SEO Term Definition

FAQ Schema

FAQ schema is structured data markup that marks up a list of questions and answers on a page, potentially enabling Google to show an expanded FAQ rich result directly in search results — increasing SERP real estate.

Reviewed by Alexander Yarovenko · Updated: 2026-09-22

What is FAQ Schema?

FAQ schema (FAQPage in Schema.org) is structured data that explicitly marks up a list of frequently asked questions and their answers on a web page. When properly implemented and eligible, Google may display an expanded FAQ rich result in the SERP — showing multiple clickable questions directly beneath the organic listing, significantly increasing the visual space the result occupies.

FAQ Schema Eligibility Rules (Updated 2023)

Google significantly restricted FAQ rich results in 2023:

FAQ rich results are now only shown for government and health websites by default
For other sites, FAQ rich results may appear occasionally but no longer consistently
Google stated the change was to reduce SERP clutter and ensure FAQ results provide unique value

Despite the eligibility restriction, FAQ schema can still appear in Google's AI Overviews and helps Google understand Q&A content structure, so implementing it remains worthwhile for content clarity.

FAQ Schema Example (JSON-LD)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is SEO?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the practice of improving a website to increase its visibility in organic search engine results."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How long does SEO take?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "SEO typically takes 3–6 months to show meaningful results, though competitive niches may require 12+ months."
      }
    }
  ]
}
</script>

Best Practices

Only mark up questions that genuinely appear as FAQ content on the page
Answers should match what's visible on the page — don't hide content in schema only
One FAQPage schema per page; mark up all FAQ questions on the page
Validate with Google's Rich Results Test before deployment

Technical decision

Correct use	FAQPage markup must represent visible questions answered by the site; eligibility is restricted and valid markup does not guarantee display.
Validation	Confirm the current Google feature policy, match every entity to visible text, validate JSON-LD, and remove markup when the content type is ineligible.

Primary references

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