People Also Ask is a Google Search feature that shows a group of questions related to what someone just searched. Each question expands to reveal a short answer pulled from a web page, along with a link to that page. Open one, and Google often adds more related questions below it.
For marketers, the box is useful twice over. It is another place your content can appear, and it is a free window into what your audience wants to know next.
What is People Also Ask?
Google describes the feature as a "related questions" group: a cluster of questions connected to the original search. According to Google's visual elements gallery, expanding a question shows a featured snippet, meaning an excerpt from a page with its title and link.
People Also Ask, often shortened to PAA, appears on a large share of searches, and it usually sits near the top of the SERP. Semrush reported that PAA boxes appeared on about 52% of searches, based on its Sensor data from August 2024. That figure moves over time, so treat it as a snapshot. Answers can take the form of a paragraph, a list, a table, or a video.
Why People Also Ask matters
A PAA answer gives your page visibility for a question you might not rank for in the regular results. It also tends to appear for informational, research-stage searches, which is where people form opinions about a brand.
The questions themselves are valuable research. They reflect related queries people actually search, so they show how your audience phrases problems, what confuses them, and what they want to compare. That makes PAA one of the simplest inputs for content planning and for understanding keyword intent.
The same habit of writing clear answers to real questions also helps with AI search. Conversational tools often handle follow-up questions much like PAA does, so content that answers the obvious next question is easier for them to use. As of October 2026, Google says there are no special optimizations required to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode beyond standard SEO best practices.
How People Also Ask works
Google chooses the questions and answers automatically. There's no markup or submission process. The box generally works like this:
- Someone searches a query, and Google shows a handful of related questions.
- Clicking a question expands it to show an excerpt from a page that answers it, plus a link.
- Expanding a question often loads more related questions, so the list can keep growing as the searcher explores.
Because the answers are featured snippets, the same principles apply. Google picks a passage it considers a clear, relevant answer, and the page it comes from usually needs to be well-regarded for that topic.
How to find and target PAA questions
- Search your core topics. Google your main keywords in a private window, expand a few PAA questions, and note the recurring themes.
- Use a research tool. Semrush, AlsoAsked, and similar tools can collect PAA questions in bulk and show how they connect.
- Group the questions. Some questions belong on an existing page as a new section. Others are big enough to deserve their own article.
- Use the question as a heading. Put the question, or a natural version of it, in an H2 or H3.
- Answer directly underneath. Start with a two- to three-sentence answer that stands on its own. Then add detail, examples, and nuance.
- Match the format. If the current answer is a list of steps, structure yours as a list. If it is a definition, write a tight definition.
A hypothetical example: a dental practice notices that searches for "teeth whitening" bring up questions about how long whitening lasts and whether it hurts. Adding a short FAQ section to its whitening page, with direct answers in plain language, covers what patients ask and gives Google clear passages to show.
Common mistakes
- Answering vaguely. Answers that circle the question without saying anything specific rarely get picked.
- Stuffing every question onto one page. A wall of loosely related Q&As can make a page less focused. Add the questions that fit the page's purpose.
- Relying on FAQ markup. Google stopped showing FAQ rich results in May 2026, according to its Search Central changelog. FAQ schema was never what earned PAA placement anyway. Good on-page answers are.
- Treating PAA as a traffic guarantee. Some searchers read the answer and move on. Use PAA for visibility and research, not as a promised traffic source.
How Butter approaches People Also Ask
At Butter, we use PAA questions as one of our main research inputs. They show what real searchers ask about a topic, which feeds into the content we plan and the prompts we test in AI tools each month. When we update a page, we look at the questions surrounding its main keyword and decide which ones the page should answer directly. We can't guarantee placement in the box, since Google chooses the answers.
On the GEO plan, PAA findings shape our monthly recommendations. On GEO+SEO, they also inform the articles we publish.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my content into People Also Ask?
There's no way to submit content. Google chooses the answers automatically. Your best approach is to use real questions as headings, answer them clearly right below, and build pages that rank well for the topic.
Does FAQ schema help with People Also Ask?
No markup is required for PAA, and Google stopped showing FAQ rich results in May 2026. Clear, well-structured answers on the page are what matter. You can still use FAQ sections for readers.
Where do People Also Ask questions come from?
Google generates them automatically as questions related to the original search. Expanding a question shows an excerpt from a web page, and often loads more related questions.