There was a time when improving SERP ranking was about achieving top positions on the first page of the results field. Today the world of SERPs has become more complex, with elements such as Top Stories, Featured Snippets, People Also Ask Boxes, and other elements getting their spots on the results page.
Digital marketers are now focusing their attention and resources on helping clients rank in People Also Ask Boxes because the feature is now considered prime real estate on the SERPs.
First spotted in 2015, PAA boxes are now so popular that they appear roughly five more times in search results than featured snippets. And nearly 44% of search queries now appear in PAA boxes.
Google surfaces PAA boxes according to different types of search intent, which enhances the user experience of visitors. Each snippet answer comprises a clickable link to the original source for readers who would like to explore more information shared on the web page.
These boxes add value to search queries by showing additional questions related to the original query, increasing the chances of users finding extensive information on the topic quickly and conveniently.
In 2017, Google introduced dynamic loading in which the number of questions shown to users increased beyond the initial three to four options. The PAA questions list, therefore, grows through user interactions.
However, with the increasing number of ways to add value to search queries, the responsibility doubles on strategists tasked with putting together an SEO campaign for a client.
If you need help securing a place in the featured snippets or ranking in People Also Ask Boxes, consult the skilled professionals at Rocket Driver. We’ve got the right white-label agency tools, expertise, software, and infrastructure needed to increase the chances of your clients making it to the PAA boxes.
Book a demo now to enjoy the improved profitability, scalability, and other perks agencies can look forward to when they start a white-label partnership with Rocket Driver.
Things to Know Before Trying to Help Client’s Content Rank in People Also Ask Boxes
Fact #1- PAA Boxes Can Appear Anywhere on the SERP
While PAA boxes aren’t shown on every search result page, they spring up on roughly half of them. But, unlike other latest features, PAA boxes don’t always appear in the same position.
Sometimes they can appear as high as the third position in searches. While at other times, users won’t come across them until the tenth position. Moreover, it’s not uncommon for these boxes to appear beyond the first search engine result pages.
If Google deems a particular site’s content a valuable and authoritative source of information on a certain topic, it could be prominently displayed across several SERPs thanks to features like PAA boxes.
Fact #2- Answers Can Appear in Different Formats
Most modern Google SERP features are populated with multiple content types. While most common PAA results can be text-based, you can also find graphics, tables, bulleted lists, and even videos if they prove useful to searchers.
Fact #3- Questions Can Expand Endlessly
When users click on a particular set of People Also Ask questions, the answers keep expanding as Google repopulates the list with new ones. When the same thing is repeated, users get yet another set of questions with corresponding answers. The process can be done repeatedly, allowing users to explore unlimited amounts of relevant information on a certain topic without initiating a new search.
Tips to Improve the Chances of Client’s Content Ranking in People Also Ask Boxes
#1- Choose Topic and Keywords Carefully
The entire point of ranking in People Also Ask boxes is to help people looking for precisely the solutions your client offers to find the business in the first place. Identify the topic and high-volume keywords just like you would for other aspects of the content creation campaign.
Pinpoint the questions your client’s competitors haven’t addressed yet. You may come across many questions in the PAA boxes that seem like outstanding fits for a client’s website or brand. Also, identify the topic ideas that may fit the key phrases or keywords you’re already targeting across the rest of the SEO campaign.
#2- Optimize the Page Content
Once the popular questions and targeted keywords are established, collate them logically. Then look at the existing content to evaluate whether the answer to the question is available on the web page. If not, add the solution to the page based on search patterns and make liberal use of images and videos while providing credible answers to the questions.
Don’t forget that relevance and quality hold a lot of weightage when it comes to ranking for People Also Ask boxes. Refocus your efforts on creating structured content with schema markup to increase the chances of your client’s content being picked for answers featured in the PAA or snippets. FAQ schemas can also bring a steady stream of organic traffic to your client’s website by improving the chances of the web page ranking higher in the SERPs.
#3- Pay Attention to Headlines
If you want Google to choose your client’s content as the most relevant answer for popular PAA questions, ensure that bots can easily crawl and understand the content. Craft descriptive headlines with the right keywords that are easy for human users to understand.
Make sure the rest of the content piece is also easy to navigate and comprehend. Use descriptive headings and subheadings to organize and break it so it appears user-friendly for search engines as well as readers.
#4- Create How-To Guides with Logical Steps
Simple how-to guides are incredible content choices when it comes to ranking in any part of the SERPs. These guides help people make purchasing decisions, discover additional topics of interest, and learn how to get more value out of purchases they have already made. In addition, they also increase the chances of ranking in People Also Ask boxes because how-to questions and answers frequently appear in such features.
#5- Organize the Content
When you craft content that can rank in People Also Ask boxes, make sure to arrange it properly so it’s a shoo-in for these boxes. Start with simple intros relevant to the topic but stick to shorter paragraphs.
The introduction must quickly cover the basics of all information covered in the content. The paragraphs that follow can dig deeper in ways that can help readers find the information they’re looking for. The authoritative content should address additional concerns fleshed out all over the content piece answering questions readers might have about that topic.
Update Outdated SEO Strategies
Search engines constantly evolve their algorithms to provide more value to users. In this digital age, marketers need to stay on their toes when making changes to their SEO strategy to meet and exceed the expectations of search engine bots as well as increasingly tech-savvy audiences.
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