You know those little question boxes that pop up when you Google something? Yep, that’s the “People Also Ask” section. It’s Google’s way of spoon-feeding answers to searchers without making them dig through a million sites – and it’s a massive opportunity for you to get noticed.
Why should you even care? Simple: showing up in these people also ask boxes means more clicks, more traffic, and positioning yourself as the go-to expert. But it’s not about just crossing your fingers and hoping to get featured – there’s a strategy to it.
So in this post, I’ll show you exactly how to get your content featured in those People Also Ask snippets.
What is the ‘People Also Ask’ Section?
You’ve definitely seen it before – those little people also ask boxes that pop up in Google with questions related to your search, like “what is a commercial interior designer?” or “what does a commercial interior stylist do?” That’s the “People Also Ask” section, or PAA for short.
Basically, it’s Google’s way of giving searchers quick, bite-sized answers. Each question opens up to show a short answer, plus a link back to the original source (which could be your website!).
PAA is basically Google’s own little FAQ section, and it’s where you want your content to be – because that means more eyes on your site.
Why Do I Want to Be Featured in the People Also Ask Section?
If you’re wondering why should I even care? Simple – it’s a shortcut to more visibility. Even if you’re not ranking in the top spot, getting into those PAA boxes means you’re front and centre when people are searching for answers to their questions.
People Also Ask boxes appear in 51.85% of all searches, according to Semrush Sensor data from August 2024. That’s a lot of potential traffic up for grabs! It’s a free way to position yourself as an expert, build credibility, and steal some of that click-through action. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that?
What Types of Content Usually Gets Featured in the People Also Ask Section?
Google’s looking for content that makes it easy for people to find quick answers – a bit like a quick-fire question round. Don’t go into too much detail. To rank in the People Also Ask boxes, you need to provide a short concise answer at the beginning of your blog and it needs answer a specific question.
Here’s what typically makes the cut:
- Simple step-by-step instructions
- Brief explanations or definitions of terms often end up in PAA boxes.
- Straightforward answers that get right to the point – no fluff, no rambling.
- FAQs – Google loves content that mimics a Q&A format, so including an FAQ section can give you an edge.
The key? Make sure your content answers questions directly while still being valuable.
How Does Google Decide Who Gets Shown in People Also Ask Snippets?
Google’s got its favourites, and it’s not just about luck – there’s a method to the madness when it comes to getting featured in those PAA boxes.
Here’s what matters:
- Relevance: Google wants to serve up answers that match the searcher’s intent, so your content needs to directly answer common questions.
- Content Structure: Using clear subheadings, short paragraphs, and lists makes it easier for Google to pull out those quick answers (kinda like I’m doing with this blog).
- Authority and Trustworthiness: High-quality content and a strong domain authority can give you a leg up. If Google sees you as a trustworthy source, you’re more likely to get featured.
It’s about creating content that’s clear, direct, and actually useful – make it easy for Google to choose you.
6 Steps To Optimise Your Content to Get Featured in the People Also Ask Section?
- Use your H1 as the question: Your title e.g. H1 should always incorporate the main question and include your focused keyword
- Incorporate PAA questions as subheadings: Use common searched questions as H2, H3, and H4 headers.
- Directly answer the questions: For example, if you’re a yoga studio offering vinyasa yoga classes, this is what is currently showing up in the people also asked section:
The answer is short and sweet (usually around 50 words) – no fluff. You might also see lists and bullets depending on the question, so make sure you copy the same kind of format.
- Use schema markup: This is going to help search engines understand the content of your pages. You can manually apply schema markup code and use the Structured Data Markup Helper to do this or you can use RankMath and the free version has a selection of Types of Schema Markup for you to choose from.
- Write high-quality optimised content: This means giving value to the reader with well researched, well-written content that’s structured in a clear, logical format. But also making sure to optimise the meta data, content and images for your keywords.
- Internal and external linking: Internal links make it easy for Google to find, index and structure pages on your site and external links back up your sources and provide authority – this need to be included in your content to help you get featured.
- Optimise Your Images: PAA answers sometimes include images, so optimising them can increase your chances of being featured. Make sure each image has alt text that clearly describes what’s shown and use specific file names like “benefits-of-yoga.jpg” instead of generic ones like “IMG1234.jpg” to give Google a clearer idea of the image’s content.
Oh and by the way, I’ve got a Free SEO Checklist that will help you optimise your content not just for PPA but the search engines as a whole.
Do You Need to Know How to Do Keyword Research to Rank in the People Also Ask Questions?
Short answer: yes, you do!
If you want to show up in those People Also Ask boxes, you’ve got to know what your audience is actually searching for. This means getting familiar with keyword research tools like SEMrush, Ubersuggest or even using Google’s “People Also Ask” suggestions as a starting point.
Focus on those long-tail keywords and phrases – these are the specific questions people type in when they’re looking for answers.
Need help figuring this out? I have a Beginner’s Guide to Keyword Research plus a Free Keyword Management Spreadsheet that’ll make the process so much easier!
How Often Should I Be Updating My Website Content?
If you manage to land yourself in one of the People Also Ask (PAA) boxes, it doesn’t mean it’s yours forever. You need to make sure your content is fresh and relevant.
- Every 3-6 Months check that your content is still up-to-date. Google likes to see that you’re keeping things current.
- If new stats or trends pop up, add them in. It shows Google (and your audience) that you’re on top of things.
- Make sure your quick answers and FAQs are still aligned with what people are searching for.
Regular updates signal to Google that your content is worth featuring, keeping you in those PAA spots longer.
Does Long-Form Content Help to Get Featured in People Also Ask?
Google loves quick answers for those PAA boxes, but longer content gives you way more chances to get featured. With more content, you can tackle different angles, answer more questions, throw in loads of subheadings, bullets, and lists – all of which give Google more options to pull from.
It’s not just about word count – it’s about covering more ground while staying relevant.
Can Backlinking Strategies Help You Get into the People Also Ask?
Absolutely.
Backlinks are like a trust signal to Google – they show that other sites see your content as credible. And the more Google trusts you, the more likely you are to rank higher and land in those PAA boxes.
But let’s be honest, finding and building good backlinks is seriously time-consuming. You have to research, reach out, and follow up – a lot (often getting ghosted). I don’t have time for that, so I use Rhino Rank. Yep, I have to pay for this, but with the time it saves, it’s worth it.
Or another platform that I like to use is HARO (now it’s called Connectively) – this platform connects you with journalists, businesses, and individuals looking for information from experts (yep, that’s you!). So, the experts can respond to these queries, and journalists will then give the expert the backlink. You can sign up for this website for free and try it out yourself.
Want a free option? Try finding broken links on other sites and suggesting your content as a replacement. It’s a win-win: you get a backlink, and they fix a dead link.
For more on this, SEMRush has a really good guide on broken link building.
How Can You Monitor Your Presence in the People Also Ask Section?
You’ve done the work, so don’t just cross your fingers and hope for the best – keep an eye on where your content is popping up. Here’s how:
Track It with SEMrush
Use SEMrush’s “Position Tracking” tool. Click on “featured snippets”, and it’ll show you if your content is landing in those People Also Ask boxes.
- Set Up a Position Tracking Campaign:
- Log in to your SEMrush account.
- Head to the Position Tracking under the “Projects” section.
- Create a project for the domain you want to track and enter your target keywords and location.
- Check Featured Snippets:
- In your Position Tracking campaign, head to the Featured Snippet tab.
- This will show which of your target keywords are triggering featured snippets and whether your content is ranking in these positions.
- Track People Also Ask (PAA) Boxes:
- To track PAA results, click on the “SERP Features” tab in Position Tracking.
- Filter by “People Also Ask” to see which keywords are triggering PAA boxes.
- It will show your ranking within PAA if you’re featured or nearby.
By doing this you can check and track if your content is optimised for featured snippets or People Also Ask results and then you can simply adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.
Manual Checks
- Open an incognito tab (so Google doesn’t just show you your browsing history).
- Search your target keywords and scroll down to the “People Also Ask” section.
- Click around and see if your content’s there.
Need a Hand? Let’s Chat!
If this whole PAA thing is sounding like a lot of work – or if you’d rather focus on what you’re actually good at – let’s chat.
I can help you improve SEO, boost your chances of landing in those PAA boxes, and get your content working harder for you.
No more guesswork, just results. Book a free consultation and learn more about my SEO services right here. Let’s make Google work for you!
