Generally, there are three types of featured snippets: paragraph, list, and table. Depending on the query, each type of featured snippet can be present. Though, every kind of snippet will show up for a variety of different reasons.
Let’s break down the differences in all of these. To begin, a paragraph snippet is the most common one. If you ask a detailed question about why the sky is blue or what would happen if the Sun suddenly went out, then you would likely see a paragraph explaining the answer.
Paragraph snippets only appear when the corresponding answer can be explicitly stated. However, if the answer must be detailed in order to be fully sufficient, then that’s when a list or table comes in.
For example, if you want to know the ingredients for a peanut butter cookie recipe, a list snippet would likely appear. Lists are simple to read and are ideal when presenting a series of information.
Conversely, a table snippet mostly shows off mathematical data. For example, if you want to know the odds of winning five times a row in blackjack, a table with probability values will likely come up.
As you can see, depending on the type of question or query you search, you’re bound to get a snippet that presents the most relevant and detailed answer. With that said, continue reading to learn more about how you can create featured snippets for your business.