Analyzing Traffic Estimations in SEMrush: The Impact of the “People Also Ask” Feature
In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO analytics, tools like SEMrush are invaluable for gaining insights into website performance and competitor strategies. Recently, I conducted an in-depth review of a competitor’s SEO profile within SEMrush and observed a remarkable surge in their estimated web traffic over the past two to three months.
Growth Observation and Context
The notable increase—approximately 1,325% in estimated traffic—corresponds closely with the competitor’s implementation of numerous new, AI-generated pages targeting specific keywords. This expansion appears to have significantly impacted their visibility and rankings. However, a deeper look raises questions about the attribution of this traffic, particularly concerning the role of the “People Also Ask” (PAA) SERP feature.
The Role of “People Also Ask” in Traffic Estimations
A substantial portion of the traffic spike is being attributed to the PAA feature, which enriches search results with expandable questions related to the query. SEMrush suggests that most of the new traffic derives from rankings within these PAA boxes. For example, they estimate around 4,100 visits from a keyword with an estimated 33,100 monthly searches—a figure that translates to over 12% of total searches leading to the site through this SERP feature alone.
Scrutinizing the Data: Is This Plausible?
While PAA boxes can significantly influence click-through rates (CTR), the reported figures seem somewhat optimistic. Traffic estimates of over 12% from a single PAA feature, especially when the site appears only in an AI-generated summary, seem high. It raises questions about the accuracy of SEMrush’s attribution models, particularly how they assign traffic to position zero or featured snippet placements.
Understanding SEMrush’s Methodology
SEMrush’s estimates typically rely on historical CTR data and ranking positions. However, PAA boxes often exist at or near the top of search results but are less straightforward to quantify in terms of traffic attribution. When a site is referenced mainly through a PAA summary—rather than traditional organic listings—the traffic distribution becomes even more complex.
The Broader Implications for SEO Strategy
This observation underscores the importance of critically assessing traffic data provided by SEO tools. While they offer valuable directional insights, the actual traffic driven through features like PAA may be overestimated, especially when based on AI or snippet placements.
Conclusion
While the rapid traffic growth observed in this case might