E1018: An SEO test removed FAQ schema from product listing pages - here's what happened next.

For years, FAQ schema has been treated as a best practice in SEO. It helped pages stand out in search results, increased click-through rates, and was widely adopted across marketing pages.

But after Google reduced the visibility of FAQ rich results in 2023, the question became:

Does FAQ schema still matter at all?

This episode covers a real-world test where FAQ schema was removed from e-commerce pages to measure the impact on organic traffic.

The result: no statistically significant change.

I walk through what this means, how it aligns with Google's own statements, and why this may be one of those SEO tactics that no longer moves the needle.

I also cover how this connects to AI and LLMs, including a well-known test showing that structured data may not work the way many SEOs think it does.

Topics covered: - What FAQ schema used to do in search results - Google's 2023 update and the removal of FAQ rich snippets - The SEO test: removing FAQ schema from product pages - Why the results showed no impact on organic traffic - Google's official stance on unused structured data - Whether FAQ schema helps rankings indirectly - The "Duck Test" and what it reveals about LLMs and schema - Why schema may just be treated as normal text by AI systems - What SEOs should focus on instead (relevance and authority)

Key takeaway:

FAQ schema is no longer a reliable lever for improving SEO performance. It doesn't appear to increase traffic, and in most cases, it isn't even surfaced in search results.

Unless you're a highly authoritative site, consider removing it to simplify your workflows and QA.

If you're trying to grow organic traffic, your time is better spent on things that directly impact rankings and conversions.

⭐️ The test - How does removing FAQ markup on pages with valid schema impact SEO? - https://www.searchpilot.com/resources/case-studies/removing-valid-faq-schema

⭐️ The rise and fall of FAQ schema - and what it means for SEO today - https://searchengineland.com/faq-schema-rise-fall-seo-today-463993

⭐️ What Google says: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/08/howto-faq-changes

⭐️ Do LLMs Actually Use Schema? The Duck Test That Broke SEO - Ep 956 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nTqaG3GKLk

🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 FAQ Schema Hype 00:18 The FAQ Schema Removal Test 01:26 Test Results Explained 02:09 Search Engine Land Take 03:07 LLMs and the Duck Test 04:12 So Does It Matter? 04:43 Google's Official Guidance 05:23 Final SEO Takeaways 06:09 Wrapping

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #seo #technicalseo #searchmarketing