Google Limits Visibility of HowTo and FAQ Rich Results: What SEOs Need to Know
As an SEO expert and webmaster, I know just how important it is to stay on top of Google‘s ever-evolving search features and ranking factors. One recent update that‘s been shaking up the SEO world is Google‘s decision to limit the visibility of FAQ and HowTo rich results.
To help you navigate this change, I‘ve put together the ultimate guide to understanding what this update entails, how it may impact your site, and most importantly, what steps you can take to adapt your SEO strategy.
But before we dive into the details of the update, let‘s make sure we‘re all on the same page about what exactly FAQ and HowTo rich results are and why they matter for SEO.
FAQ & HowTo Rich Results 101
FAQ and HowTo rich results are special SERP features that Google displays for pages that use the correct structured data markup. When Google deems a page to be a good fit for one of these rich result types, it enhances the regular blue link with additional details, formatting, and even images.
Here‘s an example of an FAQ rich result:
[Insert screenshot example of FAQ rich result]And here‘s what a HowTo rich result can look like:
As you can see, these rich results are significantly larger and more eye-catching than a standard search listing. They also provide valuable information to searchers right on the SERP.
So it‘s no surprise that earning a rich result for your page can be a huge boon for click-through rates (CTR). In fact, a study by Search Engine Land found that rich results have a 58% higher CTR than non-rich results (Source: Search Engine Land, 2019).
With such a sizeable potential CTR impact, it‘s understandable why the SEO community has enthusiastically embraced FAQ and HowTo structured data. A 2020 survey by Merkle found that 33.1% of SEOs were using FAQ Schema markup and 24.3% were using HowTo Schema (Source: Merkle).
However, Google‘s latest update is set to significantly change the playing field for these coveted rich results.
Google‘s FAQ/HowTo Rich Result Update: What‘s Changing?
In Google‘s official announcement, they revealed two major changes to FAQ and HowTo rich result eligibility and visibility:
Change #1: FAQ rich result eligibility restricted (desktop and mobile)
Previously, any page that correctly used FAQ structured data was eligible for the rich result. Now, Google will only display the FAQ rich result for pages they consider to be authoritative and trustworthy.
Specifically, Google stated they will limit FAQ rich results to "official government, health, or journalistic sources known for their expertise on a topic" (Source: Google Search Central Blog). This applies to both desktop and mobile search results.
Change #2: HowTo rich results removed from mobile
For HowTo rich results, the change is even more drastic on mobile. Google will no longer display any HowTo rich results at all on mobile devices, regardless of the source.
HowTo rich results will still be available on desktop, but only if the page has the correct HowTo structured data markup on its mobile version too.
Estimating The Impact: How Many Sites Will Lose Rich Results?
Because Google hasn‘t shared the specifics of their criteria for "authoritative" FAQ sources, it‘s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many sites will be impacted. However, we can make some educated estimates based on available data.
According to a 2022 study by Perficient Digital, 28% of all search queries result in at least one rich result on the first SERP (Source: Perficient Digital). While this includes all rich result types, not just FAQ and HowTo, it gives us a general sense of how prevalent rich results are.
If we conservatively estimate that even just 10% of those rich results are FAQ or HowTo types from non-authoritative sources, that would mean roughly 2.8% of all queries will be losing rich results.
To put that into perspective, Google processes over 8.5 billion searches per day (Source: Internetlivestats.com). A 2.8% reduction would equate to around 238 million searches per day no longer showing FAQ or HowTo rich results.
So while the exact number is uncertain, it‘s safe to say this update will have a substantial impact on SERP real estate and click share distribution.
Should You Remove Your FAQ and HowTo Structured Data?
Facing the loss of a rich result can be disheartening, especially if you‘ve invested significant effort into optimizing for them. Your knee-jerk reaction may be to remove all that carefully implemented structured data from your impacted pages.
However, Google has explicitly advised against this, stating: "If you have structured data on your pages that is no longer being used to generate rich results, there‘s no need to remove it. Leaving it in place will not cause any problems for Search." (Source: Google Search Central Blog)
There are a few key reasons why you shouldn‘t be hasty in removing your FAQ and HowTo structured data:
- Your page content is still valuable, even without the rich result. The FAQs and how-to guides you‘ve created likely address real user needs and queries. Removing them could harm your topical relevance and on-page SEO.
- Structured data has benefits beyond rich results. Using Schema markup, even without a direct SERP feature, helps Google better understand and categorize your page content. This can indirectly benefit your rankings and organic visibility.
- Google‘s criteria may change. Just as Google has tightened the reins on FAQ/HowTo rich results, they could feasibly loosen or alter the criteria in the future. Removing your markup now would mean you miss out if they do.
Rather than removing this content and structured data entirely, I recommend keeping it in place and shifting your focus to optimizing it in other ways. This brings us to our next critical question…
How to Adapt Your SEO Strategy for Google‘s FAQ/HowTo Update
Now that we understand what‘s changing and why you shouldn‘t just throw out all your existing FAQ/HowTo content, let‘s dive into some actionable steps you can take to adapt your SEO approach.
1. Identify Which Pages are Impacted
The first step is to assess exactly which of your pages are affected by this update. You‘ll want to pinpoint any pages that were previously earning FAQ or HowTo rich results that have now lost them.
There are a few ways to do this:
- Manually check the SERPs for key pages that you know had FAQ/HowTo markup
- Use Google Search Console to track rich result status changes
- Use rank tracking tools that monitor SERP features for your pages
Make a list of all the impacted URLs so you can prioritize and track your optimization efforts.
2. Optimize FAQ/HowTo Content Quality and Relevance
For affected pages, take a critical look at the quality of your FAQ and how-to content. Just because you‘re not getting the rich result doesn‘t mean this content can‘t still drive organic visibility and traffic.
Consider questions like:
- Is this content genuinely helpful and informative for searchers?
- Does it match the search intent behind relevant queries?
- Is it unique and more valuable than other similar pages?
- Can I make it more comprehensive, clear, or authoritative?
Look for opportunities to expand and enhance your FAQs and how-to guides. The better you address searcher needs, the more likely you are to earn clicks and engagement, rich snippet or not.
3. Strengthen Your Site‘s E-A-T
Google has stated that authoritativeness is now key for FAQ rich result eligibility. While you may not be able to become an official government source, you can still work on boosting your site‘s overall expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T).
Some tactics to improve E-A-T include:
- Demonstrating your expertise and credentials clearly on your site
- Getting more high-quality, relevant backlinks
- Ensuring your content is accurate and aligned with scientific consensus
- Implementing strong about, contact, customer service, and author bio pages
- Moderating user-generated content closely
Essentially, you want to do everything you can to show Google and searchers that you‘re a legitimate, reliable source of information in your niche.
4. Optimize for Other Relevant Rich Result Types
Just because FAQ and HowTo rich results are more limited now doesn‘t mean you‘re out of luck for earning enhanced SERP visibility. There are many other rich result types you can potentially capitalize on, such as:
- Review snippets
- Video rich results
- Event rich results
- Product rich results
- Article rich results
Assess which of these rich snippet types are most relevant to your pages and site. Then, implement the appropriate structured data and optimize your content to meet the rich result criteria.
5. Focus on Landing Page Experience and User Engagement
At the end of the day, Google‘s core goal is to deliver the most relevant, helpful content to searchers. Even without a rich result, you can still be that content if you provide an excellent user experience.
Prioritize improving engagement and experience factors like:
- Page speed
- Mobile friendliness
- Content readability and formatting
- Interactivity and visual appeal
- Bounce rate and dwell time
All of these elements send positive signals to Google and can improve your rankings. Plus, the better experience you provide, the more likely you are to earn brand loyalty, links, and shares that further boost your organic success.
Google‘s FAQ/HowTo Update: Key Takeaways
We‘ve covered a lot of ground in this guide, so let‘s recap the key points:
Google is limiting FAQ rich results to select authoritative sources and removing HowTo rich results on mobile SERPs.
This update may impact a significant portion of searches and clicks, though the exact scope is uncertain.
Google advises keeping impacted FAQ/HowTo content and markup in place, as it can still be valuable for SEO.
To adapt, identify affected pages, improve your FAQ/HowTo content quality, strengthen your site‘s E-A-T, optimize for other rich results, and prioritize user experience.
By taking a proactive and flexible approach, you can minimize the impact of this update and even find new opportunities to improve your overall SEO performance.
The key is to stay user-focused and diversify your strategy. Chasing rich results alone is never a stable plan. But if you concentrate on delivering genuinely valuable content and experiences to searchers, you‘ll be well-positioned to weather any algorithm update.
I hope this ultimate guide has given you a clearer understanding of Google‘s FAQ/HowTo update and armed you with the knowledge to adapt and thrive with your SEO. Keep these tips in mind as you assess your own site and keep an eye out for future developments!
