Glossary

What is People Also Ask?

Also known as PAA, related questions

Definition

People Also Ask is the Google search feature that shows a box of related questions. Each question expands to show a short answer taken from a web page, with a link to that page.

Key points

People Also Ask shows related questions, each with a short answer from a web page.
The questions come from real searches, which makes them a good source of prompts and FAQs.
Pages that answer each question clearly under its own heading are easier to lift.

What does it mean in practice?

Search how much loft insulation costs and Google may show a People Also Ask box. It might include questions like whether loft insulation is worth it and how long it lasts. Click one and it opens to a short answer from a web page. More questions often load as you open them.

For a loft insulation installer, those questions are a free list of what buyers want to know. Answering them clearly on the site, one question per section, gives Google and AI engines a passage they can lift.

Why does it matter for AI search?

People Also Ask questions come from real searches. They are a good starting point for a prompt set and for FAQ content. Buyers are likely to ask AI engines similar things, in longer form.

They also show which pages Google already trusts to answer. If a competitor's page answers most of the questions in your topic, that is a gap worth closing.

Prompt research in Axiom GEO pulls People Also Ask questions, Google autocomplete and questions from Reddit threads. Each can be added to the prompt set or turned into a content pack. Our guide to FAQ content for AI search covers how to write the answers.

These terms connect to People Also Ask.

Featured snippet, another Google feature that shows one answer first.
Prompt set, where good questions end up for tracking.
Query fan-out, where similar sub-questions are searched behind the scenes.
Answer engine optimisation, the practice of writing liftable answers.

Common questions

How do I get into People Also Ask?

Answer the question directly and clearly on your page, ideally with the question as a heading and a short answer in the first sentence under it. Google chooses which page to show, so nothing is guaranteed. Pages that already rank well for the topic tend to have the best chance.

Are People Also Ask questions useful for AI search?

Yes. They are real questions people search, so they are a good starting point for the prompts you track in AI engines and for FAQ content. Buyers often ask AI tools similar questions, usually in longer form with more detail.

Reviewed 26 September 2026

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