How To Use AnswerThePublic

Figuring out what your audience wants can feel like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. But guess what? There’s a much cooler way to do it.
Meet AnswerThePublic, the secret sauce for nailing your own content strategy, and is one of the most powerful tools for unlocking those much-sought audience insights. And yes, is extremely helpful for SEO.
This tool doesn’t just give you keywords; it gives you questions, concerns, and curiosities straight from your audience’s brain.
Intrigued? Good! Let’s dive in and see what AnswerThePublic is and how it can help you turn random search queries into content gold. By the end, you'll have a complete understanding of how to harness this tool to meet your audience's needs and boost your online presence.
What is AnswerThePublic?

Imagine you’re a detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re solving the mystery of what your audience wants to know. That’s AnswerThePublic in a nutshell!
This is a keyword research tool and a topic search tool that provides insights into what people are searching for online.
It pulls autocomplete data from search engines like Google and Bing and presents these search queries in visually organized charts. Basically, it’s like having a cheat sheet for your audience’s thoughts.
Here’s what you’ll get when you pop in a keyword:
- Questions: The “Who, What, Where, Why, How” of your topic.
- Prepositions: Ideas that include terms like “with,” “without,” and “for.”
- Comparisons: Juicy matchups like “SEO vs. PPC” or “vegan recipes vs. keto recipes.”
And here’s a fun stat: Did you know that 68% of online journeys kick off with a search engine? That’s a lot of Googling.
AnswerThePublic helps you tap into that search frenzy and deliver content that your audience actually wants to read. The tool provides a treasure trove of data that can help shape blog posts, videos, social media content, and more.
Why Should You Use AnswerThePublic?

Okay, so why should you care about this tool? Simple. It’s like having a treasure map for your content strategy. Here are a few reasons why Answer The Public rocks:
Audience Insight
Say goodbye to guesswork! It tells you exactly what your audience is asking about. Knowing what people are curious about helps you provide valuable answers.
Here is our tip – you want to write blogs about questions that are particular to your niche. This helps Google identify you as an authority within a given space.
Content Ideas
Generate new content topics quickly based on real user queries. With one search sparking a dozen blog ideas, you’ll never stare at a blank screen again.
SEO Optimization
Identify long-tail keywords and answer those burning questions that people type into Google every day. Long-tail keywords make up 70% of all online searches.
Learn more about Keyword Research and Strategy.
Competitor Advantage
Create content that answers queries your competitors might be missing, helping you stand out in your niche. Be the hero your audience needs!
Here is a quick tip – write on topics that have not been explored yet. We call this exploratory content and have the highest possibility in ranking on top page of Google.
Efficiency
Brainstorming can be a pain. This tool does the heavy lifting for you.
Whether you're a small business owner or a large marketing team, learning how to use Answer The Public can dramatically enhance your content output and boost audience engagement.
How to Use AnswerThePublic

Here’s a detailed walkthrough on how to use AnswerThePublic effectively:
Go to AnswerThePublic.com
Navigate to https://answerthepublic.com/ You can use the free version if you’re just getting started, or upgrade to Pro for all the bells and whistles.
Enter a Seed Keyword
Type a broad keyword that’s relevant to your audience. For example:
- Fitness blog? Try "home workouts."
- Food blog? Go with "vegan recipes."
- Marketing site? "Content marketing strategies" is a good one.
Select a Region and Language
Want to know what people in the U.S. are asking? Or maybe the U.K.? Select your audience’s region and language to keep things spot-on.
Analyze the Results
Click "Search," and AnswerThePublic will generate a visualization of related search queries. You’ll see stuff like:
- Questions: Queries that start with Who, What, Where, Why, When, and How.
- Prepositions: Queries with terms like for, with, without, and near.
- Comparisons: Searches that compare your keyword with other terms (e.g., "home workouts vs gym workouts").
Export the Data
You can download the results as a CSV file or save the visualization as an image for reference. This allows you to organize and filter the data as needed. Either way, you’ve got a goldmine of ideas ready to roll.
Develop Content Ideas
Use these insights to create blogs, videos, social posts – whatever floats your content boat. Answer those questions, solve those problems, and watch your audience love you for it.
For instance:
- "How to do home workouts without equipment?" could be a blog post or video tutorial.
- "Vegan recipes for weight loss" could inspire a series of healthy cooking posts.
Understanding the Data Visualization

AnswerThePublic organizes data into easy-to-interpret visuals. Here’s a breakdown of the main sections:
The Questions Wheel
A circular chart showing questions people ask about your keyword (e.g., "How to do home workouts?"). Picture a wheel of fortune, but instead of cash prizes, you get awesome content ideas.
This is great for creating tutorial or explainer content. Addressing these questions directly can help improve your chances of ranking in search engines.
The Prepositions Wheel
This chart shows searches using prepositions like "with," "without," "near," or "for" (e.g., "home workouts with dumbbells"). It’s perfect for getting specific with your content.
The Comparisons Chart
Think "this vs. that" matchups. People love comparing things! Use these ideas for blog posts like "Vegan vs. Keto: Which Diet Wins?" This is perfect for creating comparative blog posts or videos that help readers decide between options.
Alphabetical Listings
Want a straight-up list? You got it. These listings break down all the ideas alphabetically. This is useful for identifying less obvious content ideas.
Using AnswerThePublic for Keyword Research

Finding Long-Tail Keywords
AnswerThePublic helps uncover long-tail keywords that are less competitive but highly relevant. For example:
- Instead of "vegan recipes," target "easy vegan recipes for beginners."
- Instead of "content marketing," try "content marketing for small businesses."
Optimizing for Featured Snippets
Create content that directly answers specific questions to rank for Google’s Featured Snippets (e.g., "How to do a push-up correctly?"). Research shows that 12.3% of search queries result in a Featured Snippet, making this a valuable tactic.
Tips for Maximizing Your Content Strategy
Make an Epic FAQ Page
You know those burning questions your audience has? Turn them into a fantastic FAQ page! The "Questions" section in Answer The Public is your best friend here. Give your audience the answers they need, and watch them stick around for more.
Go Big with Video Guides
People love a good "How to" video. Grab those "How" queries and turn them into step-by-step video guides. Whether it’s a cooking demo or a workout tutorial, videos are the visual candy that keeps your audience hooked.
Rock Your Social Media
Take those popular questions and whip up some snappy social media posts. Answer quick queries, share tips, or create polls to get your followers chatting. Engagement? You’ve got it in the bag.
Create a Blog Series That Keeps on Giving
Why stop at one post? If you’ve got a juicy topic, break it down into a whole series. Think "Home Workouts 101," "Home Workouts for Weight Loss," and "Home Workouts Without Equipment." It’s like Netflix, but for your blog readers.
Now You Know How To Use AnswerThePublic
So there you have it! Learning how to use AnswerThePublic doesn’t have to be boring. It’s a fun, powerful way to get inside your audience’s head and create content they’ll love.
Whether you’re using it to beat the competition, boost your SEO, or just come up with ideas that actually matter, this tool has your back.
If you want even more help with your content strategy, Alterior Digital has got you covered. From keyword research to crafting killer content, we know how to turn insights into results.
Now go on, give AnswerThePublic a spin, and let the content ideas flow!