How To Use “People Also Ask” for Laser-Focused Keyword Research

Google’s “People Also Ask” feature has been around for over a decade, and ever since it’s been one of our favorite keyword and content research tools.

In this article, we’re going to show you what makes “People Also Ask” so useful and how you can start implementing it into your SEO strategy.

What is The “People Also Ask” Feature in Google Search Results?

The “People Also Ask” (PAA) feature in Google Search results allows you to see what questions other users are searching for that are related to your original query. 

This helps to lead users to more relevant search topics that they might not have thought of. Typically, the “People Also Ask” box has around 4 results for you to choose from. The results in the PAA box increase every time you click on a result. The goal of the PAA is to help users find information faster that is more relevant to what they’re looking for. 

How Can “People Also Ask” Help With Keyword Research?

PAA helps you get into the minds of your users to see what they’re thinking and what types of questions they’re asking. Using this data can help you adjust your keyword research to align more with what your users value and what they’re looking for in your content. PAA typically features high-ranking keywords that usually perform the best. This can help you optimize your keyword strategy to reflect current trends so that your keywords rank high on SERPs. 

What Are The Benefits of Using “People Also Ask” for SEO?

The PAA helps with SEO in two ways:

• It aids your keyword research (which we’ll show you later
• It can help your site rank in search results. 

By being featured in PAA results, your site gains more authority over the subject you’re being featured for. Sometimes, Google can use your content for multiple answers, further increasing your keyword and site rankings. When a user sees your site on the PAA box, they’ll be more likely to visit your site and check out more of your content, thus increasing your site traffic. 

How do I Find Relevant Questions in “People Also Ask” For my Target Keyword?

Normally, the most relevant questions for your target keyword will be featured in the first few results in the PAA box. If you don’t find something that resonates with you right away, you can keep clicking on results to generate more questions that may be more relevant to your keyword. Also, thorough keyword research can help you to identify questions that are most compatible with your target keyword. 

Can “People Also Ask” Help me Identify Long-Tail Keywords?

Yes! 

PAA tends to feature more long-tail keywords and questions based on the search term. 

By checking PAA results when developing your PAA strategy, you’re able to identify long-tail keywords that are ranking high and are more likely to be featured in the PAA box. Each question in the PAA box has the possibility of becoming a long-tail keyword depending on how relevant each one is to your main keyword. Long-tail keywords are great because they have low competition since they are so long, and a higher conversion rate. Also, people using long-tail keywords may be further along in the search funnel and more willing to become a conversion depending on how much your content resonates with them and their needs. 

How do I Integrate “People Also Ask” Questions Into my Content Strategy?

One great way to tailor to PAA questions is by starting your content with a short and easy answer to a question that you want to be featured in a PAA results box. Beginning with a short answer in your article is very helpful as the results that tend to appear on PAA results include short, 2-3 sentence answers. 

Adding question marks/questions to your subheaders also helps to effectively integrate PAA into your content strategy. Google is more likely to add your content to PAA if it sees that one of the sections of your content specifically answers a question. 

What Tools Can I Use to Analyze “People Also Ask” Data?

When trying to analyze PAA data, Google Search is a great tool to help you understand your data and aid in your keyword research strategy. By typing in your desired topics and keywords, Google Search can show you what your user intent is and what questions users are asking related to those topics. Google Search is also the best place to get real-time data based on the latest trends. Also, another tool that you can use to analyze PAA data is Centori’s keyword generator. This keyword generator will load relevant questions based on the keyword that you enter. 

What Are Some of The Best Practices For Using “People Also Ask” in Keyword Research

We love using the PAA feature for keyword and content research, here are the top things you can do with it:

• Identify the user intent
• Study competitors
• Find keywords to target
• Optimize existing content
• Stay up to date on trends

Let’s walk through these in depth.

Identify User Intent 

PAA can help you get a sense of what stage of the search funnel users are in to help identify what their intent is with the content. If you see lots of “informational” questions then it’s a signal that you are looking at a search that is higher up in the buyer’s journey. 

Study Competitors

PAA gives you an opportunity to see how your competitors are using PAA to rank and what keywords they’re using. Sometimes it’s important to study competitors to see what keywords they aren’t using so that you take advantage of new keyword opportunities. 

Optimize Existing Content

By observing content featured in PAA results, you may find out that some of your content may not be as effective as it can be. Using PAA to optimize your content is great because it helps to keep your content relevant and high-quality.

Stay Up-To-Date On Trends

Using PAA means that you can stay on top of current market trends so that you can stay on top of the SERP ranks and stay relevant. 

Identifying Long-Tail Keywords

Many PAA results include long-tail keywords that might get you more conversions compared to shorter keywords. Long-tail keywords are important to stay aware of because users are more likely to click on one during their search. Since long-tail keywords are less common and have low search volume, they can be great opportunities to rank and gain an edge over competitors. 

Want to Learn More About Keyword Research?

Keyword research is an essential and often misunderstood and broad aspect of SEO. Many marketers get lost in the research process because they don’t know what keywords work, what keywords rank better than others, and why. That’s why an informed and strategic approach is necessary to do keyword research right.

Looking for a place to start? Download our free Keyword Research Guide to help bring your SEO to the next level.