

Rich snippets can increase user engagement with your pages and bring in more qualified traffic in most circumstances. As a result, rich snippets can aid in the pre-qualification of website visitors—which is particularly useful for e-commerce websites.

In the world of online shopping, rich snippets allow shoppers to compare images, ratings, reviews, product availability and prices of products all in the search results. Google’s rich snippets add a bit more to the product search experience and, if done well, can help bring more users to your eCommerce store.

eCommerce is expanding in popularity, but the increased competition is making it more difficult to stand out. Even if you have the perfect rich snippets and SEO set in place, you'll still need eCommerce funding to really give you a boost.

Conclusion

Rich snippets and featured snippets can make it easier for you to be found online by helping you stand out from the crowd in Google's search results. Achieving a rich or featured snippet placement in Google has many advantages.

At the end of the day, even if you complete all of the recommended steps, there's no assurance that your content will be delivered on Google as one of these snippets. All you have to do now is focus on creating amazing content that is organised logically and delivers significant value to the user who is reading it.

About the Author

Asher Ismail is the co-founder of Uncapped. Uncapped helps entrepreneurs raise capital without giving up control of their business. Connect with Asher on LinkedIn, and if you’re looking for growth capital, check out www.weareuncapped.com.