FAQ schema is markup that labels the questions and answers on a page so search engines can read them as pairs. Many guides still promise expandable questions under your Google listing. That promise is out of date: Google stopped showing FAQ rich results for every site on May 7, 2026. This page explains what changed, why a visible FAQ section is still worth having on a practice site, the one rule the markup must follow, and how to find the questions patients actually ask.
In short: FAQ rich results no longer appear in Google Search. FAQPage markup is still valid schema.org vocabulary and harmless where it matches the visible page, but its value now comes from the visible questions and answers themselves. Write real patient questions on each service page; add the markup as a label, not as a ranking tactic.
"faq schema" still draws 720 searches a month in the US and 90 in Canada (keyword difficulty 29; Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, 12-month average to Sep 2026), mostly from people following older advice.
What FAQ schema is
FAQ schema uses the schema.org type FAQPage (opens in a new tab), "a WebPage presenting one or more" frequently asked questions. In JSON-LD, the page's main entity is a list of Question items, each with an acceptedAnswer. The markup sits in the page's code and doesn't change what visitors see.
For years, valid FAQ markup could make Google show your questions as expandable dropdowns under your result, taking up more space on the page. That's what most FAQ-schema guides were written to get.
Who still gets FAQ rich results in Google
Nobody, as of October 22, 2026. The timeline, from Google's own announcements:
| Date | What Google did |
|---|---|
| August 2023 | Announced FAQ rich results would be shown only for "well-known, authoritative government and health websites" (opens in a new tab); everyone else stopped seeing them regularly |
| September 14, 2023 | Updated its FAQ documentation to match that limit |
| May 8, 2026 | Announced the deprecation: "This feature will no longer appear in Google Search starting May 7, 2026" (changelog (opens in a new tab)) |
| June 15, 2026 | Removed the FAQ rich result documentation because the feature "is no longer shown in Google Search results" |
Google's structured data gallery (opens in a new tab) no longer lists FAQ at all. Independent practices were mostly excluded after 2023 anyway; now the question is closed for everyone.
Why FAQ markup can still be worth it for a practice
The rich result is gone. The reasons to keep a good FAQ section aren't:
- Patients read them. A short FAQ on a service page answers "Does insurance cover this?" and "How long is recovery?" before the patient calls, or convinces them to call.
- Search and AI systems read the text. Google says no special markup is needed (opens in a new tab) to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode; what matters is clear, text-based content. A plainly worded question and answer is exactly that. Our guide to answer engine optimization covers how assistants pick up this kind of content.
- The markup is cheap and harmless. When Google limited FAQ results in 2023, it said there was "no need to proactively remove" (opens in a new tab) existing markup and that unused structured data doesn't cause problems for Search. FAQPage remains valid schema.org vocabulary that other systems can read.
So keep markup you have if it's accurate, and add it to new FAQ sections if your site makes it easy. Don't pay for it as a separate project.
The rule: questions and answers must be on the page
Google's general structured data guidelines (opens in a new tab) say markup must be "a true representation of the page content" and must not describe content that isn't visible. For FAQ markup that means:
- Word for word. The question and answer text in the JSON-LD matches what's on the page.
- No hidden FAQs. Don't add questions to the markup that visitors can't see.
- No marketing-only questions. "Why are we the best dentist in town?" isn't a question patients ask.
- No medical advice without sources. Answers about conditions or treatments should be reviewed by a clinician and point to a reliable source such as MedlinePlus or your specialty body. Keep answers to practice information where you can: cost, coverage, what to expect, how to book.
Writing FAQs patients actually ask
Good questions come from three places, none of which needs patient information:
- Front-desk call notes. Ask staff to jot down the questions callers ask, summarized without names, dates or details that could identify anyone: "Do you take [insurer] for implants?", not who asked.
- People Also Ask boxes. Search for each service in Google and note the related questions it shows. Your Search Console Performance report (opens in a new tab) also shows the question-style searches that already lead to your pages.
- AI assistants. Ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude what patients commonly want to know before a given treatment in your specialty, then check the answers against reliable sources before using any of them.
Illustrative example (fictional practice): A physical therapy clinic's back pain page might answer: "Do I need a referral?", "How many visits will I need?", "What should I wear?" and "Is it covered by my plan?" Each answer is 40 to 80 words and specific to that clinic.
Where to put them: at the bottom of the matching service page, plus a logistics FAQ on the new-patient page. Our checklist shows where FAQs belong on your site.
How to add and validate FAQPage markup
- Write the visible FAQ first. Markup comes last.
- Generate the JSON-LD from the exact on-page text. Our schema markup generator can build the block for you.
- Add it to the page as a JSON-LD block, usually through your site's custom code settings.
- Validate the vocabulary in the Schema Markup Validator (opens in a new tab). Because FAQ is no longer a Google rich result, a schema.org check is the relevant one.
- Update both together. When an answer changes on the page, change it in the markup the same day.
For the markup that matters more to a practice (the practice type, address, hours and providers), see our guide to schema markup for practices. For speed and the rest of the technical checks, see website speed optimization. Not sure what your site has today? Our free marketing audit reviews it, including whether AI assistants name your practice.
Frequently asked questions
Does FAQ schema still show in Google results?
No. Google's Search Central changelog says the FAQ rich result stopped appearing in Google Search starting May 7, 2026, and Google removed its FAQ structured data documentation on June 15, 2026. FAQPage remains a valid schema.org type, and existing markup does no harm, but adding it will not produce the expandable questions under your search listing that older guides describe.
Can medical practices get FAQ rich results?
Not anymore. From September 2023 Google showed FAQ rich results only for well-known, authoritative government and health websites, which left out nearly all independent practices. Since May 7, 2026, Google doesn't show the feature for any site. What still works is a clear, visible FAQ section on each service page that answers the questions patients really ask.
Where should FAQs go on a practice website?
Put short FAQ sections at the bottom of the service pages they relate to, answering the three to six questions patients ask about that service: cost or coverage, what to expect, recovery, how to book. Add a general FAQ on the new-patient page for logistics such as parking, forms and insurance. A single long FAQ page alone answers questions far from where patients look for them.