Earning featured snippets on Google requires providing exceptionally concise answers within strict length limitations. This definitive guide compiles optimized length guidance for different snippet formats based on aggregated research.
Overview of Featured Snippet Length Requirements
Featured snippets contain extracted content from webpages that directly answer search queries on Google. To fit captions, images plus extracted text in the compact snippet boxes, Google imposed strict character limits:
Paragraph snippets: ~300 characters or 50 words
List snippets: Up to 8 list items
Table snippets: Maximum 2-3 columns, up to 9 rows
Exceeding these approximate limits risks getting content truncated or dropped entirely from snippets. Writing concisely is imperative.
But are those general length rules still ideal for all snippet formats? Analyzing exact character and word count data across millions of snippets helps determine optimum targets.
Optimal Paragraph Snippet Length
Paragraph or sentence-based snippets make up over 80% of featured snippets according to recent GetStat data. This format answers questions with concise paragraphs.
The Research on Paragraph Snippet Lengths
Uncovering optimal paragraph snippet lengths requires aggregating data from large-scale studies:
| Study | # of Snippets Analyzed | Key Findings |
|---|---|---|
| SEMRush 2019 | 2+ million | 50-60 words is optimal length; 49.7 average words |
| Searchmetrics 2018 | 600,000 | 45-52 words garners most clicks & conversions |
| Site Bulldozer 2020 | 3 million | 58.6% of snippets under 50 words; average 48 words; 36 words minimum & 115 max |
| NHance Digital 2020 | 10,000 | 40-80 characters per line works best; 39 average words |
| Conductor 2019 | 25,000 | Long snippets of 50-99 words perform worst for CTR; best uptick at 16-32 words |
| BecomeContent 2022 (first-hand testing multiple sites) | 5,000 | 165-320 characters or 25-50 words balances answer depth with text truncation risk and engagement |
Aggregating paragraph length findings from over 5 million featured snippets yields clear guidance…
Actionable Length Recommendations for Paragraph Snippets
Based on extensive snippet data, here are specific paragraph length optimization tips:
✅ Words per snippet: 35-52
✅ Characters per snippet: 165-320
✅ Characters per line: 40-80
✅ Sentences per snippet: 2-5
Adhering to these optimized targets allows your paragraph-based content to fit fully within featured snippets without risking truncation while still providing adequate details.
This 52-word paragraph snippet from BecomeContent meets length best practices
Now that we‘ve covered paragraph snippets in-depth, what does the data show for list snippet lengths?
Ideal List Snippet Length
Scannable numbered and bulleted list-based snippets work well for procedural, step-by-step answers.
Aggregated Research on List Snippet Lengths
While lists themselves have no strict length limits, research covered earlier shows 8 items is commonly used:
| Study | Key Findings |
|---|---|
| GetStat via Backlinko 2021: 10.77% of snippets are lists | 8 list items commonly displayed |
| NHance Digital 2021: Analyzed top-ranking list snippets | Average 8.5 list items before truncation |
| Conductor 2019: Compared CTRs of list snippets by number of items | Peak CTR with 7-10 list items |
| BecomeContent 2022: First-hand testing of lists with 8, 10 and 12+ items | 10+ item lists saw highest click & scroll rates |
Based on sizable data pools (see research table above), lists with 7-12+ items tend to gain optimal engagement and performance.
Optimization Tips for List Snippet Lengths
When creating content for list-based featured snippets, use this length guidance:
✅ Number of list items: Optimally 10-12
✅ Truncation threshold: 8 items (where "Show more" displays)
✅Characters per item: Ideally under 320 chars
Comprising lists of 8-10 items formatted concisely leaves readers wanting more from the truncated snippet, enticing clicks while keeping individual items short enough to avoid truncation mid-item.
This 10 item list leaves readers curious what #11 and #12 are
Now that paragraph and list snippet lengths are covered in detail, one more popular format remains – tables.
Optimizing Table Snippet Lengths
Tables organize relevant data in digestible rows and columns. Here are the established table snippet limits:
- Max items: 9 rows
- Truncation: "X more rows"
- Max columns: 3
But could longer tables with more columns and compact cells boost engagement?
Key Findings on Table Snippet Lengths
Little publicly available research exists exploring expanded table snippet limits:
| Study | Table Snippet Insights |
|---|---|
| NHance Digital 2020 | Long, wide tables over 3 columns & 100 words may see text truncation |
| Conductor 2019 | Analyzed click-through rates between standard 1 & 2 column tables vs. expanded 3-5 columns; observed negligible difference |
| BecomeContent 2022 (first-hand optimization testing) | Adding 5 compact columns & 20 concise rows triggered "20 more rows", garnering high click & scroll rates |
Limited data on expanded table snippets hints there could be engagement upticks from teasing additional rows and columns while staying under strict individual column and cell width confines.
Experimenting with Table Snippet Lengths
Until more formal studies analyze the impact of expanded tables in snippets, first-hand A/B testing is needed to determine ideal lengths, considering:
🔎 Number of columns
🔎 Row count thresholds triggering truncation messages
🔎 Character limits per cell
The scarce but promising data thus far indicates there‘s potential for elongated, compact table snippets. But proceed cautiously, testing incrementally, as overly long tables may face text truncation or fail to register for snippets entirely.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Google‘s featured snippet lengths – especially the 300 character paragraph limits – are reasonably well established based on multi-million snippet data pools. This definitive guide compiled actionable length optimization targets for different formats.
However, as snippets continue evolving, further studies are warranted, particularly on the emerging opportunity with expanded table snippets. Additionally, other rich result formats like featured videos and image carousels would benefit from aggregated length data.
For now, align your snippet targeting content to the data-backed lengths outlined for each format. Track your featured snippets analytics closely post-optimization to assess real-world performance. Share your findings to strengthen the snippet intelligence community.
With collaboration across the SEO industry, we can unlock more success formulas for this vital emerging platform – featured snippets.
