Google may seem like just another search engine, but it is actually an advertising company owned by Alphabet Inc. Utilizing its search functions, Google attracts users and helps its clients generate revenue through advertising channels. Google’s search results prioritize providing accurate and relevant content for a given search query, as well as high-performing websites, which encourages both advertisers and users to continue using Google as their preferred search engine.
One of the many features offered by Google is the “People Also Search For” (PASF) feature. This feature is often overlooked, but it can be a valuable tool for improving your SEO results. In this article, we will explore what PASF is, why it appears in Google’s search results, and how you can use it to boost your SEO.
OK, lets get started!
What is People Also Search For and why is it included in Google’s search results?
PASF is a tool designed to help users find answers to common questions related to the search term or query they used. It is intended to help users discover more relevant information and find the answers they’re looking for more quickly.
It looks like the image below:
Google relies on these “People Also Search For” (PASF) results based on its own data and previous analysis of search intent, as well as information from other sources.
Why is there?
The PASF feature is included in Google’s search results because it understands that people have many questions related to their search queries, and it wants to help them find the answers they are looking for.
Have you ever had a question that leads to further questions? This is similar to how Google’s search engine operates, as users may search for one thing but then start searching for an entirely different one without realizing it.
How the ‘People Also Search For’ feature works.
When someone types a search term into Google Search, the most relevant and highest quality web pages related to that topic will likely appear.
However, if the user clicks on a search result and then quickly returns to the search page, the Google algorithm concludes that the search result did not meet the user’s needs. In this case, the “People Also Search For” snippet is displayed below the search result that the user previously clicked on.
This PASF snippet contains other keywords and answers that are relevant and have been frequently searched for by users looking for information on the specified topic. Examples may help better understand the feature, let’s take a look at some.
If I were to search the term “what is domain authority”, these would be some of the results that show up on the first page:
As you can see from the Google results above, Domain Authority is a hot topic. Why? Because the People Also Ask function triggers too.
But what we are looking for is the People Also Search For feature, so lets find it like this:
First, click on result #1 (or any other result, ignore the Google Ads) and then, after the page has loaded, click on the browser’s go back arrow.
There it is!
As you can see from the screenshot, this PASF section contains other keywords related to the original search “what is email marketing”.
However, if you look more closely, these keywords are almost identical to the “people also ask” feature that appears at the bottom of most search engine results pages.
Related Searches!
Now, to help you understand how important it’s for Google to show the best possible result, there’s a third feature called “Related Searches”
Are you familiar with how the People Also Search For (PASF) feature works when performing a search on Google?
This is what happens:
Initially, you will see search results that align with your query. If they don’t meet your needs, you will go back to the previous search results, which signals to Google’s algorithm that the displayed results were not sufficient.
To assist you in finding what you were looking for, the PASF snippet will appear just below the URL of the website you initially selected.
It is important to note that People Also Search For (PASF), People Also Ask (PAA), and Related Searches (RS) are distinct features, despite their similar appearance. We will now take a look at the differences between them.
The three sections People Also Search For (PASF), People Also Ask (PAA), and Related Searches (RS) have distinct differences.
- PASF is displayed under the URL of the page you select, PAA is only shown for certain search queries, while Related searches are always displayed at the bottom of the search results.
- PASF and related searches provide additional search results in a new tab, related to the search term you used. PAA presents an accordion-style interface that provides answers, and the links in PAA point to a website rather than a Google search page.
- PASF displays search suggestions in the form of phrases, while Related Searches suggestions display keywords in bold. PAA displays the best answer in bold, mainly presents questions and keeps displaying questions until you’re satisfied with the results.
Why ‘People Also Search For’ is Important for SEO
Why should “People Also Search For” be important to you when developing your SEO strategy?
PASF keywords are constantly updated, as they are sourced directly from Google’s database. Additionally, these keywords are commonly used by your target audience to gather information on your topic. Therefore, it’s crucial to monitor these keyword trends to understand the preferences and interests of your target group.
To discover PASF keywords, conduct a search for a topic and click on various search results.
The Keywords Everywhere extension, available for free on Google Chrome, will also display PASF keywords related to your search query on the search results page.
Another tool, called Answer The Public, heavily utilizes PASF data.
Another tool that is SEO Menion, which also uses the PASF function to help us develop our SEO strategy.
Yes, with this tool you can quickly find PASF keywords that you can use to improve your SEO strategy.
Learn the top 3 strategies for utilizing ‘People Also Search For (PASF)’ to improve your Google search rankings.
Learn how to apply these strategies to enhance your website’s SEO.
If your content does not address the commonly searched questions by your audience, your website will not see an increase in traffic from Google search.
But even if you don’t get good traffic through search, there are strategies you can use to benefit from PASF.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Utilize the ‘People Also Search For’ feature to research keywords for your content.
The ‘People Also Search For’ feature on Google is a valuable resource for identifying keywords that align with your audience’s search intent. Ranking for these keywords can increase traffic to your site and demonstrate your website’s authority on the topic. Here’s how you can use PASF for keyword research.
To find relevant PASF keywords, search for the keyword you want to rank for and create a list of PASF keywords. Then open separate tabs in Google and search for each of these PASFs. If your topic isn’t very deep, you may find repetition in these new results. On the other hand, this method can also uncover unique queries you haven’t considered yet. To further prioritize which keywords to target, use a keyword research tool to analyze the search volume and competition for the keywords found through PASF.
Once you have identified relevant keywords through the PASF method, it’s important to evaluate their potential for driving targeted traffic to your website. To do this, analyze the search volume, competition level and difficulty of ranking for each keyword. This will help you to determine which keywords are worth targeting and to make informed decisions about your content strategy. By taking a closer look at the search volume, competition, and difficulty level, you can uncover hidden keywords that have potential and can be used to drive your content strategy.
2. Incorporating PASF keywords into your website’s existing content can easily improve your on-page SEO.
Here’s how:
- Try to add PASF keywords to the headlines when they make sense
- List all the important PASF keywords and use them in your content as needed
- Use different PASF keywords variations on your H2 and H3 tags.
You will be impressed with the results.
3. Utilize PASF to Develop Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Pages.
Include an FAQ section at the end of your articles or informative pages for an easy implementation.
💡 PASF keywords are ideal for FAQs as they represent topics that your audience has already searched for, as determined by Google’s data, and now you can too! After analyzing the PASF keywords for your topic, identify any descriptive long-tail keywords that have a clear search intent.
For example, people often use questions as search queries when they search online. So if you search for “Content writing tips”, here are some PASF keywords related to that topic.
Keep in mind that you have to click on a website link in the search result and then go back to the search results page to see the PASF feature.
Note that the results in the PASF box are not in the form of questions, so you will need to use some creativity to convert them into questions.
For instance:
“What are the content writing tips for beginners”
“What is the content writing process”
Alternatively, you can use a simpler method. Search for your PASF keywords one at a time and take note of the questions that appear in the ‘People Also Ask’ section. As in the screenshot below:”
It’s important to note that the text seems to be incomplete, as it finishes with “As in the screenshot below:
You may be wondering: Does this method lead to issues with duplicate or plagiarized content?
The answer is no.
Because these questions also exist on other websites, the one that provides the best answer will rank higher for them.
Additionally, Google does not penalize websites for plagiarism or duplicate content, it simply ignores pages that have no value to the search engine, which is worse than being penalized.
What you should know about the People Also Ask Feature:
On the search engine results pages, the “People Also Ask” function is not fixed, but changes.
The “People Also Search For” feature on SERPs changes based on the user’s search query. However, the best thing about PASF keywords is that the questions displayed are not fixed.
Rather, they change depending on the searcher’s interactions. Fortunately, there are some workarounds that can help you get a better understanding of the kind of questions people are asking about your topic.”
People Also Ask Can Trigger Video Results
The PASF keywords also apply to video results, as many searches use questions such as “What’s…?” “How to…?” and “Why is/are…?”.
Google will continue to test this until the most relevant search terms that trigger video results in SERPs also trigger videos in the PASF listings.
This means that you should invest time in optimizing your YouTube and video offerings to increase your chances of appearing in PASF. If you haven’t already, use this feature to come up with new video ideas!
Here’s how it works:
Run a Google search using a keyword related to your business or industry, scroll down to the “People Also Search For” section and click on one of the questions to get an idea of whether the previous keywords used in the questions you selected have the best ranking chances.
People Also Ask Last Words
In conclusion, the “People Also Search For” feature is a valuable tool for improving your SEO strategy. By researching PASF keywords, improving existing pages, creating FAQs, and even using PASF for video results, you can increase the visibility and authority of your website. But remember, the best way to benefit from these tips is to experiment and find what works best for you.
Here are some key takeaways to remember:
- Use PASF to research keywords for your content
- Improve existing pages using PASF keywords
- Use PASF to create FAQs pages
- Take advantage of PASF to trigger video results
- Experiment to find what works best for you
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