What are the best techniques to optimize for featured snippets and answer boxes in SEO writing?

One thing most people overlook is to give their answer in an NLP-friendly way. Google isn't as smart as most people think, so it's important to give the answer in an unambiguous way. For example, if the query is "How to choose the best pen", then your answer should be "To choose the best pen, you need to...." and proceed to give a short and to-the-point answer. Works like a charm :)

Imagine you're having a conversation with someone who is curious about your topic. What questions would they ask? Brainstorm a list of potential questions and then use keyword research tools to see if those questions are actually being searched for by people online.

To optimize for featured snippets and answer boxes in SEO writing, consider researching audience questions, providing concise and factual answers, addressing popular queries, using structured data markup, and targeting question-based queries. By implementing these techniques, you can enhance the chances of your content being featured in answer boxes and featured snippets, ultimately improving your visibility in search results.

An important note: Having your content show up in a Featured Snippet DOES NOT mean you will show up in SGE! I have a few clients that have been in featured snippets for 6+ months, and not all of them show up in the Search Generative Experience/answer boxes up top. So make sure you're deciding which area you want to show up in and build a strategy accordingly - it's not guaranteed you will show up in both.

Think about how Google displays featured snippets and answer boxes for different types of questions. For example, if someone is asking "What is the best way to make coffee?" Google might display a featured snippet in the form of a list. So, if you're targeting that keyword, make sure your content includes a clear and concise list of coffee-making steps.

To give concise answers: - eliminate redundancy (words with the same or similar meaning); - use active voice; - use strong verbs (consult a thesaurus); - get rid of unnecessary words: really, very, just, quite, perhaps - these are helpful for conversations but not professional writing; - shorten your sentences; - revise and edit your writing.

Remember, people are using featured snippets and answer boxes to quickly get information. So, your answers should be brief, to the point, and easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or overly technical language.

People are increasingly using voice assistants to search for information online. So, when you're writing your content, imagine you're speaking to someone directly. Use natural language and break up your content into smaller chunks.

People want to trust the information they find online. So, make sure your content is accurate, up-to-date, and backed up by credible sources. You can also add value by providing unique insights or perspectives.

Keep an eye on your website's analytics to see how well your featured snippets and answer boxes are performing. Are people clicking on them? Are they staying on your site after they click? Use this data to identify areas where you can improve your content.