Unlocking Google's "People Also Ask": A 15-Minute Workflow for a Week of Topics
You've explored your inbox and listened in on Reddit. Now let's look at another powerful source of customer questions, hiding in plain sight: Google's "People Also Ask" (PAA) section.
When you search for something on Google, you'll often see a box with a few related questions. This isn't just a random feature; it's a direct reflection of the real follow-up questions that people type into the search bar. It's a map of their curiosity and their points of confusion.
For a business owner, this is an incredible tool. It allows you to see the exact thought process of a potential customer and anticipate their needs. Here’s a simple 15-minute workflow to turn that feature into a week's worth of content topics.
The Mindset: Follow the Curiosity Trail
Your goal here is not to find keywords, but to understand the natural sequence of questions a person has about a topic. Think of it as a "choose your own adventure" for customer research. Each question you click on reveals a deeper, more specific layer of interest.
The 15-Minute Workflow
Set a timer and open a blank document. All you need is a starting point.
Step 1: Start with a Broad "Seed" Topic (2 minutes)
Begin with a simple, high-level term related to your product or industry. Don't overthink it. Think like a customer who is just starting their research.
- If you sell running shoes, your seed topic could be "how to choose running shoes."
- If you sell kitchen knives, it could be "sharpening kitchen knives."
- If you sell houseplants, try "low light houseplants."
Type this into Google.
Step 2: Find the "People Also Ask" Box and Start Clicking (10 minutes)
Scroll down the results page until you see the PAA box. Now, the exploration begins.
- Read the initial four questions. Do any of them seem relevant to your customers' problems?
- Click on one that seems interesting. Notice two things happen: an answer snippet appears, and Google adds new, more specific questions to the bottom of the list.
- This is the core of the technique. Keep clicking on any question that seems relevant. Follow the trail of curiosity as it branches out. Each click will expand the list, taking you deeper into the topic.
Your job during these 10 minutes is simple: Copy and paste any interesting question into your blank document. Don't filter or judge them yet. Just harvest.
Step 3: Group and Refine Your Harvest (3 minutes)
After about 10 minutes of clicking and copying, you'll have a long, messy list of raw questions. Now, quickly scan the list and look for themes.
- Are there several questions about "how to clean" your type of product? Group them together.
- Do you see a cluster of questions comparing two different methods or materials? Group those.
- Are there a lot of "is it worth it" or "how much does it cost" questions? That's another theme.
From Questions to Blog Post Titles
You now have your content plan for the week, straight from the source. A single, deep question can become one focused blog post. A group of related questions can be combined into a more comprehensive guide.
- Raw Question: "How do you get coffee stains out of a ceramic mug?"
- Blog Post Idea: A Simple Guide to Making Your Ceramic Mugs Look New Again.
- Cluster of Questions: "What is the best soil for a fiddle leaf fig?" + "How often do you water a fiddle leaf fig?" + "How much sun does a fiddle leaf fig need?"
- Blog Post Idea: The Ultimate Fiddle Leaf Fig Care Guide: Soil, Water, and Light.
Repeat this 15-minute process once a week, and you will never run out of helpful, relevant topics that directly answer the questions your customers are already asking.