What you will learn in this post:
- How to identify opportunities for position zero
- What types of content are good candidates for making the rank
- How to structure your content to maximize your chances of getting position zero
What could possibly be better than your brand appearing as the first result in a relevant Google search? Securing position zero.
In the world of search engine rankings, zero is better than one. These featured snippets show up above all other search results, making them the new most desirable top-ranked spot.
Securing position zero allows brands to not only boost their visibility in text and voice queries, but also establish their authority.
But with so many locations to manage and so many competitors in your industry, how can your multi-location brand secure position zero? The solution is simple but multi-faceted. Broadly speaking, you must focus on creating good content that directly answers a specific search query you want to rank for. Of course, there may be several of these queries, and each one requires the same amount of attention and SEO best practices.
Here we will break down some important steps you can take to increase your Google search engine visibility and achieve position zero for more online searches.
Start by Identifying Opportunities
You may have yet to secure position zero, but if your business is currently investing in search engine optimization strategies, there may be several opportunities at your disposal that will help you further improve your local SEO ranking. For instance, if you are using an SEO analytics tool, examine the keywords you already rank well for. Your findings will cue you into your current strengths and weaknesses. Then, use tools like Google Keyword planner or SEMRush to find question queries that have a high search volume and respond to those insights.
Look at the Types of Content that Rank for Position Zero
If you want to secure position zero for local queries, you have to do your research. Run several relevant searches of your own and see what types of content currently rank for position zero in your industry. You can use this data to inform the types of content you create moving forward and the types of questions you should answer. Also, it is possible to unseat competition with well developed question and answer content.
Create In-Depth, Strategic Content
Once you begin creating content with the intent of securing position zero, make sure it is in-depth but also concise. Specificity and brevity are key factors in achieving this sought-after ranking, as online search users are often looking for simple, clear answers to specific inquiries. There are also considerations in terms of how your content is structured. Many position zero snippets are formatted in a simple paragraph, list, or table and/or image, wherein you will find at least one instance of a specific keyword. Make sure your pages include information ripe for position zero both in terms of content and format.
Mark up Your Content and Website Attributes with Structured Data (Schema)
Structured data, or schema, basically refers to labeling your HTML data to make it easier for search engines to determine what it is. In a way, it is like creating a cheat sheet for Google’s algorithm, allowing it to skip some steps on the way to pinpointing your content. By implementing structured data, you can more easily organize your different types of content, and optimize it for position zero. For instance, FAQ pages and Q&A content are common position zero winners. By creating this type of content and also including the proper schema markup, you can increase visibility and your chances of securing position zero for relevant inquiries.
Establish and Maintain Good On-Site SEO
Today, focusing on best practices for local seo for businesses is a must no matter what. It is especially vital for securing position zero. These best practices include creating high-quality, varied content and local landing pages, developing strong backlinks, incorporating keywords and key phrases, improving web page speed and security, etc. You can only achieve top rankings on Google if your brand’s online presence is optimized across the board.
Like most SEO strategies, there is no guaranteed tactic for your brand to secure position zero. But following the advice above will certainly increase your chances. If nothing else, doing so will improve your overall online stats, including visits, click-throughs and conversions.
Get a head start with a free Local Presence Audit from Rio SEO to determine your greatest challenges and opportunities. You’ll receive expert insight for optimizations across your local listings, location rankings, reviews and more. Get started here today.
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