As SERPs continue to change, we see more search features taking up space on Page 1.
That’s why it’s increasingly important to gain visibility in People Also Ask results.
Let’s go over some ways to research People Also Ask (PAA) rankings, and methods you can use in order to get a website ranking in them.
What is the People Also Ask box?
This accordioned box shows a list of questions related to the query that you searched.
You can expand the accordions to find out more information and click through to different links.
In some cases, AI Overviews results can appear within an expanded PAA box. See below:
So, if you have a shoe company but are having a hard time ranking on Page 1 for the query “types of shoes” (8,100 monthly search volume according to Semrush), you still have the opportunity to optimize a page for related queries and show up in the SERPs.
Or, if you’re already in the top spot for the query but want to dominate that SERP as much as possible, you can also try to get another page ranked in the PAA box.
Dig deeper: Google generates nearly 13% of People Also Ask answers: Data
Looking at People Also Ask visibility using Semrush
Drill down into specific PAA rankings with Semrush’s SERP Features tool (or a comparable keyword tool).
Just pop your domain into Domain Overview, and navigate to Organic Research. From there, drill down in a few different ways:
- Where your domain ranks for People Also Ask results.
- Where People Also Ask results show up for a keyword your domain ranks for.
- Where PAAs are not on the SERPs.
- Where your domain doesn’t rank in the PAAs.
All of these views can be helpful in some way.
Identifying where your site ranks but doesn’t appear in the PAA box lets you build a list of content and optimization opportunities to boost visibility.
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Identifying opportunities to rank in People Also Ask results
This can get a little time-consuming, since the keyword that your site is ranking for in the PAA box is not the same keyword being shown in Semrush. (Remember, it’s a related question that people also ask).
Dig into the different related questions by viewing the SERPs in Semrush.
For example, Nike ranks well for the keyword “Jordan 4” but doesn’t rank in the PAA result on that SERP.
If we view the SERP for that keyword…
…then we can see what questions are appearing.
“How do I spot fake Air Jordans” and “What is the rarest J4” present good opportunities to create content that answers those questions directly on the Nike site.
Tackle these opportunities in a few ways:
- Drill down into the list of places your site is not yet ranking in the existing People Also Ask box.
- Your site is already ranking in some capacity for these keywords, but you’re not in this result yet.
- That presents an opportunity to add a related answer to a question on the ranking page and potentially gain more organic visibility.
- Find out where your competitors are ranking in PAA results and where you don’t.
- This gives you a great opportunity to take a PAA result spot from a competitor or generate a new page idea based on their work.
- Be sure to look at multiple competitors to get a full picture of the content gaps on your site.
Dig deeper: Case study: How to get rid of a negative ‘People also ask’ result
How can your site rank in more PAA results?
Short answer: Answer the questions that people also ask.
From the research you pull, choose the related questions that are relevant to your brand, products and/or services.
Then, create some informative, concise FAQs on relevant pages (or create new pages as needed).
Quality and informative content that your site has the right to win for is going to perform best in these results.
You’ll want to wrap the question headings in H2 or H3 tags and then include the answer as a small paragraph below.
Remember:
- Provide accurate information.
- Keep it short.
- Use natural language.
- Back your answers with credible sources when that’s relevant.
Don’t forget about authority.
As a supporting tactic, you’ll want to ensure that Google sees your site and important pages as authoritative.
Find natural ways to gain links from high domain authority sites, whether that’s from gaining news coverage or having a thought leader do an interview for a publication.
Especially when creating a new page, you’ll want to try to gain some backlinks to it.
And ensure your internal linking profile is strong. Linking to pages where you’re answering PAA questions can help signal their importance to Google.
What should you avoid when optimizing for People Also Ask results?
Steer clear of these common mistakes to keep your content eligible and effective in PAA boxes:
- Keyword stuffing: Naturally answering the question is best, not inserting a ton of keywords and creating spammy-looking content
- Ignoring search intent: Shoehorning a keyword or answer into a page that isn’t really related to the question isn’t going to lead to good results.
- Writing an essay: Long-form content isn’t the way here. Keep it concise and directly answer the question.
- Forgetting to update content as needed: It’s a good habit to periodically check to ensure your answers are up to date.
Tracking People Also Ask results
Include your target PAA keywords in your rank tracking tool to see when you’ve won those spots.
In Semrush, check the SERP Features trend and filter for PAA results to track how many you rank for over time and spot any major changes.
Capturing visibility, authority, and traffic through PAA
The People Also Ask box is a powerful gateway to visibility, authority, and long-tail traffic.
By delivering concise, intent-driven answers and tracking your performance, you can secure a lasting presence in these results and extend your brand’s reach beyond traditional rankings.
As search evolves – and with AI and conversational queries on the rise – PAA results will only grow in importance.
Make PAA optimization a core part of your strategy now by researching questions, structuring answers, and tracking your wins.
Contributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. Contributor was not asked to make any direct or indirect mentions of Semrush. The opinions they express are their own.
