Optimise your Meta Tags
Optimising your meta tags can greatly increase your chances of winning the zero-position search result. This, in turn, can result in more clicks on your website even on zero-click search keywords.
If you use WordPress or a similar platform as your CMS, here are a couple of ways you can optimise meta tags for zero click searches.
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Add questions in your meta tags such as title, URL, and meta description. According to a Backlinko study, 14.1% of all search queries are in some form of a question.
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Keep your title tags between 14-40 characters as they tend to have the highest CTR.
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Make sure your primary target keyword is in the URL. URLs that contain exact search queries tend to receive a 45% higher CTR based on the same Backlinko study. For example, to rank for “SEO Agency in Toronto” keyword, the ideal URL would be “https://supple.com.au/seo-toronto/”.
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Add power words in your title tags. They can increase your CTR by 12.7%. A couple of power words you can consider using are: effortless, incredible, highly affordable, amazing, etc.
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If you want to figure out the best formula to create title tags, observe the paid ads in Google SERP for your target keywords. Google uses an internal quality score to rank paid search ads in SERPs. So the ads ranking at the top have nailed their title tags. Study the top-ranking paid search ads to get ideas on how to form your title tag.
Implement Schema Markup Where Deemed Necessary
Schema markup, which is also known as structured data, is a language Google and other search engines use to read and comprehend the content of any given web page.
From the SEO standpoint, learning how to implement structured data or schema markup can directly improve your chances of appearing in the featured snippets.
There are schema markups for all sorts of content including, blog posts, landing pages, case studies, product pages, reviews, and more.
Plus, generating the schema markup is quite easy. Just visit Schema Markup Generator and select the appropriate schema depending on the type of content to generate it.
Before implementing the schema on your website, just make sure to test it in Google Structured Data Testing Tool to make sure it is error-free.
After the test, just copy the schema markup code and place it anywhere between<head> </head> section in your HTML code.
Optimise Social Media Channels for Knowledge Panel
As mentioned earlier, knowledge panels are displayed when people search for specific entities such as a person, place, brand, and organisation.
And by optimising your social media channels, you can win a chance at winning the knowledge panel for the entity you own & control.
All you have to do is add the appropriate schema markup for the social profile links of your local business on your website.
You can learn more about how to make your social media profiles appear in the knowledge panel in Google Help Center.
Optimise Images for SERP & Featured Snippets
Another way to appear in featured snippets for zero click searches is by optimising your website images for the target keywords.
Google has been blending images in its organic search results for many years. In fact, the percentage of SERPs showing images at the top is rising at an exponential rate.
According to a study, 44% of all SERPs worldwide now display images at the top.
This gives you an additional opportunity to win featured snippets or appear in SERP for your zero-click target keywords.
Here’s a quick image optimisation checklist to make your images appear in SERP and featured snippets for your target keywords:
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Image File Name & Alt Tags — Keyword-optimise your image file names & alt tags.
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Image Sizes — Use standard image dimensions (i.e. 900 px wide and 16 to 9 aspect ratio).
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Image Context — Use contextual images that complement your content.
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Image Captions — Write short, descriptive, keyword-rich captions for images.
Optimise your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a platform that allows businesses to manage their online presence on Google Search as well as on Maps.
And by optimising your Google Business Profile, you can win featured snippets for a lot of branded keywords irrespective of the industry.
All you need to do is create and set up Google Business Profile, and verify your listing.
Once you’re Google Business Profile is verified, it will start gaining visibility for branded search queries and show up in knowledge panels.
Plus, when your Google Business Profile starts receiving reviews from customers, you can leverage review schema markup to create more opportunities for winning the featured snippets for relevant keywords.
Optimise Pages that are Already Ranking Well for Zero Click Searches
Last but not least, you should also consider optimising your existing website pages that are already ranking well for zero click searches.
The best way to go about it is by creating a list of your already ranking web pages on your site for a particular target keyword.
After that, start optimising each web page by adding more content, optimising images, meta tags, etc. for zero click search keywords.
Doing so will definitely help to win more featured snippets for zero click keywords, which will boost your brand visibility in SERPs and increase traffic to your website.