FAQ schema is still worth adding, but not for rich results: Google limited FAQ rich results to government and health sites in August 2023 and stopped showing them in Search altogether on May 7, 2026. The real value now is the visible FAQ content itself, which gives search engines and AI assistants short, self-contained answers to quote.
What changed with FAQ rich results?
On August 8, 2023, Google announced it was reducing FAQ rich results so they would only appear for "well-known, authoritative government and health websites". For most sites the expandable question-and-answer snippets under a search listing disappeared. Google also said the markup was not penalized and that removing it was optional.
The feature went further in 2026: Google's documentation changelog says the FAQ rich result "is no longer shown in Google Search results," effective May 7, 2026. Search Engine Journal reports that reporting and testing support are being retired too.
Does FAQ schema help AI search?
Google states that no special schema.org structured data is required to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. So FAQPage markup is not a switch that unlocks AI citations.
What does help is the content pattern the markup describes. Short question-and-answer pairs match how people prompt assistants, and each answer is a self-contained passage an engine can quote. Whether a given AI product reads the JSON-LD itself is not documented, so do not claim it as a guaranteed benefit.
When should you still add FAQPage markup?
Add it when the FAQ is genuinely on the page and useful to readers. It costs little, it is valid schema.org FAQPage markup, and it does not hurt. Skip it if you would have to invent questions just to have markup, or if the answers are not visible on the page, which breaks Google's structured data guidelines.
How to write FAQs that get quoted
Use real questions in the phrasing people type, and answer in two or three sentences that make sense alone. State the answer first, then one supporting fact. Five good questions beat fifteen padded ones.
Do not repeat the article body word for word. Use the FAQ for the follow-up questions the article raises, a pattern covered in our guide on how to get cited by AI search engines.
How to add FAQPage JSON-LD in Next.js
Build a FAQPage object with a mainEntity array of Question items, each with an acceptedAnswer of type Answer, and render it in a script tag of type application/ld+json from a server component, as shown in the Next.js JSON-LD guide. Generate it from the same data that renders the visible FAQ so the two can never drift apart.
Validate it with the Schema Markup Validator. Because FAQ is being phased out of Google's Rich Results Test, as Search Engine Journal reports, a "not eligible" result does not mean your markup is broken. For the wider picture, see SEO vs GEO vs AEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google still show FAQ rich results?
No. Google limited FAQ rich results to well-known government and health websites in August 2023, and its documentation says the feature is no longer shown in Search results as of May 7, 2026. Existing FAQPage markup is not penalized.
Is FAQ schema still worth adding for SEO?
It is worth adding only when the FAQ is visible on the page and useful to readers. The markup no longer produces rich results for most sites, so the benefit comes from the clear question-and-answer content, not the snippet.
Does FAQ schema help you appear in AI Overviews or ChatGPT?
There is no documented guarantee. Google says no special structured data is needed for AI Overviews and AI Mode. Well-written FAQ answers can still be quoted because they are short and self-contained.
How many FAQs should a blog post have?
Five well-chosen questions is a good target for most posts. Focus on real follow-up questions readers ask, and keep each answer to two or three sentences.
How do I test my FAQPage structured data?
Use the Schema Markup Validator at validator.schema.org to check syntax. Google is reportedly phasing out FAQ support in the Rich Results Test, so a missing rich result does not by itself indicate an error.
Sources & Citations
- 1.Removing documentation for the FAQ rich result feature — Google Search Central
- 2.Changes to HowTo and FAQ rich results — Google Search Central Blog
- 3.AI features and your website — Google Search Central
- 4.Google drops FAQ rich results — Search Engine Journal