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

• 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