Seeking Queries and Elements of Answers. This figure shows how queries don't need to include question words to be classified as "search for answer. " As the patent states, "In this example, the search system provides the answer box in response to the query even though the query is not phrased as a question and even though the query does not include a question word. ." Google also notes: "
In this example, the answer box is identified as a correct answer to the query even though the answer does not include the term 'kitchen', which occurred in the query and even though the answer n does not appear in a document referenced by a top-ranked company employee list search result. On the contrary, the answer in the answer box is identified as a correct answer because the search system has determined that the type of question corresponding to the query is often associated with an answer type that corresponds to the text of the document referenced by the result of research.
This is another key idea: your content doesn't need to be ranked #1 to deserve the response. This is something the answer box searchers already knew, but it's always good to have statements directly from Google that support the current understanding of how the search engine works. Although you don't have to rank #1, you must rank in the top ten results. Our own research at Bruce Clay, Inc., as well as research from other SEO agencies, indicates that you need to be in the top ten if you want to have a chance of ranking zero. The trigger is not that you are using a question word, but rather that you are