Pages: FAQ
Guides FAQ page content, structure, and optimization for SEO, conversion, and rich results (PAA, Featured Snippet, GEO, PASF). FAQ content from real user questions and rich-result targeting.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
FAQ and Rich Results
| Feature | Relationship | Optimization |
|---|---|---|
| People Also Ask (PAA) | FAQ schema triggers PAA-style dropdowns; PAA questions = FAQ source | FAQPage schema; match question phrasing; "how/what/why" format. PAA ~51% of searches. See serp-features |
| Featured Snippet | Answers extracted for position zero | 40-60 words; answer-first; H2/H3; paragraph (70%), list (19%), table (6%). See featured-snippet |
| GEO / AI Overviews | AI cites FAQ blocks; FAQ most cited content type (3-7x more citations) | Self-contained; 40-80 words; entity signals; content in initial HTML. See geo |
| People Also Search For (PASF) | Appears when user bounces; comprehensive FAQ reduces bounce | Match intent; cover related questions. PASF shows 6-8 related queries. |
| FAQ rich result | FAQPage schema; max 2 dropdowns per SERP | Restricted to government/health in many regions; schema still helps PAA, voice, AI |
PAA vs PASF: PAA = expandable question boxes (same SERP). PASF = related queries after bounce. Both benefit from comprehensive, intent-matching content.
Content Sources
Real user: Support tickets, chat logs, sales objections, surveys, reviews.
Rich-result purpose: PAA (search keyword, extract questions), AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, Featured Snippet queries, competitor FAQ, keyword research, GEO citation data.
Reverse flow: Use PAA, Featured Snippet, GSC Search queries to find questions you rank for but don't answer.
Content Structure
| Approach | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Page topic | In-page section | 3-8 questions about that page |
| Theme | Dedicated page | Group by Billing, Features, Support, Compliance |
| Logical flow | Decision funnel | Awareness -> Consideration -> Purchase -> Support |
| Objection handling | Conversion | "Is it worth it?" "Can I cancel?" |
Page-specific: LP (objection handling); pricing (billing, plans, enterprise); alternatives (migration, comparison); category (materials, recommendations); tools (what is X, how calculated). See landing-page-generator, pricing-page-generator, alternatives-page-generator, category-pages, tools-page-generator.
Dedicated FAQ Page vs In-Page FAQ Section
| Dimension | Dedicated Page | In-Page Section |
|---|---|---|
| Placement | /faq, /help, standalone URL | Within LP, pricing, blog, product page |
| Count | 5-30 (5-10 optimal) | 3-8 |
| Structure | Categories, TOC, navigation | Inline; after main content |
| Schema | One FAQPage per page | Same; schema matches visible Q&A |
| When to use | Many questions; support/help hub; central FAQ | Objection handling; page-specific long-tail; conversion |
| Related pages | contact-page, docs-page, website-structure | landing-page, pricing-page, blog, alternatives, category-pages, tools-page |
Shared rules: Word count, content rules, format, and schema apply to both. Choose placement based on question volume and page purpose.
Accordion: Crawlable?
Yes. Google indexes accordion content fully; hidden content receives full weight.
Requirements: Content in DOM at load (no AJAX on click); use <details>/<summary> or server-rendered HTML; first item expanded. Avoid display: none for primary content. See tab-accordion, rendering-strategies.
Nuance: Some tests suggest visible content outperforms hidden. Use accordion for secondary FAQ; keep primary Q&A visible.
Best Practices
Word Count
| Element | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | 40-80 words | Sweet spot for AI; under 40 = incomplete; over 80 = cut off |
| Featured Snippet | 40-60 words | 45 words most common |
| First sentence | 40-50 words | Answer immediately |
| Sentences | 2-4 | Standalone, comprehensive |
Content Rules
- Genuine questions: PAA, AnswerThePublic, support; no invented marketing questions
- Standalone answers: Each answer makes sense alone; AI extracts individual pairs
- Content parity: Schema must exactly match visible content; hidden schema = violation
- No duplicates: Each Q&A on one page; choose most authoritative
- Topical focus: FAQs match page topic
- Inverted pyramid: Most important first; data, numbers, actionable advice
- Keywords: 1-2 times naturally; no stuffing
- Quality over quantity: 5-10 excellent beat 50 thin
- Update quarterly: Add questions from emerging trends
Format
- Schema: JSON-LD; one FAQPage per page
- Answer HTML (in schema
text):<a>,<strong>,<em>,<p>,<br>,<ol>; use sparingly - Structure: H2/H3 per question; semantic HTML; answer-first under heading
- Validation: Google Rich Results Test, Schema.org Validator, GSC
Number of Questions
| Placement | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| In-page section | 3-8 | Directly related to page |
| Dedicated page | 5-10 optimal | 10-30 if well-crafted; quality over quantity |
| Schema minimum | 2+ | Single Q&A rarely shown |
| Google display | Max 2 per result | See serp-features |
Question and Answer
Question: Match how users ask ("How do I return?" not "Return Policy"); target "how/what/why"; H2/H3; avoid promotional or invented.
Answer: Answer-first in 40-60 words; paragraph, list, or table by content type; scannable (bullets, bold); self-contained; entity signals. See entity-seo.
Organization
Group by topic; clear hierarchy; TOC, accordions, jump links; audit quarterly.
Initial Assessment
Check project context (.cursor/project-context.md or .claude/project-context.md) for objections, product details, customer language.
Identify: (1) Source of questions (2) Conversion focus (3) Placement (dedicated vs in-page).
Why It Matters
- Reduces support load
- Long-tail and voice search
- Category pages: +157% conversion when FAQ used
- 20-30% CTR lift when rich results display
- 3-7x more AI citations with optimized FAQ
Output Format
- Question list (from research)
- Category structure
- Answer format and tone
- Schema (FAQPage)
- SEO metadata
Related Skills
- howto-section-generator: Step-by-step HowTo sections; not FAQ—use HowTo schema, not FAQPage
- tab-accordion: Accordion implementation; details/summary
- serp-features: PAA, Featured Snippet, PASF, FAQ limits
- featured-snippet: Answer length, position zero
- geo: GEO strategy; citable blocks; AI crawlers
- schema-markup: FAQPage implementation
- keyword-research: PAA to FAQ; question keywords
- landing-page-generator, pricing-page-generator, alternatives-page-generator, category-pages, tools-page-generator: In-page FAQ section
- contact-page-generator, docs-page-generator, website-structure: Dedicated FAQ page; FAQ reduces contact form volume
- title-tag, meta-description, page-metadata: Metadata
- entity-seo: Entity signals for GEO
- rendering-strategies: Content in initial HTML