Position zero: improve your SEO visibility

Nowadays, many websites want to claim the ultimate position on search results. Positioning your website on some of the top search results is a fiercely important SEO battle: a battle for position #1.

However, position #1 on Google search results is no longer the be-all end-all for SEO ranking. Position zero has become the new ultimate SEO position and has many attractive qualities not to be taken for granted.

Did you know this position further increases the visibility of a website?

Position zero: one more place to conquer

For many years now, Google has been the leader in terms of information; however, the tech giant has recently seen its superiority undermined by the arrival of competition, namely Facebook and Twitter. These two businesses have evolved in order to increase their user numbers as well as to take on the role of infomediaries in their own right.

To ensure it remains a first-class information network, Google has worked to simplify user access to information, reducing the number of clicks required to get the answers you’re looking for on the web.

Position zero or " featured snippets" have recently appeared on Google search results, overtaking the highly coveted 1st position, which has ironically taken second place in the SEO search results race.

Featured snippets

Featured snippets are the newest development Google has rolled out for their search engine; these featured snippets were implemented in order to provide a quick and relevant response to Internet users’ searches. In addition to highlighting website ads, Google now displays a small informational excerpt in response to certain queries, these excerpts also include the URL of where the information was found.

Featured snippets displayed in position zero therefore make it possible to considerably increase the visibility of your website. Although there is no predetermined rule regarding featured snippets, there is an implication of the importance of HTML structured data, as well as sufficient SEO optimization as a prerequisite

There are several variations of featured snippets; here are some examples of excerpts:

Knowledge cards

Unlike the featured snippets, where the answers provided by Google come from websites present on the web, the answers given via knowledge cards come directly from Google’s own intelligence.

Since the launch of the knowledge card, the Mountain View, California-based web giant has accumulated a lot of information regarding well-known people and places. As soon as a query corresponding to the collected information is made in the search bar, Google displays a knowledge card in position zero.

The main purpose for the integration of these knowledge cards on the search engine is to provide an immediate response to questions asked by Internet users. Like this, users will no longer need to actually click on one of the sites present in the results to obtain the information they seek.

Quick answers

Increasingly present in search results, quick answers perfectly correspond to Google’s willingness to provide information to Internet surfers in a fast and direct manner. Among the answers we can find in position zero, we discover information such as: weather forecasts, sports results, definitions, etc.

Here, the search "what time is it in Montreal" lets us quickly get to the answer without needing to go to any particular website. Google becomes the primary informer, however the response information actually comes from a third party website.

For searches like "Ryan Gosling filmography ", various information will pop up on Google to provide a comprehensive answer. We thus find an excerpt displaying the different cinematic appearances of the actor and one containing information about the actor himself as well as various partners with whom he has shared the screen.

In this way, quick answers allow the Google search network to be an even more efficient and comprehensive source of information.

Local results

Local SEO has become a major focal point for many companies. Indeed, the results based on the geolocation of search requests lets Internet users find answers that correspond perfectly to the location. Featured snippets therefore attractively highlight nearby companies, ones that play the game of geolocalized SEO as administered by Google.

In general, geolocalized results make it possible to put local companies first. Thus, Google ensures that the answers provided correspond perfectly to the user’s current location.

Position zero: the disadvantages of instant information

Despite the many advantages of position zero, if the answers provided in the search results are enough for Internet users, they may feel less inclined to click on various advertisements.

Indeed, for almost all websites the notion of obtaining clicks and traffic is a priority. In the case of quick answers immediately meeting the needs of Internet users, websites are going to need to find more effective ways to counteract featured snippets. To do this, an in-depth analysis of Google’s answers will make it possible to find the alternative answers that may be of interest to Internet users. In other words, companies are going to need to anticipate the second intentions of Internet users so as to provide additional information for their questions.

Conclusion

Faced with the strong competition that one can encounter on the web, appearing on the first position in search results remains a first order necessity. However, with the upsurge of ad results, position zero has become a determining SEO factor for sites wishing to improve their visibility.

So, what are you waiting for to position your website on position zero in your sector? Contact one of our SEO experts to help you enhance your site value in the eyes of Google.

Eugénie Delhaye

Cofondatrice et Spécialiste Marketing Internet et Référencement Naturel (SEO) Ma maîtrise des techniques de référencement, combinée à une analyse minutieuse des tendances du marché, me permet de créer des stratégies SEO sur mesure, efficaces et durables.