People Also Ask (PAA) is a block in Google’s search results with expandable questions related to the search. Google’s documentation calls it a “related questions group”, a cluster of questions related to what the user initially searched for. When a user expands a question, Google shows a featured snippet.
How does the feature work?
Google chooses the questions and the sources automatically. Google states that you cannot control what shows up there. It suggests paying attention to related search queries when you think about topics to write about. How excerpts can be limited is covered in the documentation on featured snippets, where nosnippet, max-snippet, and data-nosnippet apply.
How do SEOs use it?
The questions show which follow-up topics Google considers relevant for a search. That helps with outlining content and finding gaps. Tools such as AlsoAsked read these questions at scale and cluster them by theme.
Some SEO sources recommend answering questions under clear headings and using question markup. Google does not confirm this as a way to get into PAA (assessment).
Example
A search for “xml sitemap” typically brings up questions such as “What is an XML sitemap?” or “How do I create a sitemap?”. Which questions appear depends on the query, language, and time (the example is illustrative, not measured).
FAQ
Can you trigger specific PAA questions? No. Google selects questions and sources itself.
Is People Also Ask the same as a featured snippet? They are two elements. The answer behind an expanded question is a featured snippet.
Sources
- Visual elements gallery (related questions) - Google Search Centraldevelopers.google.com
- Featured snippets and your website - Google Search Centraldevelopers.google.com
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