How to Optimize Featured Answers
Prioritization is one of the main factors when choosing the content that Google’s algorithms select for an answer. But it’s not the only factor that matters. According to a 2016 survey, although 70 percent of answers came from the first three Google search results, the remaining 30 percent were selected from lower results (even up to the 71st result). So, it’s clear that the algorithm designed to do so goes far beyond selecting answers from the initial results. In this article, we’ll look at how to optimize featured answers:
Content Length and Featured Answers
As mentioned earlier, one of the essential features of an answer is that it answers the questions posed on Google in a concise and complete manner. This shows that the algorithm is looking for content that is neither too short to be a good answer nor too long to be confusing. If you look at a few answers, you will notice that their average length is around 50 words. In such a space, tailoring your content to answer the target question is another way to increase your chances of being selected.
Quality of Information in Featured Answers
The topic of optimal content length leads to another crucial discussion: the actual quality of your content. Because answers are designed to display quick and accurate answers, winning an answer means convincing the algorithm that your content will be the best option to answer relevant questions. In essence, your content should be detailed enough without being too long.
How will you know if you’ve included enough detail for a good answer? The following tips can help you improve the quality of the information you provide:
- Present your explanations as if your audience were beginners, not experts on the subject.
- Present your content in the form of instructions or step-by-step explanations.
- Use visuals like infographics to shape your content.
According to Google Trends Analyst John Mueller, structuring your content can significantly increase your chances of being selected. In fact, a logical and formal structure should be created. Creating a logical structure means that your paragraphs have a clear and concise outline, including an introduction, explanation, and conclusion. Using headings to differentiate your content and how they relate to each other is a trick to create a formal structure to make the information presented clearer. Tables and lists also help organize your content largely.
Another way to emphasize that your content answers common questions is to actually do so. Having a FAQ page or a tutorial section will cover almost all the questions that are searched for on your topic. Creating an FAQ or Q&A section is a good way to combine several targeted questions that can lead searchers to your site.
How to prioritize Google’s featured answers?
According to Google, featured answers usually come from the initial search results. As mentioned above, although prioritization is not the only important issue, it plays a very important role in the selection algorithm and most answers come from the initial results.
It is important to note that the improvements and modifications you make to your site to prioritize your site’s results on the search engine page will not show their effect immediately. Even if you make major changes quickly, it may take several months for your site to be ranked higher. Therefore, optimization and modifications that are made to increase your site’s ranking in the search engine results page (SERP) will be effective if they are done as an ongoing process to achieve long-term results.
One of the steps you should take in Website design is search engine optimization. This includes the effective use of keywords with appropriate density. Using too many keywords in Google’s current algorithm will reduce your ranking on the search page. In addition, using a text to go to other sites (links to other sites) that is exactly copied will also reduce your site’s ranking. Google provides guidelines for effective search engine optimization that contain valuable information about how its ranking system works.
Another important step is to review and revise your site and fix any errors. Common errors such as broken links, duplicate content, or poorly sized images can reduce your traffic and lower your search ranking.
Other factors that may affect your ranking include:
- Page loading speed
- Special titles
- Mobile compatibility
Overall, improving technical performance and optimizing content are critical to increasing your rankings. Know your target market and the goals you want to achieve from your page views. Whether you want people to buy sex, sign up for a mailing list, or take a survey, you need to make it easy for them to do so.
While there is no guaranteed way to win the race, following the tips outlined above can significantly increase your chances. You certainly won’t lose by doing them, as all of these steps will help with SERP prioritization, user satisfaction, and other important metrics. As Google continues to refine its algorithms and introduce innovations, the way featured responses work may eventually change. In the fast-paced world of online advertising, it’s important to stay on top of changes. Working with experts in this field can help you update your website design strategies and keep up with complex algorithms.