Are FAQs still good for SEO now Google has dropped FAQ rich results?

15 October 2026 · By John Carlsson

Yes, if they answer real questions. From 7 May 2026, Google no longer shows the FAQ rich result in Google Search at all, but that only removed a search display. Visible questions and answers still help readers, and FAQPage markup is still valid schema.org, provided it matches the text people can see on the page.

What Google changed in 2026

Google's documentation updates page records two entries. On 8 May 2026 Google added a deprecation notice saying the FAQ rich result would no longer appear in Google Search from 7 May 2026. On 15 June 2026 Google removed the FAQ rich result documentation altogether, noting that the feature is no longer shown in Google Search results.

That change is about one search display: the expandable questions and answers that used to sit under some listings. Google no longer shows it for any site. The updates page says nothing against having FAQ content on your pages, and it does not tell site owners to delete existing FAQ markup.

Why visible FAQ content is still worth having

Google's guidance on helpful content asks whether someone will leave your page feeling they have learned enough to achieve their goal. It also lists, as a warning sign, content that leaves readers feeling they need to search again to get better information elsewhere.

A short section that answers the questions your customers really ask, such as delivery times, what is included in a price or how to cancel, speaks directly to both of those questions. It also saves people emailing you for answers that could have been on the page.

Google's page on AI features says the usual SEO fundamentals apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode, including creating helpful, reliable, people-first content, and it recommends making important content available in text form. A written question with a direct written answer is plain text that Google can read like any other content on the page.

The same page says there are no extra requirements or special optimisations needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and no special schema.org structured data you need to add. A page must be indexed and eligible to appear in Search with a snippet.

What about FAQPage schema?

FAQPage is still a type on schema.org, defined as a WebPage that presents one or more frequently asked questions. Google no longer shows a rich result for it, but the vocabulary itself has not gone anywhere.

If you keep the markup, Google's general structured data guidelines still apply to it. Do not mark up content that readers cannot see, and make sure the structured data is a true representation of the page content. Google's AI features page gives the same advice: make sure your structured data matches the visible text on the page.

Those guidelines also explain that a structured data manual action removes a page's eligibility to appear as a rich result. It does not change the page's ranking in web search, and you can check for one in the Manual Actions report in Search Console.

Practical steps for your FAQ sections

Keep FAQ sections that answer questions your customers actually ask. Remove questions that were only added to fill space.
Put the answer in the first sentence of each reply, then add detail.
Do not add FAQPage markup in the hope of getting the old rich result back. It is no longer shown.
If you keep FAQPage markup, check that every question and answer in it matches what readers can see on the page.
Check the syntax with the Schema Markup Validator, which Google describes as validating all schema.org based structured data, not only types with Google rich results.

If you want a second look at the structured data on a page, our Schema tools will check it for you.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Should I remove FAQPage schema from my site?

You do not have to. Google's documentation updates say the FAQ rich result is no longer shown, but they do not tell site owners to remove the markup, and FAQPage is still a schema.org type. If you keep it, make sure every question and answer in the markup is visible on the page and matches it, as Google's general structured data guidelines require.

Do FAQs help a page appear in Google AI Overviews?

Google says there are no special optimisations or schema.org markup needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. A page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet. Google does recommend helpful, people-first content and important content in text form, and a clearly written FAQ section is text content like any other, though nothing guarantees it will be used.