A Google search for “SEO” results in 4-5 paid results, followed by some natural results, then an accordion widget titled “People also ask” followed by several questions related to SEO. These are “Related Questions” that usually appear as small boxes within the search results themselves, around the 4-5th spot. Clicking one of those questions instantly gives you an answer and a link to the appropriate article. This is Google’s new approach to related questions.
Websites linked within the related questions widget enjoy an instant boost in search rankings. Although most sites included in the related questions already place highly, getting your site in one of these envied spots will boost your inbound traffic significantly. Here’s how to do it.
Become an Authority
This is a tough first step. It means that your website already represents an authority in your niche. You already rank highly on search results and have good SEO. The best way to become an authority is to clearly define your niche and develop your SEO with that niche in mind.
Use Schema
Schema is a rich text markup that is inserted in the HTML of websites. It helps Google’s web crawler determine the significance of each element on the page. Adding Schema to your site is tedious and time consuming. However, it could be the determining factor between who places in the related questions. Will it be you or your competitors?
Be Clear and Relevant
When optimising articles and website pages, think about the possible questions you are answering with your content. An article about “Recycling” might answer the question “Why is it important to recycle?”. With this question in mind, the writer should clearly answer the question within the article. A heading or bold statement that says, “Recycling reduces waste and impact on the environment” helps Google determine that this post is relevant and clearly answers the question.
SEO has become more complex and harder to win. The safe path to good SEO is to make great content and do it often. However, to get a real advantage over your competitors, you sometimes have to get very technical. That’s where an expert comes in. Let us know if you’d like to see how we can take your website to the top of the search results and deliver more traffic and enquiries.
