Structured Data for FAQs: Using FAQ Schema for SEO

FAQ schema is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your site’s visibility across Google, AI search engines, and voice assistants.

When implemented correctly, FAQ markup helps search engines, AI models, and voice assistants understand your content better, improving how it’s displayed in search results and answer engines.

It can raise click-through rates by up to 87% and is used by most top-ranking pages, yet few sites take advantage of it.

Even with Google reducing FAQ rich results, implementing schema through simple tools or plugins still strengthens clarity, visibility, and long-term ranking potential.

But times have changed. Thanks to AI and a slew of handy plugins, creating and implementing schema has become a breeze.

And the payoff? Totally worth it.

It’s rewarding, also,  72.6% of all websites now utilise some form of schema to improve their ranking in search results. Ranking on the first page of a search often requires the use of some type of schema, such as FAQ schema markup.

Yet, despite this, only 0.3% of websites utilise FAQ schema to achieve increased visibility in search results  even use it.

So today, we’re going to look at structured data for FAQs that can also ask users relevant questions. This what we'll cover in this blog:

• What is Structured Data for FAQs
• Google FAQ Schema Guidelines 
• How to Use FAQ Schema (4 Steps)
• The Best Practices for FAQ Structured Data
• Advanced Implementation of FAQ and Article Schema 
• Why Using FAQ Schema Markup Boosts SEO and Visibility
• FAQ Schema For AI Answers
• Final Word 

What is Structured Data for FAQs

FAQ structured data is a particular form of schema that highlights FAQs, those frequently asked questions, directly in the search engine results pages (SERPs), potentially as featured snippets.

What it does is pretty straightforward: it pulls questions and their corresponding answers from your webpage and displays them right where users can see them when they’re searching for specific keywords.

Q&A vs FAQ Schema

• FAQ schema is intended for pages that list FAQs with a single answer provided by the website.
• Q&A schema is designed for pages where users ask questions and receive multiple answers, often highlighted as featured snippets in search results.

Both are great but serve completely different purposes. FAQ is for websites for businesses, blogs, etc., and can significantly enhance the visibility of search results in Google’s rich results. Q&A is more for community forums.

Why is FAQ Structured Data Important?

FAQ structured data is crucial for a couple of big reasons. First, it gives your site more SERP real estate and can enhance your chances of appearing in Google’s rich results. More space on the results page generally means more clicks and a higher CTR, which are great signals for Google and other search engines.

Second, it enhances user experience. When users can find answers to their questions directly within the SERPs, it saves them time and effort. This makes search engines happy because it keeps users on their platform longer, which in turn, means more ad revenue for them.

But here’s where it gets interesting, recent changes in 2023 have shaken up how FAQ rich results are handled.

Google made a bold move by drastically reducing FAQ rich results, initially limiting them to super authoritative sites and then phasing them out entirely. However, this doesn’t mean rich results are a thing of the past.

They’re just evolving, particularly in terms of how search engines present rich snippets and featured snippets.

In late 2023, Google rolled out new, more specialized rich snippets targeting specific industries, like Vehicle Listings and Course Info, enhancing the user experience in search results.

Making use of FAQPage Schema can also make your site eligible for an action that is made available in the Google Assistant.

The Value of FAQ Schema Despite Changes in Rich Results

Even though Google has scaled back or removed traditional FAQ rich results from SERPs, implementing FAQ schema remains a valuable strategy.

The key takeaway is that structured data, like FAQ schema, enhances your content’s clarity and relevance for search engines.

Even if the content doesn’t appear as a rich result anymore, it still plays a critical role in improving how search engines understand and rank your content.

In a constantly evolving digital landscape, having well-structured data ensures your site stays competitive by making it easier for search engines to interpret your information accurately.

Google FAQ Schema Guidelines

Before we explore how to use FAQ schema, let’s look at the general guidelines. These will help you determine whether it’s the right schema for you.

How to Use FAQ Schema (4 Steps)

You’ll need to create some code to add FAQ structured data to your pages, which follows schema rules and formats your FAQs correctly.

Now, before you think, "This sounds tough," let me assure you, it’s easier than it seems.

With tools like ChatGPT and plugins, creating FAQ schema is straightforward.

And while Google has recently reduced the visibility of FAQ rich results, using schema is still highly valuable for making your content clear and accessible to search engines.

1. Create Schema

First, you need to create your FAQ schema to comply with Google’s guidelines. There are two ways you can do this: using JSON-LD or Microdata.

The key difference is that JSON-LD isn’t put in the HTML data. It’s JavaScript, so it doesn’t load with the HTML. Reference: JSON-LD FAQ Schema

Microdata, however, is embedded in the website's HTML, so it loads with the website's HTML. Reference: Microdata FAQ Schema

Choose which one you want to use for your FAQ schema markup. After, you’ll want to change out the information on the images above and rewrite it with your FAQs.

That may take a while. You can also copy the code from Google Search Console and paste it into ChatGPT.

You can then ask ChatGPT to swap out the FAQs for you with your desired code. This is the prompt I used:

You can do this both for microdata and JASON-LD.

2. Test Schema

You don’t want to add this schema directly to your website yet.

You’ll want to test it using a schema validator.

There are two you can use—the FAQ schema and HowTo schema types. Schema Markup Validator by Schema.org or the type of schema markup. Rich Results Test by Google.

Both work great, but we’ll use the one from Schema.org in the below example, which aligns with Google’s rich results.

First, go to Schema Markup Validator by Schema.org. Once here, a box will pop up. Click “Code Snippet” and then enter the code created in step 1.

After, click “Run test”.

Once the test is complete, you’ll have a schema report. If there are any issues, this will appear in the “Error” or “Warning” section.

Ideally, you shouldn’t have any. In the event you do, you can go back to ChatGPT, enter the error, and then rerun the test. Normally, this will fix the FAQ schema according to Google’s guidelines.

The Ongoing Importance of Schema Implementation, Manual or Automated

Even with recent changes to how rich results are displayed, particularly in search results, it’s still worthwhile to invest time in creating and testing your schema.

Whether done manually or with tools like ChatGPT and Schema Pro, well-implemented schema markup is a powerful SEO tool.

It ensures that search engines can accurately parse and understand your content, which is crucial for maintaining strong search engine rankings, especially in the context of rich snippets.

While an immediate rich result may not always be visible in the SERPs, the long-term benefits of a well-structured site will contribute to better overall SEO performance.

3. Add Schema

If your FAQ schema code doesn’t have any issues, you can then add it to your website to improve its increased visibility. You can either add it manually or with a plugin.

If you’re not a web developer or have very little knowledge in the area, we recommend you use a schema plugin. Schema Pro is recommended for WordPress users.

4. Request a Crawl

Once you’ve added the schema, you can go to Google Search Console (GSC) and then request a crawl.

You can do this by going to GSC and searching for the web page URL to which you’ve added the FAQ schema markup. Scroll down and click “REQUEST INDEXING”.

Within 10 minutes or so, Google will then re-crawl your website. Hopefully, it’ll spot the new schema and add it to the SERPs.

Best Practices for FAQ Structured Data

Now that you know how to create and implement FAQ structured data, let’s go over some best practices to ensure you’re getting the most out of it.

Single Answer Per Question

Use FAQ schema on pages where questions have a single, clear answer provided by you.

While FAQ rich results might be less visible now, this practice still helps search engines understand your content better.

Avoid Using FAQ Schema for How-To

Stick to FAQ schema for direct questions and answers. For step-by-step guides, use HowTo schema.

Remember, even though some rich results like HowTo have been reduced, the schema still plays a crucial role in helping search engines parse your content.

Differentiating Between FAQ and HowTo Schema: Using the Right Tool for the Job

When deciding between FAQ schema and HowTo schema, it’s important to match the right type of schema to your content.

FAQ schema is ideal for direct questions and answers, while HowTo schema is designed for step-by-step instructions, both being important schema types.

While Google has reduced the visibility of some rich results, HowTo schema, like FAQ schema, remains crucial for SEO.

Both schemas help organise your content in a way that enhances its accessibility and clarity for search engines, thereby improving your site’s overall visibility.

So, even if rich results are less prominent, the benefits of using the appropriate schema remain significant.

No FAQ Schema for Ads

Always aim to improve the user experience.

Schema should be about clarity and helpfulness, not promotion.

Minimise Duplicate FAQ Content

Don’t use multiple of the same FAQ. This isn’t user-friendly, and it appears to be duplicate content.

If you do, however, have multiple FAQs that are the same, you can do a site-wide FAQ schema to avoid duplication.

Exclude Offensive or Profane Content

Like with your website content, with Schema, don’t include offensive or profane content.

Search engines like Google will quickly disallow it if it does not adhere to Google’s guidelines.

Alongside this, even if your FAQ schema doesn’t include it, it shouldn’t be included on the web page either.

This is looked at in the same way as how voice search interprets user queries.

Provide Complete Question and Answer

Again, think about the user experience, especially how it relates to voice search and query interpretation.

Can a user find your FAQ schema and can they get a full answer from it? If not, it shouldn’t be there.

The question should have a clear answer. An answer that fulfils the user's needs.

Like with a lot of schemas, the goal is to improve the user experience, and those that do will be rewarded.

Advanced Implementation of FAQ and Article Schema

Adding article and FAQ schema helps Google interpret, crawl, and rank your content more accurately.

Structured data improves how search engines understand your site.

Adding FAQ markup to pages with clear questions and answers makes them eligible for rich SERP features like collapsible Q&As that boost visibility and clicks.

Follow HTML best practices, use validator tools, and interlink related resources.

For government and health sites, schema ensures accurate data appears in AI and voice search results.

When applied site-wide, structured data improves indexing, supports PAA box visibility, and strengthens long-term SEO performance.

Why Using FAQ Schema Markup Boosts SEO and Visibility

Schema markup, especially FAQ schema, is one of the most practical ways to help your site stand out in search results.

When you use FAQPage schema on dedicated FAQ pages, it helps Google to crawl and understand the question text and answer text behind your FAQs, making them eligible to appear directly in search as rich snippets.

This gives your content more space in search and improves organic traffic by making results clickable and easy to read. It’s also valuable for people using voice search or AI-powered tools like copilot and LLM systems, which rely on structured data to deliver better results.

Each single page should follow proper HTML tags, stay clear of dangerous or illegal content, and maintain accuracy, especially for government and health websites that share important information.

From a technical SEO view, implementing schema markup correctly helps identify the type of content per page, lets SEOs implement across a site efficiently, and ensures users can submit alternative answers safely when needed.

Done right, FAQ schema markup can help your site gain authority, visibility, and long-term relevance across both SERP and AI-driven discovery.

FAQ Schema For AI Answers

FAQ schema remains essential for search visibility, even as Google retires other structured data types.

Despite reduced rich results, FAQ markup continues to help Google crawl and interpret content accurately.

Implement JSON-LD schema on pages with clear question-and-answer pairs to improve voice and AI search visibility.

For authoritative or regulated sites, this ensures verified information appears in search.

For businesses, it drives engagement and trust.

Validate schema, ensure non-promotional content, and maintain proper internal links.

Done consistently, FAQ markup keeps sites discoverable, AI-ready, and resilient to future search changes.

Final Word

After reading the above, you should have a better understanding of structured data for FAQs.

As you can see, they can be rewarding. And even better, it’s pretty simple to implement.

Back in the day, this wasn’t the case. Schema, and coding in general, was difficult for many marketers trying to implement structured data.

However, tools like Schema Pro, ChatGPT, and validators have made the process much simpler.

Yet, despite being simple, not too many website owners use it.

This is a great opportunity, then, to leverage schema markup and enhance your visibility in search results.

As so few people use it, those that do will get the rewards.

So, why not give it a go? Add structured data for FAQs on your website and analyse the outcome.

We’re sure it’ll be much better than you think.