Modern SEO: 5 Things to Know About the Google Answer Box

Six years ago I wrote an article stating that “user-centricity is the new SEO," and published it on LinkedIn. Now many years later, in a landscape where nothing about digital marketing seems predictable or steady, this statement is making headlines in a variety of different phrases and ways. Am I in the know about SEO or what? How did I predict something about SEO that far in advance?

Customer-centric and customer-first are a marketing trend we’ll see take off and further evolve over the next decade. One of the best ways you can show your customers (and Google search algorithms) that you are centered around them is to optimize plenty of your content around winning the Google answer box. Let’s take a deeper dive on what the Google Answer Box is, why it's important and how you can get started optimizing your content for it.

We all use our phones and Google search so differently!

Google Answer Box Quick Links

1. What is the Google answer box?
2. Why is the Google answer box so important for SEO?
3. What keywords should I target the Google answer box with?
4. How do I optimize content to win the Google search answer box?
5. What can I do if my content doesn’t win the Google answer box?

​1. What is the Google answer box?

When you search for something on Google, the answer box that comes up at the top before any other search results are displayed is known as the Google answer box. The Google answer box is a featured snippet of text displayed inside of a box appearing above all other search results. You may also hear this referred to as position zero.

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​2. Why is the Google answer box so important for SEO?

The Google answer box, or position zero in search results, is at times the only result people will view. Especially if the answer box provides a relevant answer to the search query. The Google answer box is an important target for modern SEO and digital marketers. The answer box impacts how many people scroll and click through on all the other organic search results that are located further down the page. 

Companies that win a search box on any target keyword will see a large increase in their organic traffic and search clickthrough rates. Featured snippets in the form of what we know as the answer box today made their debut to Google search within a few years after 2011 when schema markups were put in place. 

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​3. What keywords should I target the Google answer box with?

You’re better off targeting a keyword that already has an existing answer box in Google Search. Review your strategy and search through a list of keywords you regularly use and the related topics you are an expert on.

When searching your target keywords, look for the answer boxes in Google that may not make total sense or provide an adequate answer. For instance, when searching "why is my conversion rate dropping," I receive an answer only relevant to eCommerce companies, which is not relevant for a services based company and many marketers searching for an answer to that question.

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​4. How do I optimize content to win the Google search answer box?

Make sure you have all of the headlines in your article featuring the target keyword as an H1 or H2 tag. Also feature the keyword in your article’s title and URL. Answer multiple questions featuring the keyword fast, clearly and in under 100 words. Numbered lists, bullet lists and a table of contents with jump links will also help content land at the top of Google search results and win the answer box. 

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​5. What can I do if my content doesn’t win the Google answer box?

If you optimized a piece of content for the Google answer box and are still not winning it, there’s nothing to be upset about. Regularly audit your content and make sure any answers you are give are up to date with the most accurate answers.

Continuing to use this “how to win the Google answer box” structure in plenty of your content will pay off for your brand even if you do not win the answer box. This helpful, educational and optimized content is easier for people to digest, learn from, share and more people will find it. 

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​Digital Marketers Should Know This About SEO by Now

Showing Google that your site is trustworthy and relevant enough to be at the top of a search engine is easier said than done. Google’s search results today are personalized and optimized for each user and individual based on their history.

With this in mind, we will continue to cross a point where there are more factors to how websites are scraped, ranked and what results are recommended (and to whom) than we are able to understand or control.

Until next time, what's happening to people, koala bears and all living things native to Australia is so heartbreaking. I'll be purchasing more beautiful animal images for my blog on Canva (they are generously donating proceeds on all purchases and paid accounts to fight the fires).

I am excited to see how more brands and digital marketers will adapt to make their content helpful, educational and build a customer-first experience. Any Anxious Creations article with over 30 shares or 1,000 views I'll make into a video moving forward. Quality beats quantity. Let's do this!

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