Why FAQ format works for AI
AI systems are trained on question-answer pairs. The FAQ format directly matches how AI processes information.
When someone asks "What is Acme CRM?" and your FAQ has "Q: What is Acme CRM? A: Acme CRM is a sales automation platform..." - AI can extract and cite that directly.
FAQ content gets disproportionately cited because it's already in the format AI needs.
Choosing the right questions
Start with actual user queries. Sources to mine:
Search console queries that lead to your site
Support tickets and chat logs
Sales call recordings and discovery calls
Competitor FAQ pages
Reddit and forum discussions in your category
Focus on questions users actually ask, not questions you wish they'd ask.
Structuring effective answers
Each answer should be:
Self-contained - Don't reference other answers. AI might extract just one Q&A pair.
Factual - Lead with facts, not marketing language.
Specific - "Starting at €49/month" not "affordable pricing"
Concise - 2-3 sentences for simple questions, 4-5 for complex ones.
Example:
Q: What industries does Acme CRM serve?
A: Acme CRM serves B2B SaaS companies, professional services firms, and technology consultancies. The platform is designed for sales teams of 10-200 people with complex deal cycles.
Adding FAQPage schema
Every FAQ page needs FAQPage schema markup:
{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{"@type": "Question", "name": "What is Acme CRM?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Acme CRM is a sales automation platform..."}}]}
Include all Q&A pairs in the schema. Don't hide schema content that's not visible on page.
Test with Google's Rich Results Test to ensure proper implementation.
Strategic FAQ placement
Don't hide FAQs at the bottom of your site. Strategic placement:
Homepage - 3-5 key questions about your category and brand
Product pages - 5-10 questions about features, pricing, implementation
Comparison pages - Questions like "How does X compare to Y?"
Category pages - Questions people ask when researching your space
Each page should have contextually relevant FAQs, not the same questions everywhere.
Maintaining FAQ freshness
Outdated FAQs create hallucination risk. Regular maintenance:
Quarterly review of all answers for accuracy
Update pricing immediately when it changes
Add new questions as products evolve
Remove questions about deprecated features
Monitor AI responses - if AI cites outdated info from your FAQ, fix it immediately.