Keyword Research: Google's "People Also Ask"

Researching keywords is one of the building blocks of Search Engine Optimization or what is commonly referred to as "SEO."  While we have come a long way from the days of using goto.com or Overture to find search terms that are related to a term we are interested in, the results are largely the same.

As you certainly know, searching for something on Google will typically result in a list of things "People Also Ask" which is similar to product suggestions on Amazon.  It gives us a glimpse into how Google associates different searches as well as a glimpse into what people are looking for that is related to our original query.

While most free keyword generators found online will give you many iterations of the same basic query, Google's current suggestions will typically show you related searches that may not include any of the words in your original query.

To illustrate the difference, I asked ChatGPT for "search terms related to google suggestions or google people also searched for." Here is what the AI tool came up with:

• "Google autocomplete suggestions"
• "Google search suggestions"
• "Google related search terms"
• "Google 'people also searched for'"
• "Google suggested search queries"
• "Google search dropdown suggestions"
• "Google suggested keywords"
• "Google search bar suggestions"
• "Google search predictions"
• "Google search completion suggestions"

Entering the search query, "people also ask" directly into Google yields this:

• How do I find people also asked on Google?
• How do you put people also ask?
• How are people also ask questions generated?
• Is AlsoAsked com free?

Not too exciting.  But, here is a little known trick that can expand the number of related search queries dramatically...Clicking the down arrow next to a "People also ask" term and clicking it back up will prompt Google to add more related terms.  You can repeat this all of the way down the list.  Clicking on the down arrow and up arrow next to each of these terms resulted in the list below:

• How do I find people also asked on Google?
• How do you put people also ask?
• How are people also ask questions generated?
• Is AlsoAsked com free?
• Can I know if someone searched me on Google?
• How can I find out if someone has Googled my name?
• What is the number 1 search engine?
• What is SERP short for?
• What are people also ask boxes?
• What does the result of your PAA tell you?
• Is there an AI you can ask questions?
• Are people who ask questions more intelligent?
• What is the best question answer site?
• How do I find SEO keywords for free?
• Which is the best answer app?

Continuing down the list will almost continue forever.  Here is what the list looks like if we continue doing this through "Which is the best answer app?":

• How do I find people also asked on Google?
• How do you put people also ask?
• How are people also ask questions generated?
• Is AlsoAsked com free?
• Can I know if someone searched me on Google?
• How can I find out if someone has Googled my name?
• What is the number 1 search engine?
• What is SERP short for?
• What are people also ask boxes?
• What does the result of your PAA tell you?
• Is there an AI you can ask questions?
• Are people who ask questions more intelligent?
• What is the best question answer site?
• How do I find SEO keywords for free?
• Which is the best answer app?
• What happens if you Google yourself?
• How do I stop my name from appearing on a Google search?
• What do you call someone who Googles everything?
• Can you tell if someone searches you on Facebook?
• How do you know if someone looks you up?
• When you search someone on Facebook do they know?
• What is the rarest search engine?
• What is the best search engine that doesn't track you?
• What is a better search than Google?
• How does SERP work?
• What is SERP pay?
• Is SEO and SERP the same?
• How do you use people also ask for SEO?
• What are some out of the box interview questions?
• What are rich snippets in SEO?
• What is the importance of Paa?
• What does PAA mean in college?
• What does PAA mean in physical education?
• What is the smartest AI to talk to?
• Is there an AI I can talk to?
• Is there an AI that can talk like human?
• What are subtle signs of high intelligence?
• What do you call a person who always asks questions?
• What does it mean when a person asks a lot of questions?
• Where can I ask questions online for free?
• Which app gives answers to questions?
• Is there a website that answers any question?
• What are the 4 types of keywords?
• How do beginners learn SEO for free?
• How can I learn SEO on my own?
• Which app gives answers to questions by taking a picture?
• Which app is best for multiple choice questions?
• What is the fastest way to get answers?

As I said, you can basically go on for ever.  So, why is this interesting or even important?

If you are trying to get a glimpse into what people who are interested in a specific query are also interested in...these search queries provide that.  There may also be very nuanced questions that someone might not ask another human being, but will ask a faceless and nameless computer.

Give it a try next time before you rush off to one of the big keyword tools.