Resource Spotlight: AnswerThePublic

West Erie Marketing
May 12
3 min read

Tool Type: Keyword Research

Best For: SEO, Content Planning, Audience Insights

Ease of Use: Beginner-Friendly

Cost: Free with optional Pro version

If you’ve ever stared at a blinking cursor wondering what to post next, you’re not alone. Content creation can feel overwhelming, especially when juggling the daily demands of running a small business. Between managing operations, serving customers, and staying visible online, finding the time and inspiration to write blogs or social media posts that drive traffic is no small task.

That’s exactly why we’re launching this Resource Spotlight series—to highlight tools that make smarter marketing possible without adding more stress to your day. This month, we’re starting with a free, powerful platform that shows you exactly what your customers are searching for online: AnswerThePublic.

What Is AnswerThePublic?

AnswerThePublic is a search listening tool that pulls data from Amazon, Bing, Google, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to show you what people are typing in the search bar. Your search terms are broken down into questions, prepositions, comparisons, and more.

For example, type in "Lake Erie" and you’ll see real search queries like:

“Where is Lake Erie?”
“Places to stay near Lake Erie”
“Lake Erie jobs”

It’s like getting a sneak peek into your customers’ minds and using it to craft smarter marketing.

A Local Business Example

Let’s say you run Dock's Beach House Restaurant out of Port Clinton and want to write a blog post or create social media content to help your website appear in search results. You can go to AnswerThePublic and type in "Port Clinton restaurants" and search through the top search queries, such as:

“Port Clinton restaurants on the water with outdoor seating”
“Port Clinton restaurants with a patio”
“Port Clinton restaurants with a view”

These are the common search terms people are typing into Google. From a content creation standpoint at Dock’s Beach House, you would want to show off the outdoor seating/patio, Lake Erie views, and mouth-savoring food.

Now you’ve got the foundation for blog posts, video content, and an FAQ page for your website. That’s how SEO can work smarter, not harder.

Why Small Businesses Should Use It

Find Content Ideas Instantly
Never wonder what to post again. Build content around real questions your customers are asking.
Boost SEO with FAQ Pages
Creating FAQ sections using these questions can improve your rankings and even get you into Google’s “People Also Ask” boxes. Bonus: Create a video per FAQ and double down on SEO and content.
Speak Your Customers’ Language
When you echo the exact phrases people use, you build trust and improve conversions online and in person.
Plan Smarter Marketing Campaigns
Use this tool to brainstorm seasonal blog content, optimize product descriptions, or prepare for local tourism spikes.

Use Cases for AnswerThePublic

AnswerThePublic is more than just an SEO tool. It is also used across several marketing and research fields to help businesses better understand what their audience wants to know.

SEO: Discover keyword trends and intent-driven search queries to rank higher in organic search results.
Content Marketing: Generate ideas for blog posts, social media, and web copy based on what people are actively searching for.
Consumer Research: Identify patterns and questions that reveal your audience’s concerns, motivations, and pain points.
Public Relations: Find angles for press releases or campaign messaging by knowing what people are asking or comparing.

How to Try It

Visit answerthepublic.com
Enter a keyword related to your business
Explore the search clouds of customer questions
Use the results to create content for your website, emails, or social media
Repeat monthly to stay relevant and searchable

By taking 30 minutes a month to explore keywords and common questions, you’ll build a foundation that boosts your discoverability for months, especially with tourists and seasonal visitors planning trips in advance.

Ready to Take the Guesswork Out of Your Marketing?

Your customers are already asking questions. The opportunity lies in being the one to answer them. Tools like AnswerThePublic don’t just give you topics—they provide clarity, direction, and a direct connection to the people searching for what you offer.

This tool can help you think less like a business owner guessing what might work and more like a strategist creating exactly what your audience needs. Your next great piece of content is already waiting...

Want to be the answer to what your customers are already searching for? Try answerthepublic.com today.