Is there anything that is better than the number one position in Google search results? Yes, the Answer box! The advent of Google Answer box has created a coveted spot in SERP that every website owner fight to have. Why? Well, the answer is pretty obvious. It brings visitors directly to your content and brand before they even have a chance to know who you are. It serves as a teaser and solves much of the user queries without getting them into a lengthy content.
What is Google Answer Box?
You might have noticed that when searching for a query on Google, a small information box appears at position 0 right before the classic list of search results. And most of the times, that’s where you find your most relevant answers and information about your search term. So the Google Answer Box is that small information snippet that provides quick answers to the different queries of users.
Now the questions comes what makes a content viable to land into this rich box? Google never uploads the top ranking content automatically into it and if you are thinking so, then you are for sure mistaken. Yes mostly, we see the top ranking content in answer box but it doesn’t happen always.
There are some ways to optimize your content that boost your chances of landing at this prominent position in Google’s search results. And here they are! Learn to improve the amount of organic traffic directed from Google to your website.
Identify the user queries
Every search has only one search box. So if there’s already one in place, then you better look for the queries that has no answer box. If you produce a content that focuses on a topic widely covered on the web, your chances of appearing in Google Answer Box are relatively less, unless you have a high SERP ranking. So your first task must be finding more complex questions that users are asking on the web. Conduct a keyword research and look for the queries that you can answer in depth. There are also some tools like BrightEdge, that let you know which query don’t have a quick answer yet. And then produce an informative in-depth content to get your website featured in Google Rich Box.
Build a strong SEO foundation
The results that you see in Google Answer Box are not always from the first spot of SERP but they are always within the top 5 positions. This means that if you want a shot at getting your content there, you already need to rank highly on those keyword phrases. And for this, you’ll need a high volume of referring domains, at least 1000. Along with this, the page must have high engagement level to be able to get appear in Answer box. In order to do so, keep the content under 2,000 words and provide relevant valuable information. Make sure you have a responsive web design and a mobile optimized website that meets the basic requirements of a strong SEO foundation.
Make the most out of Entities
Entities are not the keywords but they are the things that keywords identify. SEO has shifted its focus from “strings” to “things” a while ago and so should you. The smart semantic function of Google works out to find the meaning of different search queries and then offers information and entities in search results. So pay extra attention to entities when writing your content and make it clear for search engine which entity is described.
Structure your content to answer questions directly
This is one of the most importance factors in appearing in featured snippets is to write content that authoritatively answer the question. The language is more important here. Google look for a content that is written in a form of answer to a question for example a how-to-guide or a step-by-step process. Such as, for a question like “what is search engine marketing” your content must contain a sentence written in the form of “search engine marketing is a….”. This will get you more closer to your place in Answer Box. Once you have curated the content, optimize it for SEO. Add Title tags, subheads and other on page elements of SEO to determine your appearance in Google Rich snippet.
Don’t forget about user Experience:
Do not just think about Google only, when constructing content for your website. Prioritize users first and make sure they have a great experience while browsing the content on your website. This is the way you encourage them to visit your website for a longer time and boost your chances at leading them down your sales funnel. Hence, create an environment that is appealing to users and at the same time easy for them to understand your servings while delivering an unforgettable user experience.
Key takeaways
Google is unpredictable and Google answer box is the most prestigious position for any website to land. It’s the position zero that generates most of your organic traffic and boost your chances of conversions. Use these 5 tips to get featured in Google Answer box and drive immense traffic to your website daily.
About Author
Karan Gulati is a self-motivated entrepreneur who founded Zuplic in the year 2015. His main areas of focus are digital marketing, research and decision making.