SEO FAQ: WTF?

Besides fun to say, there’s a lot of misconceptions around FAQ for SEO. Let’s dive in and separate some myth vs. fact, plus how to responsibly apply this section to your pages.

FAQs hide important information from the reader

The myth is that the questions should be frequently asked. But if they’re frequently asked, they should follow the inverted pyramid of writing, with the most important information at the top of the page. The more asked it is, the higher up it should be.

If something is really important like cost, how the process works, restrictions, policies, or benefits, those should be higher up on the page so your readers are more likely to see them.

So basically… if it’s not important and at the bottom, it won’t have a huge impact.

And if it’s important it should be higher so you wouldn’t need FAQ for it – it would be woven into the content.

Image from Stephen Bradley of vanseoedesign

It doesn’t actually mean frequently asked

To use FAQ well, you’d need to list questions that someone with a very exceptional situation would ask.

EG: Can I use this if I’m allergic to coconut? Are cyclones covered under the policy or only typhoons? Is it compatible with European electrical outlets?

The idea is that you’re covering off the smaller, outlying circumstances that would help someone with a very specific situation – maybe 1% of buyers or less.

If a question might apply to more people than that, I’d put it in the content.

They don’t get you closer to ranking #1

My experience with a few thousand FAQs was when we started removing them, pushing the content higher up and integrating it into the page, the pages ranked better. On commercial pages, category pages, or product landing pages, I’d be especially careful – you’re trying to help users make a decision, not rank for PPA with an unordered list of questions.

I tend to end pages with a “where to next” box instead of FAQ now.

You risk duplicate content

Informational queries with SEO value can often end up in an FAQ section. This adds duplicate content to the page, and if unrelated to the focus keyword, it may even hinder you from ranking.

Prioritize wisely

Opportunity cost means you give up other options to make a specific choice. If you are pushing to add FAQ to a template or write it in, you’re likely missing something that could have a higher impact instead.

Prioritize the top of the fold, schema, and social proof more than things at the bottom of the page.