Glossary
Snippet Answer
A 2-3 sentence summary near the top of an article, written so an AI engine can quote it verbatim as a direct answer.
By Teeming Chew, Founder Last updated
The snippet answer is the lede paragraph engineered for extraction. It restates the article's primary question and gives the concise answer in 40-60 words.
Where should the snippet answer appear?
Immediately after the H1, before any setup, hook, or table of contents. AI engines tend to extract from the first 100-150 words of content; burying the answer below a long introduction reduces citation odds.
What does a good snippet answer look like?
Lead with the term being defined, follow with the one-sentence definition, then add 1-2 sentences of context that an AI could trim or keep. Avoid hedging language (might, could, possibly). AI engines prefer declarative phrasing.
Part of the Cite Hustle GEO glossary: definitions for generative engine optimization and AI search. See how it fits the bigger picture in the GEO methodology.