FAQ Schema Implementation Examples
Complete FAQ schema implementation examples for different page types. Includes JSON-LD code, validation steps, and common mistakes to avoid.
FAQ schema (FAQPage) is the single highest-impact schema type for AEO. It directly signals to AI engines that your content contains question-and-answer pairs. The exact format AI uses to generate responses. These implementation examples cover the most common page types and scenarios.
Why FAQ Schema Is the #1 AEO Priority
FAQ schema has the highest citation correlation of any schema type because:
- AI engines are literally question-answering systems. FAQ maps directly to their function
- Google has explicitly kept FAQ structured data as a supported feature
- It captures long-tail queries you’d never target with individual pages
- Implementation is simple with high ROI for minimal development effort
Implementation 1: Standalone FAQ Page
The most straightforward implementation. A dedicated FAQ page with its own URL.
On-Page Content
<h1>Frequently Asked Questions About AEO</h1>
<p>Find answers to common questions about Answer Engine
Optimization, how it works, and how it differs from SEO.</p>
<h2>General Questions</h2>
<h3>What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?</h3>
<p>Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of
optimizing content to be surfaced and cited by AI-powered
answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI
Overviews. Unlike SEO which optimizes for search rankings,
AEO optimizes for AI citation to help you become the source AI
references when generating direct answers.</p>
<h3>How is AEO different from SEO?</h3>
<p>SEO focuses on ranking in search engine results pages
through keywords, backlinks, and technical optimization.
AEO focuses on being cited by AI engines through content
structure, authority signals, schema markup, and answer
clarity. The two are complementary as strong SEO builds
the domain authority that helps AEO.</p>
<h2>Getting Started</h2>
<h3>How long does AEO take to show results?</h3>
<p>Most sites see improved AI citation within 4-8 weeks
of implementing structured data and content optimization.
Schema markup changes can show results faster since AI
engines re-process structured data frequently. Content-only
changes may take 8-12 weeks.</p>
JSON-LD Schema
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of optimizing content to be surfaced and cited by AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Unlike SEO, AEO optimizes for AI citation."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How is AEO different from SEO?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "SEO focuses on search engine rankings through keywords and backlinks. AEO focuses on being cited by AI engines through content structure, authority signals, and schema markup. The two are complementary."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How long does AEO take to show results?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Most sites see improved AI citation within 4-8 weeks of implementing structured data and content optimization. Schema changes show results faster; content-only changes may take 8-12 weeks."
}
}
]
}
Implementation 2: FAQ Section Within a Blog Post
Add FAQ schema to the bottom of a blog post to capture related long-tail queries.
When to Use This
- The blog post covers a topic that naturally generates questions
- You want to capture “People Also Ask” style queries
- The post is long-form and could use a summary Q&A section
Implementation
The key difference: combine Article schema (for the post) with FAQPage schema (for the FAQ section). Both go in the page’s <head>:
<head>
<!-- Article schema for the blog post -->
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Complete Guide to AEO",
"datePublished": "2026-02-05",
"author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Author Name" }
}
</script>
<!-- FAQ schema for the FAQ section -->
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Is AEO replacing SEO?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "No. AEO complements SEO. SEO builds domain authority and search visibility, which strengthens AEO. Think of AEO as an additional channel."
}
}
]
}
</script>
</head>
Important: Google allows multiple schema types on the same page. You can have Article + FAQPage on a blog post, or Product + FAQPage on a product page.
Implementation 3: Product Page FAQ
Add FAQ schema to product pages to capture pre-purchase questions.
Common Product FAQ Questions
- “Is [product] compatible with [thing]?”
- “What’s the return policy for [product]?”
- “How does [product] compare to [alternative]?”
- “Does [product] come with [accessory/feature]?”
- “What’s included in the [product] package?”
Implementation
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Is the XR-500 compatible with iPhone and Android?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes. The XR-500 connects via Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with all iPhones running iOS 14+ and Android devices running Android 10+. The companion app is available on both App Store and Google Play."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What's the battery life of the XR-500?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The XR-500 provides 40 hours of battery life with ANC on, and 55 hours with ANC off. A 10-minute quick charge provides 3 hours of playback. Full charge takes 90 minutes via USB-C."
}
}
]
}
Note: This FAQPage schema goes alongside your Product schema on the same page.
Common Mistakes
1. Schema doesn’t match on-page content
❌ Schema: "What is SEO?" / On-page: "What does SEO mean?"
✅ Schema: "What is SEO?" / On-page: "What is SEO?"
The question text must be identical in both locations.
2. Answers too long in schema
❌ 500-word answer in schema text field
✅ 50-word summary in schema, full answer on page
Keep schema answers under 300 characters. The on-page answer can be as long as needed.
3. Using HTML in schema text
❌ "text": "<p>AEO is <strong>important</strong>...</p>"
✅ "text": "AEO is important because..."
Schema text fields should be plain text only.
4. Too many questions per page
❌ 50 FAQ items on one page
✅ 5-10 FAQ items per page, split into multiple pages
More than 10-15 questions dilutes the signal. Split into category-specific FAQ pages.
5. Missing schema entirely
Having FAQ content formatted as Q&A on your page is NOT enough. Without the JSON-LD schema, AI engines may not recognize it as FAQ content. Always implement both.
Validation Steps
- Add your JSON-LD to the page’s
<head>section - Deploy the page
- Test with Google Rich Results Test
- Verify in Google Search Console under “Enhancements > FAQ”
- Check that questions appear correctly in the structured data report
How Genrank Helps
Genrank’s Answerability and Parseability dimensions identify pages that would benefit from FAQ schema including pages that already have FAQ-like content but lack the structured data. The audit flags these opportunities and estimates the citation impact of adding FAQ schema.
Related Glossary Terms
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
The practice of optimizing content to be surfaced and cited by AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.
Featured Snippet
A highlighted search result that appears at the top of Google's search results, displaying a direct answer extracted from a webpage along with the page title, URL, and sometimes an image.
Structured Data
Machine-readable code markup added to web pages that explicitly describes the content's meaning, relationships, and attributes, helping search engines and AI systems better understand and categorize information.
More Examples
View all →AEO-Optimized Homepage Examples
Real-world examples of homepages that AI engines cite with analysis of what makes them work and what you can learn from each.
Content That AI Actually Cites
Analysis of real content that appears in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI answers with patterns you can replicate.
Schema Markup Examples for AEO
Ready-to-use JSON-LD schema markup examples optimized for AI citation. Covers FAQPage, Article, Product, HowTo, Organization, and more.
AEO Audit Before & After Examples
See how specific AEO optimizations transform pages from invisible to cited. Real before-and-after examples with the exact changes that made the difference.