Why Quora Shows Other Questions and Answers Adjacent to Ours: Understanding the ‘RELATED’ Feature

When you click into any question on Quora, you might notice a section that presents RELATED questions and their answers. This feature can sometimes appear as a minor nuisance to users, but it is actually a powerful tool designed for efficient and comprehensive information seeking. Here’s a detailed guide to help you understand how to use and navigate this feature effectively.

What is the ‘RELATED’ Feature?

The ‘RELATED’ section on Quora is a list of questions that share similar keywords or themes with the one you are viewing. This feature aims to provide comprehensive knowledge by linking related queries and their respective answers. For example, if you are reading a question about the impact of climate change on polar bears, Quora might also show questions like ‘How does climate change affect wildlife?’ or ‘What are the effects of global warming on different species?’

How to Manage the ‘RELATED’ Feature

When you encounter the ‘RELATED’ section, you can click on the ‘all related’ button at the bottom left of the question. This will open a menu offering two options:

‘All related’ – This will show both questions and their answers generated by the related queries. ‘Answers only’ – This will focus solely on the answers to the specific question you are interested in, without showing the paired questions.

To switch to the option where only the answers are displayed, simply select ‘Answers only’ from the menu that appears. This helps in quickly finding the information you need without overwhelming you with other potentially irrelevant questions.

Why Does Quora Offer ‘RELATED’ Questions and Answers?

Quora is designed to be a keyword-searchable resource. The ‘RELATED’ feature enhances user experience by suggesting questions that might be of interest or contain the information you are looking for. This feature is particularly useful when the initial question doesn't seem to have been answered fully.

For many experienced users, the reason for this feature is quite clear. It is driven by the fact that questions on Quora do not need to be distinctly worded to convey the same meaning and intent. Many keywords can describe the same concept, and this feature helps to aggregate those.

Common Issues and Solutions

Several users have reported encountering the ‘RELATED’ feature in unexpected ways or having it show up excessively:

The Daily Digest Issue: Some users have noted that the feature appears more frequently in their daily digest emails. If this is the case, they suggest clicking multiple times or using a right-click to open the ‘RELATED’ questions in a new tab. However, the effectiveness of these solutions can vary. Ad Revenue Consideration: There is some speculation that the feature serves as a marketing tactic to increase ad revenue by encouraging users to explore more parts of the site. This theory is not confirmed, but it is a plausible explanation.

While the feature is unlikely to be removed soon, it is understandable that users might want it to be less intrusive. However, given Quora’s focus on providing comprehensive information, the feature is here to stay.

Conclusion

The ‘RELATED’ feature on Quora serves a valuable purpose in enhancing the user experience and ensuring that you don’t miss out on relevant information. By understanding how to navigate and use this feature, you can make the most of this powerful tool. If the feature becomes overwhelming, you can easily manage it by switching to the ‘Answers only’ option.

Stay informed and enjoy the wealth of knowledge available on Quora!