SEO Lesson: Position “0”

Roee Ganot — February 19, 2017 Follow @RoeeGanot

What’s the top spot you can get in search results?

Chances are that you just answered “Number 1.” The position right at the top of the page. The position that people see first.

But wait, do they actually see that position first?

You have likely performed hundreds of searches yourself where you saw something appear even before that first search result.

Typically, the results in “position 0” are those that answer questions. You search for the weather today, and you get a box right at the top showing you the information you need. Or you search for a word, and you get a box with a definition right at the top.

Obviously, these position 0 results will get much more visibility than even the first search result because they are right at the top of the page and they are much larger than the other search results.

See below 2 ‘position “0”‘ examples :

Getting your content in position 0 can help you get the exposure and traffic you want. Here’s your SEO lesson: position “0:”

Write Content for Questions

A lot of the content that is featured in position 0 answers a question. Therefore, one of the best ways to snag this position is to write content that answers a question.

Going to write a post about how to improve SEO? Title it “What is SEO?” and include plenty of beginner info. You are more likely to show up at the top when someone enters that question in search.

Writing this kind of content is a good idea for SEO anyway because it is evergreen. You are creating resource-rich content for those who might just be learning about your brand or your niche, so you are giving them a solid foundation to move onto the more advanced topics you explore in the rest of your content.

You don’t have to cater to beginners with all of your content. Even if your niche is professionals and advanced users, you should still have this beginner content. It will help you draw in more users and it will help you land in position 0.

Create Tutorials

Tutorials are essentially answers to questions also, but the question is “how” and not “why” or “what.”

Write your tutorial with simple, step-by-step instructions that are labelled with numbers. Include photos and illustrations to provide visual instruction.

If your tutorial is pulled for position 0, Google will show a few of the steps, as well as a photo or graphic. The easier you can make it for Google to do these things, the more likely you are to get featured.

Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

People don’t search for a question with a simple keyword or two most of the time. They search the same way they would ask the question.

People know not to enter in “SEO” when their question is really “What is SEO?” They know they are going to get millions of search results that explore every aspect of SEO. They are smart enough to narrow their search to exactly the information they want.

You have to use long-tail keywords if you want to lock up the top search position for these results.

Obviously, you can start with the question you think people are going to use, like “What is SEO?” But you can also use other long-tail keywords related to the main question, like “definition of SEO” or “explanation of SEO.”

Using long-tail keywords helps you to narrow the focus so you can make it crystal clear to Google what your page is about. The stronger your signals, the more likely your page will be chosen for that search.

Create Relevancy

Using keywords is not enough these days to get the top search results position.

You need to show Google that you’ve done more than use the right keywords. You need to show them that your page is topical and relevant, and that you are actually providing the information your keywords promise.

Fill in the page with much more than the basic answer. Talk about not just what SEO is, but also how it is used, the top strategies for it, maybe a little bit about its history, some common beginner mistakes, and so on.

Link to other pages on your site that have relevant content for further exploration.

The more you can do to create relevancy, the better. Google will choose the pages that have the strongest signals. There is only one position 0, and you need to do everything you can to capture it.

SEO has changed dramatically in recent years. It’s not enough to get the top search result position. You must take advantage of these new search features to get our website listed and get the traffic you want. Use these tips to help you get featured in position 0 and get far more traffic than you thought possible from your SEO.

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