Answer-First Paragraph
A self-contained answer placed in the first paragraph after the H1, before any explanation or setup.
What it means
Retrieval systems quote the first passage that stands on its own. An introduction that warms up for three paragraphs before saying anything gives them nothing to lift, so they lift something else, often from a competitor who got to the point.
The part a short definition leaves out
Answering first does not mean the article ends there. Say the thing, then spend the rest of the page qualifying it, showing the evidence, and pulling the larger thread. The answer up front is what earns the reader who came for one fact.
See whether this is costing you anything
The inspection reports on this signal directly, alongside thirty-seven others, and tells you whether it is a quick fix on your site or something deeper.