An answer-oriented search feature that displays an excerpt from a webpage selected by Google for a particular query.
A featured snippet presents an excerpt from a webpage as an answer-oriented search feature. It is not the same as a page’s meta description, a generated AI answer or a separate page that the business publishes. Google decides whether content is suitable for this presentation.
The selected excerpt should remain meaningful in context. A concise answer can be helpful, but an oversimplified statement may omit an important limitation. Write the page so that readers can find the full explanation and evidence rather than shaping every paragraph around a supposed snippet-length formula.
There is no markup that orders Google to choose a page as a featured snippet. Structured data and clear formatting have their own purposes, but they are not a guaranteed selection switch. Likewise, the popular phrase “position zero” is informal shorthand, not a promise that the feature always occupies one fixed layout or produces a particular amount of traffic.
Takeaway: Answer real questions clearly and accurately, then provide the necessary detail. Treat featured-snippet visibility as an observed result, not a deliverable that can be guaranteed by a heading or schema field.
Example
A repair guide gives a short explanation of when a part should be inspected, followed by the relevant limitations and a detailed procedure. The business keeps those qualifications visible even if a more dramatic sentence would make a catchier excerpt.
What to check
Check the actual source page and displayed wording when a snippet appears. Do not equate selection with endorsement, and do not remove important safety or scope qualifications merely to shorten an answer.
For more detail, see Featured snippets and your website.