Google plans to implement new updates to enhance the search experience and impact the visibility of FAQ-rich and How-To results.
FAQ-Rich Results:
We will see FAQ-rich results less frequently with Google’s latest update. FAQ-rich results will now only appear for well-known, authoritative government and health websites that Google deems eligible and trustworthy to share this information. For all other sites, this rich result will no longer regularly appear.
Google says marketers can drop the FAQ schema from their sites; however, we believe that there is no harm in keeping your FAQ schema as of now.
We recommend maintaining your FAQ schema for now; although a rich result is not guaranteed, it can still help search engines to understand your content more efficiently and answer direct queries your customers have about your products, services, brand, or industry.
How-To-Rich Results:
Only desktop searches will display how-to-rich results moving forward. Mobile searches will no longer activate how-to-rich results.
Although this update isn’t a direct ranking adjustment, its potential implications on website traffic and engagement are noteworthy. Websites that heavily rely on these rich results for generating traffic and brand awareness might experience a significant impact on their real estate and click-through rates. You should keep a close eye on these metrics.
Supercharge Your Search Strategy With Generative AI
These adjustments to FAQ-rich and how-to-rich results are the first steps Google is taking to create its Search Generative Experience (SGE), which will roll out more concretely next year. As generative AI can answer the majority of FAQ and how-to queries, it makes sense for Google to reduce the visibility of those schemas now in preparation.
As we continue to monitor the latest SEO changes in Google and other search engines, we will keep you informed on how to gain more real estate in SERPs and optimize your AI growth marketing strategy.
