There are different types of micro-layout schema.org which allow you to show questions and answers in a snippet. Here you will find the following:
- FAQ — a set of questions addressing a similar topic,
- How-to — step-by-step instructions;
- Q&A — answers of different people to the question in the request.
Each of these has specific features and provides a huge advantage to an online project when implemented correctly. But the featured snippet that deserves special attention is the People Also Ask block. It allows you to provide information that real users search and the data do not necessarily match your business segment at 100%. Thus, you can capture a wider audience of leads. Let’s dive in more detail and explore all the features, specs, and possibilities of using PAA snippets.
Everything Starts with a Site Markup
Semantic markup is an effective data structuring tool for transmitting the most important page information to the search engine. Proper micro-markup can improve your search results since it helps the search engine better understand the content of the page. Besides that, when it comes to the importance of micro-markup for specific pages, it is extended snippets that help a page stand out among other search results and give the user more information about it.
Some types of micro-markup launched this year offer marketers a unique opportunity to use single-page markup to drive traffic to multiple pages of a site at once. Innovations worth paying attention to are markups for FAQ, How-to, Q&A, and PAA. Each of them allows you to reach impressive results in organic results due to the attention-grabbing snippet — especially on mobile devices.
Recommendation!
When a new type of micro-markup appears, use the Rich Results Testing Tool to see how the expanded result will be displayed in Google’s SERP. Besides, in the Google Search Console, you can find information on all types of micro-marking used on the site in the Rich Results Status Report.
What About PPA?
Although all featured snippets are worth using, it is the Google people also ask block that deserves special attention and should never be neglected in your SEO strategy. So how can SEO specialists and webmasters benefit from using the PAA feature? Here are some key takeaways that will guide you in this messy and brand-new thing:
- Video search features great relevancy — As part of Google’s ongoing works to make the user experience better, the capability to display video in addition to text has been enabled. This feature provides companies to answer specific questions real users may have. These shouldn’t necessarily be product-/ service-/ company-specific questions. “How-to” and “why is” type videos are of the greatest potential here;
- Extra SEO channel — Answering questions from the “People Also Ask” block, a specific keyword can be used to steer results on the SERP. Some PAA’s can prompt the same featured snippet while having different search criteria dependent or KW intent. As a result, webmasters should write complete questions and answers to help boost your chances of winning the featured snippet;
- PAA boosts your win rate for the “market share:” While Google typically makes 3 or 4 questions visible to users, there is still room for hundreds of other questions within a particular query. What is more, questions can even change depending on a user’s search habits.
- PAA allows answering brand questions factually: all people love facts. They trust real facts and numbers better. That’s why the PAA section is the best place to provide such answers or have them provided for you. So if you’re going to invest in PAA content, make sure that it is factually accurate, and informative. As practice shows, using “sales/ marketing” language instead of providing a straightforward answer will hardly work well for your company and brand.
- PAA helps you understand your audience and address its needs better: Understanding what your leads want to know and thoughtfully answering the acute questions is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways brands can take advantage of PAAs.
The Art of Working with the People Also Ask Featured Snippet
If you want to make use of the People Also Ask most effectively, then you need to develop a clear plan of action instead of running a campaign right away. Here is what you are to take into account before making the first steps:
- What questions does your target audience have;
- What is your potential customer is interested in;
- How is the PAA employed by your competitors;
- What keywords are great to use in PAA content;
- What facts/ data would be relevant to feature in PAA;
- What facts represent your company product in the best way.
Apart from the above, it would be a great idea to link every LP dedicated to a product release with the PAA block containing high-frequency keywords mixed with the brand name and related terminology. Thus, you will effectively market the new product and will introduce it to a wide audience.
Final Words
Just like any project promotion strategy, SEO tactics, as well as PPA use, required in-depth research and planning. Only in such a way, you can address all the project need and customer interests in full.
All in all, PAA featured a snippet is a powerful instrument for branding, keyword research, competitive analysis, and content inspiration, regardless of the niche your business operates in. Experienced marketers understand the potential of the feature and take full advantage by making it a part of their promotion strategy. The unprecedented development and implementation of this tool indicate that PAA is not a useless section on SEPR. Google continues to invest in SERP integration and user experience improvement. So on your end, you need to make use of all these features in full.
