How to find the questions people ask on Google
Find the real questions your audience types into Google, then turn them into content, FAQs and product messaging. Free methods, step by step.
The best content answers a question someone already has. And people tell Google their questions all day long: "how do I…", "why is my…", "can you…". If you know those questions, you know exactly what to write, what to put in your FAQ, and what objections your sales page needs to handle.
Why questions are so valuable
- They show intent. "What is a UTM parameter" is someone learning. "UTM parameters for Facebook ads" is someone doing. You can match each with the right content.
- They're easier to rank for. Question searches are specific, and many have weak answers on page one.
- They win featured snippets. Google often shows a direct answer box for questions. A clear, short answer near the top of your page can earn that spot.
- They reveal objections. "Is X worth it", "X vs Y", "does X work without Y" are exactly the doubts that stop people buying.
Method 1: Google autocomplete with question words
Type a question word followed by your topic, like "why email signature" or "how QR code", and Google completes it with real searches. The question words worth trying are how, what, why, where, when, who, which, can, does, is, are, should and will.
Doing all thirteen by hand for every topic takes a while. The keyword ideas tool does them all at once and puts them in a Questions group.
- Enter your topic, for example "email signature".
- Look at the Questions group: you'll see things like "how should an email signature look" and "what to put in an email signature".
- Switch to YouTube to see the questions people ask in video form.
- Click the magnifier next to any idea to dig deeper into that question.
Method 2: "People also ask"
Search your topic on Google and look for the People also ask box. Each time you open a question, Google adds more below it. Those are questions real searchers ask after your topic, and they make great section headings and FAQ items.
Method 3: Forums and communities
Reddit, Quora, niche forums and Facebook groups are full of questions phrased in your audience's own words. Search "your topic site:reddit.com" on Google to find threads. Pay attention to the questions that get many replies or upvotes.
Method 4: Your own inbox
Your sales calls, support tickets and DMs are the most underrated question source. If three customers asked it this month, hundreds of people searched it.
What to do with the questions
Write one answer-first article per big question. Put a direct two or three sentence answer at the top, then expand. That format suits both readers and featured snippets.
Build an FAQ section. Group the smaller questions at the end of a related article or product page. Marking them up as FAQ structured data can help them appear in search results, which is what every guide on this site does.
Fix your landing pages. If people keep asking "does it work without X", say so on your homepage.
Feed your social content. Each question is a ready-made LinkedIn post or short video. Our LinkedIn post formatter helps you shape it before posting.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out what questions people ask about a topic?
Use Google autocomplete with question words (how, what, why and so on), the People also ask box, forums like Reddit, and your own customer emails. The mktbox keyword ideas tool collects the autocomplete questions automatically.
Is there a free alternative to AnswerThePublic?
Yes. The mktbox keyword ideas tool groups Google's suggestions into questions, prepositions, comparisons and A to Z, for free and without an account.
How do I get my answer into Google's featured snippet?
Answer the question clearly in two or three sentences right below a heading that matches the question, then give more detail. There's no guarantee, but direct, well-structured answers are what Google picks.