If you’ve researched ways to improve your website’s SEO, you’ve probably come across FAQ schema.
For years, FAQ schema helped websites stand out in Google searches by showing extra questions and answers below their listing. This gave their listing more space and helped attract more clicks than competing websites.
But things have changed. Google has discontinued FAQ rich results, meaning most businesses can no longer use FAQ schema to generate those expandable listings in Google Search.
Does that mean FAQ schema is now pointless? Not necessarily.
And more importantly, does it mean you should stop including frequently asked questions on your website? Absolutely not.
In this article, we’ll explain what FAQ schema is, what’s changed, whether it’s still worth implementing, and how to make the most of FAQs as part of your website and SEO strategy.
what is FAQ schema?
FAQ schema is a type of structured data that helps search engines understand that a page contains a list of frequently asked questions and their answers.
It’s written using Schema.org vocabulary and is commonly implemented using JSON-LD, a format that adds information to your website’s code without changing how the page looks to visitors.
For example, imagine you’re a roofing company with a page answering common questions such as:
- How long does a roof replacement take?
- Do I need to move out during a roof replacement?
- What types of roofing materials do you install?
- Do you offer free roofing quotes?
You can add FAQ schema to help identify those questions and answers within your website’s content.
The important distinction is that FAQ schema describes content that is already on your page.
It doesn’t create the questions and answers for visitors, and it doesn’t guarantee that search engines will display them in a particular way.
Does FAQ schema still help SEO in 2026?
Here’s the short answer: FAQ schema no longer gives most business websites the Google search benefit it was once known for.
Google first restricted FAQ rich results in August 2023, limiting them to well-known government and health websites.
Then, on 7 May 2026, Google stopped showing FAQ rich results altogether.
This means adding FAQ schema to your website will no longer make extra questions and answers appear beneath your Google listing.
However, that doesn’t mean FAQs are no longer useful.
FAQs can still help your website by:
- Answering questions potential customers are searching for.
- Helping visitors make informed decisions.
- Addressing concerns that might stop someone from enquiring.
- Explaining your products, services and processes.
- Making your website more helpful and easier to use.
The key is to separate the value of FAQ content from the value of FAQ schema.
The content is still useful, even though the Google search feature is gone.
What were Google’s FAQ rich results?
You might remember seeing Google search listings with small dropdown questions underneath the main result. These were called FAQ rich results.
When Google supported this feature, websites using FAQ schema could show extra questions and answers directly in search results. This gave their listings more space and helped people find answers without visiting the website.
Google gradually phased out the feature:
- August 2023: Limited to well-known government and health websites.
- 7 May 2026: FAQ rich results discontinued across Google Search.
- June 2026: Google removed its supporting documentation and reporting tools.
Does FAQ schema help with AI search, ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews?
With more people using tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI features to find information, it’s understandable that businesses are looking for ways to make their websites easier for these platforms to understand.
Structured data can provide additional context about the information on a page.
However, there is currently no established evidence that adding FAQ schema directly increases the likelihood of your business being mentioned, recommended or cited by AI platforms.
Google has also clarified that there is no special schema markup required to appear in its AI Overviews or AI Mode.
Its guidance is to continue focusing on the SEO fundamentals that make websites useful, accessible and trustworthy.
If you want your website to be discoverable through AI-powered search, focus on:
1. Publish genuinely useful information
Answer the questions your customers actually ask.
Include practical details, explanations and insights that demonstrate your experience.
2. Make your content clear and accessible
Use descriptive headings, logical page structures and straightforward language.
Make sure important information is available as text on your website, rather than only within images or other formats that may be difficult to interpret.
3. Demonstrate real-world experience
Include relevant examples, case studies, customer feedback, qualifications and information about your business.
Give people a reason to trust what you’re saying.
4. Keep information accurate and up to date
Review service descriptions, pricing information, processes and other important details regularly.
Outdated information can undermine both customer confidence and the usefulness of your content.
5. Make sure search engines and relevant crawlers can access your website
Technical accessibility still matters.
For example, websites that want to be discoverable in ChatGPT search should check that they aren’t unintentionally blocking OpenAI’s OAI-SearchBot in their robots.txt file.
The takeaway?
Don’t rely on FAQ schema as an AI visibility shortcut.
Focus on publishing helpful, accurate content that genuinely answers the questions your customers have.
Are FAQs still worth having on your website?
Yes. In fact, this is where we believe businesses should be placing most of their attention.
Think about the questions customers ask before deciding to contact you or make a purchase.
They might want to know:
- How much does your service cost?
- How long will the process take?
- Do you service my area?
- What’s included in your service?
- What happens after I submit an enquiry?
- How are you different from other providers?
If your website doesn’t answer these questions, potential customers may need to contact you to find out. Some will do that, but others will simply move on to a competitor who makes the information easier to find.
A well-written FAQ section can help remove uncertainty, build trust and make it easier for visitors to take the next step.
Here are a few ways to get more value from your FAQs.
Answer real customer questions
Don’t just add questions because they contain keywords you want to rank for.
Talk to your sales team, customer service staff and people who regularly deal with enquiries.
- What do customers ask before they buy?
- What concerns come up repeatedly?
- What misunderstandings need to be cleared up?
These are often the best questions to answer on your website.
Put questions where they’re most useful
You don’t necessarily need one enormous FAQ page.
Consider adding relevant questions to individual service and product pages.
For example, a plumbing company might have specific FAQs on its hot water, drainlaying and emergency plumbing pages.
This allows visitors to find answers in the context of the service they’re already considering.
Give complete, straightforward answers
Keep answers clear and easy to understand.
Some questions only need a sentence or two, while others require a more detailed explanation.
Avoid writing unnecessarily long answers just to include more keywords.
The aim is to help the customer understand what they need to know.
Use FAQs to encourage action
Where appropriate, finish an answer by explaining what the visitor can do next.
For example, if someone asks whether you provide free quotes, your answer could explain how to request one and link directly to your enquiry form.
Your website should do more than provide information. It should help people move towards becoming customers.
how to add FAQ schema (by platform)
Ok, so now that we know what FAQs are, let’s get to how we implement it into our websites. Depending on your platform, this can be simple. Otherwise, it may require some custom coding or added plugin support.
WordPress
If your website is built in WordPress, there’s a good chance you already have the right tools available. Editors such as Elementor Pro have a great simple feature where you can simply drag and drop your question/answer element, add your values, and then turn on the FAQ schema.
Other plugins like Yoast SEO, SmartCrawl Pro, Rank Math, or Schema Pro offer the ability to let you add custom schema and markup to certain pages on your website. This does take a bit more work and is not as simple or neat as using an editor.
Shopify
Shopify stores can use compatible SEO or structured-data apps to manage schema markup. Some themes and apps may already generate structured data, so check your existing setup before adding another app.
Webflow
Webflow users can add structured data using custom code, typically through page-level or site-wide custom code settings.
Squarespace & Wix
Both platforms offer ways to add custom code or use built-in functionality and integrations. The exact process depends on your plan and the features available in your current setup. If you’re unsure, it’s worth having a developer check your website’s existing structured data before making changes.
example of FAQ schema markup (JSON-LD)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How does FAQ schema help SEO?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "FAQ schema helps your page appear as a rich result in search and makes your answers more visible to AI assistants."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Where should I add FAQ schema?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Add it to product pages, service pages, or a dedicated FAQ page — anywhere users might have common questions."
}
}
]
}
</script>
how to test your FAQ schema
1. Rich Results Test
This tool checks whether a page contains structured data that is eligible for supported Google rich results.
Find it here: Google Rich Results
2. Schema Markup Validator
This tool checks Schema.org structured data and can help identify errors in your markup. It is useful for checking whether your FAQPage code is recognised as valid structured data.
Find it here: Schema Markup Validator
frequently asked questions
Is FAQ schema still worth adding in 2026?
Does FAQ schema improve Google rankings?
Does FAQ schema help ChatGPT recommend my business?
Can I use FAQ schema on any page?
How many words should an FAQ answer contain?
Should I remove existing FAQ schema from my website?
Final thoughts: Focus on useful FAQs, not just schema
FAQ schema has changed considerably over the years.
What was once promoted as a simple way to make your Google search listings stand out is no longer an option for business websites.
But that doesn’t make FAQs any less important.
Your website should answer the questions potential customers have, address their concerns and make it easy for them to understand why they should choose your business.
That’s where the real value lies.
