Working with SEMrush we analyzed around 80 million keywords to find 1.4 million featured snippets. We break down all the findings on how to optimize your content and earn Google Featured Snippets. These findings were fist shown at http://digitalolympus.net/ which is a free remote conference you should totally attend in the future.

1. 1.4 Million Google Featured Snippets
Tested - Here's What We Found
A.J. Ghergich
Ghergich & Co.
Founder/CEO
@SEO

2. Our Work

3. Featured Snippet Examples
Paragraph
Table
List

4. For a more detailed primer into featured snippets, visit my presentation from
Dreamforce 2016 http://www.slideshare.net/ghergich/featured-snippets-are-
the-most-exciting-thing-in-search
Why you should focus on
Featured Snippets
1 Leapfrog your competition to position zero
2 Gain free organic traffic
3 Answer your customers’ actual questions
4 Earn trust from awareness to the decision phase

5. In a study with SEMrush, we analyzed
1.4 million featured snippets.

6. The goal was to focus our analysis on
29 questions, prepositions, and
comparison search phrases.

7. Featured Snippet Questions

8. “How” and “Have” are strong contenders to earn list featured
snippets. “Which” has the highest likelihood of earning a table
compared to the others. Questions are fantastic at earning
paragraph snippets.
Key Findings of Featured Snippet
Questions

9. Breakdown of Featured Snippet
Questions

10. Featured Snippet Prepositions

11. Prepositions are the best by far at earning lists. “For” (11.38%
tables) and “Like” (94.09% paragraphs) are the exceptions.
Key Findings of Featured Snippet
Prepositions

12. Breakdown of Featured Snippet
Prepositions

13. Featured Snippet Comparisons

14. Comparisons are the best at earning tables. “Price” is a golden
opportunity to earn a high ROI table. Surprisingly, “vs” and
“versus” were poor performers at earning tables. “Comparing”
also had a high number of lists (31.94%).
Key Findings of Featured Snippet
Comparisons

15. Breakdown of Featured Snippet
Comparisons

16. Featured Snippets Overall
Breakdown

17. How to Optimize for Featured Snippets

18. Optimal Featured Snippet Lengths

19. 45 Words are Optimal for Featured
Snippet Paragraphs

20. Longer Lists are Best

21. Optimized Lists

22. Optimized Tables

23. Google tends to show landscape
images around 285 x 160 pixels.
So landscape images, similar to the following dimensions, should be optimized for
Featured Snippets.

24. Answer the Public Keyword Tool

25. SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool (Beta)

26. Presentation is pinned @SEO. Please
retweet. Special thanks to @YuliaShevy
and the research team at SEMrush for
providing such in-depth research.