What Are Rich Snippets and How They Boost Your SEO

Did you know that the first organic result on Google attracts around 27.6% of total clicks?

If your page doesn't appear in the top position, how can you “steal” some of that traffic? That's where rich snippets come in. With these rich snippets, you can make your result stand out visually (with stars, prices, images, dates) and thus attract more attention even when you're “below.”  

So, if you're wondering “what are rich snippets?”, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, we'll unravel what rich snippets are, why they're key to your SEO, and how you can implement them with best practices for your content.

What are Rich Snippets?

A snippet is the basic fragment that a search engine (such as Google) displays in its results: title, URL, and description. Rich snippets go further: they are search results that include additional visual or structured information, such as star ratings, images, prices, availability, dates, etc.

When we enter the query “what are rich snippets”, what we are really asking is how to use these rich snippets to improve the presentation and relevance of our pages to search engines and users. Google extracts this supplementary data mainly through structured data inserted into the HTML.

Rich snippets help a result stand out visually from other normal results, making it more attractive to the user.

Types of Rich Snippets

Depending on the content of your website, there are various types of rich snippets you can apply. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Reviews/ratings: show stars, aggregate scores, and number of reviews

• Products (Product Snippets): show price, availability, product images, etc.
• Recipes (Recipe Snippets): include preparation time, calories, ratings, recipe image.
• Events (Event Snippets): dates, location, times, and other relevant details.
• Videos (Video Snippets): show thumbnails, duration, etc.
• FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions: allow questions and answers to appear directly in Google results.
• Other less common types: courses, organizations, articles, software, local businesses, etc.

Not all types will be relevant for all sites: the key is to choose those that fit the content of each page.

Why are Rich Snippets important?

Implementing rich snippets can bring several advantages:

• Greater visibility and prominence in results
  By adding visual or contextual elements (stars, prices, images), the result becomes more eye-catching compared to standard results.  
• Increased CTR (Click-Through Rate)
  When a result stands out more, it is more likely to receive clicks. This increase in CTR can indicate to Google that the page is relevant, which can indirectly benefit its ranking. 
• Better interpretation of content by search engines
  Structured data helps Google better understand the content of the page, which can help that content appear in other rich result formats. 
• Trust and authority towards the user
  Seeing specific information (ratings, prices, opening hours, etc.) right from the results can generate more trust and reduce user uncertainty before entering the page. 
• Competitive advantage over pages without rich snippets
  If your competitors don't use them and you do, your results can stand out more and attract more visitors.

It should be noted, however, that Google has stated that structured data itself is not a direct ranking factor. But as an indirect tool (better CTR, better semantic interpretation), its value is high.

How to implement Rich Snippets

To get Google to display rich snippets from your pages, follow these steps. There is no absolute guarantee, but implementing them correctly is the first requirement.

Introduction to structured data

Structured data is annotations in your page code that indicate “what each thing is” (a product, a recipe, a rating). Google and other search engines can read that semantics and use it to generate rich results.

The most commonly used standard vocabulary for this structured data is Schema.org, which defines the classes and properties that can be used (e.g., Product, Review, Recipe, etc.).

Main formats: JSON - LD, Microdata

To incorporate this structured data, there are several accepted formats:

• JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data): This is the format recommended by Google, because it separates the data from the visual HTML and is more flexible to integrate.
• Microdata: inserted directly into HTML, wrapping elements with special attributes (itemprop, itemscope).
• RDFa: a more complex format, less common in basic implementation, which allows integration with other ontologies.

In many cases, it is recommended to use JSON-LD, as it reduces the risk of errors by separating rich data from the visual markup of the content.

Best practices for Rich Snippets

To optimize the chances of success in implementing rich snippets, keep these recommendations in mind:

• Ensure that the content visible to the user matches the structured markup. Do not mark something that is not actually on the page.
• Do not overuse markup: do not mark properties that do not correspond or that do not add real value.
• Verify that the values are correct and up to date (prices, availability, ratings). Outdated markup can cause discrepancies and loss of trust.
• Always use clean and valid formats (JSON-LD is more tolerant).
• Avoid syntax errors: a small error can invalidate the entire block of structured data.
• Perform regular tests with validation tools to detect breaks when editing the page.
• Prioritize the types of rich snippets that are most relevant to your business: it doesn't make sense to mark up recipes if your site is a technical e-commerce site.
• Use a progressive approach: start with one or two types and expand based on results.
• Monitor performance (CTR, impressions, positions) to see if those rich snippets have had an impact.

How do Rich Snippets help improve SEO?

Although rich snippets are not a direct ranking factor, their impact on SEO is undeniable. Incorporating them correctly can make the difference between going unnoticed or capturing the user's attention in search results.

First, they improve your page's visibility. A result that includes additional information(such as ratings, prices, or images) visually stands out from the rest. This increases the chances of clicks, even if you're not in the top position.

Furthermore, by correctly implementing structured markup, you help Google better understand the content of your page. This improves how it ranks your page and can help it appear in other search engine features, such as knowledge panels, carousels, or featured snippets.

Rich snippets also reinforce your brand's credibility and authority. Displaying verified data (such as real reviews or up-to-date prices) conveys trust to users and increases the likelihood of conversion once they arrive at your website.

Finally, implementing rich snippets correctly contributes to a better user experience (UX), as people find the information they are looking for before clicking. And Google rewards sites that offer a clearer, more useful, and structured experience.

If you are looking to improve your SEO at mbudo, as an inbound marketing agency, we are here to help you. Contact us!