What is People Also Ask (PAA)?
Definition
People Also Ask is a Google SERP feature displaying expandable boxes with related questions and brief answers extracted from web pages.
Why people also ask (paa) matters
People Also Ask matters because it reveals what users want to know about your topics. These questions represent real search demand and content opportunities that your audience is actively seeking.
PAA boxes provide additional SERP visibility beyond traditional rankings. Appearing in PAA for related queries expands your presence and can drive traffic even when you don't rank in the top organic positions.
PAA questions are excellent for content planning and optimization. They show exactly how users phrase questions, helping you structure content that directly addresses real user needs.
Key concepts and types
- •Expandable answers
PAA boxes expand when clicked, showing brief answers and source links. - •Dynamic generation
PAA questions often change based on what users click, revealing topic depth. - •Answer extraction
How Google pulls content from pages to display as PAA answers. - •Question-based optimization
Structuring content to directly answer questions that appear in PAA. - •Content ideation
Using PAA questions to discover topics your audience wants covered.
Common misconceptions
- ✕PAA only appears for question queries
- ✕You need to rank #1 to appear in PAA
- ✕PAA answers are always from the top-ranking page
- ✕PAA questions are static and predictable
- ✕Appearing in PAA significantly increases traffic
Related terms
FAQs
How do you optimize for People Also Ask?
Structure content with question-based headers, provide clear answers in the first 1-2 sentences after each question, use FAQ schema markup, and ensure your page ranks on page one for related queries.
Does appearing in PAA increase traffic?
It can, but often modestly. PAA visibility builds brand awareness and authority even when users don't click. The primary value is additional exposure and understanding user questions.
How do you find PAA questions for your topics?
Search your target keywords and note PAA questions that appear. Click questions to reveal more. Use SEO tools that aggregate PAA data across many searches for comprehensive lists.