The essentials
- Definition: position zero is the featured snippet Google shows above the first organic result, with a paragraph, a list, a table or a video taken from a page.
- Who can win it: almost always a page already ranking in the top 5 results on the query.
- The method: answer the question in 40 to 60 words right under a heading that repeats it, and structure the rest in lists and tables.
- In 2026: Google's AI Overviews replace the snippet on some queries; the same content feeds both.
Enhanced measurement position zero means the answer block Google places above the classic organic results: an extract from a page, with its title and link, chosen because it answers the question directly. It is also called a featured snippet. It captures a significant share of the clicks on informational queries and, since 2024, coexists with AI-generated overviews. Here is how it works and how to win it.
The position zero formats
| Format | Typical queries | What Google extracts |
|---|---|---|
| Paragraph | "what is", "why", "definition" | A 40- to 60-word passage that answers directly |
| Bulleted or numbered list | "how to", "steps", "best", "list" | The items of an HTML list or consecutive subheadings |
| Table | "comparison", "price", "rates", "difference" | An HTML table, sometimes truncated |
| Video | "tutorial", "how to do" | A YouTube extract with a timestamp |
The snippet is distinct from the other blocks: the knowledge panel (Wikipedia, entities), "People Also Ask" (which are mini-snippets), and AI Overviews, which synthesise several sources.
Why it counts
- Visibility: the snippet occupies the most visible space on the page, above the ads on mobile in many cases.
- Clicks: according to Semrush and Ahrefs studies, the snippet captures between 8 and 35% of the query's clicks depending on whether it answers fully or partly; it also takes some from the first classic result.
- Voice search: assistants read the snippet as their answer; see voice search.
- AI engines: content structured for the snippet is what AI Overviews and assistants cite; see the AI featured snippet.
The conditions for winning it
- Already ranking well: more than 99% of snippets come from top 10 pages, and most from the top 5. The snippet isn't won instead of the ranking, but on top of it.
- Targeting queries that trigger one: questions, definitions, comparisons, procedures. Tracking tools show whether a query displays a snippet and who holds it.
- Answering exactly: Google extracts the passage that best matches the question; an answer buried in a long paragraph is chosen less often.
The writing method
| Step | Practice |
|---|---|
| 1. A subheading that repeats the question | H2 "What is position zero?" or "How do you win position zero?" |
| 2. The answer immediately below | A 40- to 60-word paragraph, self-contained, defining or answering without pointing elsewhere |
| 3. The right format | An HTML list for a procedure, an HTML table for a comparison, with short labels |
| 4. The related questions | A FAQ section repeating Google's "People Also Ask", each with its short answer |
| 5. The development | The rest of the page goes deeper; the snippet opens, the content holds |
| 6. The check | After indexing, search the query; adjust the answer if the snippet stays with a competitor (compare their extract with yours) |
Structured data doesn't directly influence the snippet, but FAQPage and HowTo help Google read the structure. Markup is covered in structuring your pages for AI.
Position zero and AI Overviews
Since 2024, Google has shown on some informational queries an AI-generated overview (AI Overview) that replaces or sits above the snippet. It cites several sources, with links. The 2025 and 2026 analyses show that the pages holding the snippet are also the most cited in the overviews: the same logic, a direct and structured answer. The work for position zero therefore still holds; you simply have to measure both (rank tracking separates snippet from AI citation) and accept that the click-through rate falls on the queries where the overview answers in full. Visibility in AI engines is covered in the visibility in generative AI.
Tracking your position zeroes
- In Search Console, a snippet's clicks aren't separated out; an average position of 1 with an abnormally high or low click-through rate is a clue.
- Rank tracking tools (Semrush, Ahrefs, Monitorank, see Monitorank) flag the snippets held, lost and available.
- Track the number of snippets held and the clicks of the pages concerned, monthly, in your SEO dashboard.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's SEO keyword tracking brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is position zero the same as first place?
No. First place is the first classic organic result. Position zero is a distinct block shown above it, extracting a passage from a page ranked in the first results. A page can hold both, or the snippet alone while ranking 3rd or 4th.
Can you refuse to appear in position zero?
Yes, with the nosnippet meta tag (no extract) or max-snippet to limit the length. That is rarely desirable: the absence of a snippet doesn't give you first place, it hands the block to a competitor.
How many words should the answer be for a paragraph snippet?
Between 40 and 60 words, or 250 to 320 characters, based on analysis of the snippets shown. A longer answer is truncated, a shorter one is judged incomplete. Place it directly under the subheading that poses the question.
Have AI Overviews killed featured snippets?
No, they coexist. The AI Overview appears on some informational queries, the snippet remains frequent on the others, and some pages show both. Pages structured for the snippet are also the most cited in the overviews.