Answer The Public vs Also Asked: Which Is Better for AEO Keyword Ideas?

Not that long ago SEO was mostly about trying to get in those “10 blue links” on Google’s first page.

But 2025 is.. well, a whole different story.

With AI search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity taking over the way people actually look for stuff online, the whole game has flipped. Now it’s less about just ranking and more about being the answer.

That’s basically what Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is all about. Instead of stuffing in random keywords, you’re creating content that answers the exact questions people (and AI assistants) are asking. If you can become that answer—boom—you’re winning.

Now, the tricky part is figuring out those questions. And that’s where two tools usually come up: AnswerThePublic and AlsoAsked. They sound kinda similar, but they don’t work the same. So which one’s better for AEO keyword ideas? Let’s break it down.

What Is Answer The Public?

Answer The Public is fun but a bit overwhelming tbh. It scrapes Google autocomplete data and shows you a big “search cloud” of questions, prepositions, comparisons, all in a circular kinda chart that looks nice but sometimes hurts the eyes if you stare too long .

Best for:

• Getting broad keyword/topic ideas (lots of them)

• Seeing “what, why, how” type of questions

• Brainstorming content when you’re stuck

Example for “SEO”:

• What is SEO in digital marketing?

• Why is SEO important for websites?

• How does SEO work with AI?

  
  

Basically, it’s like throwing paint at a wall—you’ll get lots of splashes and then you pick what sticks.

What Is AlsoAsked?

Also Asked is more serious looking. Instead of autocomplete, it pulls data from the People Also Ask (PAA) boxes you see in Google results. Then it maps those into a “question tree.” So one question leads to another, and another, like a rabbit hole of queries.

Best for:

• Digging into search intent (the why behind the question)

• Creating proper FAQ sections

• Building content clusters and internal links

Example for “SEO”:

• What is SEO?

• Why is SEO important for small businesses?

• How much does SEO cost monthly?

Unlike AnswerThePublic’s big mess of questions, AlsoAsked feels more like a roadmap.

Why These Tools Matter for AEO

Both are useful for AEO because:

• AI bots love Q&A style content.

• Structured answers = more chance to show up in AI summaries and voice search.

• Long-tail, questiony keywords go straight into snippets and chatbot answers.

So yeah, if you don’t get the questions right, your chances of being “the answer” are pretty slim.

AnswerThePublic vs AlsoAsked (Quick Head-to-Head)

Feature	AnswerThePublic	AlsoAsked
Data Source	Google Autocomplete	Google “People Also Ask”
Output Style	Visual search cloud	Hierarchy tree
Best Use Case	Idea dumping, brainstorming	Structuring FAQs & content
Content Depth	Broad, lots of variations	Deeper, more logical flow
Ease of Use	Very beginner friendly	Feels more advanced
Best for AEO	Seeing formats of questions	Mapping content clusters

So Which One’s Better?

• If you just need ideas → AnswerThePublic. Great for when you’re stuck and need a bunch of possible angles.
  

• If you’re making detailed AEO content → AlsoAsked. It shows the logical connections, so you can design content clusters, FAQs, and add schema markup that AI tools gobble up.
  

Pro Tip: Use Them Together

Don’t pick one over the other—seriously, they work best in combo:

• Start with AnswerThePublic → grab broad “what, why, how” queries.

• Then run them through AlsoAsked → see how they branch into deeper questions.

• Format your content smartly → short answer at top, details underneath, and slap on FAQ schema.

It’s not really a vs battle.

• AnswerThePublic = sparks and raw ideas

• AlsoAsked = structure and strategy

Mix both, and you’re not just playing the old SEO game—you’re showing up in AI answers, summaries, even voice results.

In the age of answer engines, the real win isn’t ranking #1—it’s being the answer people hear back.