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Last month, we covered how Google started showing a new snippet named list snippets. They are designed specifically to make it easier for searchers to know what content is on a page with lots of navigation to other links, such as paginated pages with products, content and so on.
We even have them for our category pages:
But how do you get them for your site - that is if you want them?
Pete posted an article at SEOmoz on the patterns he has seen for sites that have received them. They include:
- Use a consistent structure, whatever it is.
- Keep extraneous code to a minimum.
- Test removing your META description or setting it to "".
He recommends you be careful with the last one, in fact my page that shows the snippet does indeed have a META description, so there is no real need to remove it.
Do you have any tips on making sure you get these rich snippets? Again, there is no official markup for it, Google does this on their own.
Forum discussion at Sphinn.
Comments:
SEO Catalysts
09/14/2011 01:21 pm
Again, no one can find the actual technique for this.I am following the last one but can't get the snippet yet in SERP . ---------------------- - Link building services
Joe Youngblood
09/14/2011 05:06 pm
Dr. Pete did a great job, but it's still pretty random. Also, what if the CTR for these is crap? Google doesnt offer you a choice (ala NOODP) they just do what they want these days. not bueno.
Adam Wong
09/15/2011 01:23 am
I'll try it for my new website www.heatedshoe.com
Keir Harness
09/15/2011 08:50 am
From what we can see - Did a search on .co.uk for roofers in Norwich, found a result half way down the listings which is a large directory web site. Characteristics which MIGHT lead to list snippets being assigned; Large directory structure on site Lots of deep linked bullet point content
Gavin Potts
09/15/2011 08:55 am
I've also just found a site with list excerpts from a table-based layout with an image and text in each cell.
Gavin Potts
09/15/2011 09:12 am
HTML5 also appears to be a common trait of these sites...
Jim
09/15/2011 01:32 pm
Or you can leave spam comments with links in the signature....