On May 7, 2026, Google completely removed FAQ rich results from search. However, Google officially states 'you do not need to remove FAQPage structured data.' Only the display layer — rich results — was closed. The understanding layer — structured data — remains alive. AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT Search continue using FAQ schema as a signal for citation extraction.
What Happened: FAQ Rich Results Deprecation Timeline
The deprecation of FAQ rich results is progressing in phases. Here's the confirmed timeline.
20238 — FAQ rich results display significantly reduced except for government and health sites. HowTo rich results also deprecated.
202657 — FAQ rich results completely disappeared from Google Search. No longer displayed for any site.
20266 — FAQ rich results report to be removed from Search Console. FAQ support also removed from Rich Results Test.
20268 — FAQ rich results support completely removed from Search Console API.
Source: Google Search Central official documentation (FAQ structured data page). Google explicitly states in this document that 'you do not need to proactively remove FAQPage structured data.'
Examining the 'Remove It' Argument
After the FAQ rich results deprecation announcement, claims to 'remove FAQ structured data too' have spread on social media. Let's examine the arguments and facts.
Arguments for Removal
- •'If rich results don't appear, structured data is meaningless'
- •'Remove unnecessary code to lighten the page'
- •'Data for deprecated Google features is technical debt'
Fact-Based Counterpoints
- •Google officially states 'removal is unnecessary' (Search Central documentation)
- •Structured data's role isn't just 'display' — it's also used for page understanding and entity recognition
- •FAQPage JSON-LD is typically 1-3KB. Performance impact is effectively zero
- •Perplexity, ChatGPT Search, Gemini, and AI Overviews parse FAQ schema for Q&A extraction
The equation 'no rich results = structured data is meaningless' is based on the misconception that structured data's role is limited to rich results. Structured data is a semantic layer for search engines and AI to understand information — display format is just one part of it.
Hypothesis: Three Reasons This Is an AIO/GEO Move
The deprecation of FAQ rich results isn't just feature cleanup — it may be Google's strategic move toward an AI Overview-centric search experience. We examine this hypothesis through three supporting arguments.
Reason 1: Google's Pattern — Close Display, Keep Data
HowTo rich results were also deprecated in August 2023, but removal of HowTo structured data was never requested. Google clearly distinguishes between 'stopping display' and 'stopping data usage.' Closing display while keeping data suggests intent to use data for other purposes — internal AI processing.
Reason 2: AI Overviews' Q&A Citation Tendency
AI Overviews tends to preferentially cite content with 'question→answer' structures. FAQPage is the most direct markup that explicitly declares question-answer relationships in machine-readable format. Now that rich result display is unnecessary, this data may become more important as an internal signal for AIO to extract 'easy-to-cite answers.'
Reason 3: Non-Google AI Search Engine Behavior
Perplexity, ChatGPT Search, and Gemini have been confirmed to parse FAQPage structured data during crawling and use it for Q&A extraction. Even if Google stops displaying it, FAQ schema's value is maintained across the AI search ecosystem. Removing FAQ structured data now means abandoning citation opportunities from non-Google AI search as well.
Note: This Is a Hypothesis, Not Confirmation
The 'AIO strategic move' is our hypothesis, not a Google-confirmed position. However, the facts that Google explicitly says 'removal is unnecessary' and AI search engines use FAQ schema support this hypothesis objectively. We will continue observing the relationship between AIO citation data and FAQ schema to verify this hypothesis.
Our Implementation: We're Keeping FAQPage
CodeQuest.work SEO implements FAQPage structured data on all blog articles, FAQ pages, and guide pages. We have no plans to remove these after the FAQ rich results deprecation.
| Page Type | FAQPage Implementation | Post-Deprecation Action |
|---|---|---|
| SEO Lab Articles (9) | Implemented in all | Keep (no removal) |
| SEO Guide Articles (13) | Implemented in all | Keep (no removal) |
| FAQ Pages | Implemented in all categories | Keep (no removal) |
Our past SEO Lab reports have confirmed multiple instances of being cited in AIO (AI Overview). Real data suggests that the richness of structured data is one of the structural factors behind AIO citation. Removing FAQPage structured data in this situation would mean abandoning a hypothesis we're actively testing.
Our position is clear: 'GEO is just good SEO,' and FAQPage structured data is one of its implementation tools. Regardless of rich result availability, continuing to carefully implement structured data is the best strategy for the AIO/GEO era.
Three Actions for Practitioners Right Now
Don't remove FAQPage structured data
Follow Google's official 'no removal needed' stance. Since AI search engines use FAQ schema, removal means reducing your own AIO/GEO citation opportunities.
Export Search Console FAQ report before June
The FAQ rich results report will be removed from Search Console in June 2026. Export past performance data (impressions, clicks, CTR) now. This data will inform future structured data strategy decisions.
Improve the quality of FAQ content itself
Q&As cited by AIO share three characteristics: direct, specific, and structured. Create FAQs with concrete steps, numbers, and decision criteria — not vague or generic answers. Structured data's value is determined not just by markup presence, but by content quality.
The Only Case Where Removal Makes Sense
While we advocate keeping FAQ structured data, there is a case where removal is justified.
If FAQPage markup contains Q&A unrelated to the page content, it should be removed (or corrected).
The background to Google reducing FAQ rich results in 2023 was spam-like use of FAQ schema. Adding large amounts of Q&A unrelated to the page topic to gain rich result display area was rampant and degrading user experience.
Now that rich results no longer display, spam-like FAQs only serve as 'noise that confuses Google's page understanding.' When keeping FAQs, verify they consist solely of questions and answers directly related to the page content.
Summary: Verification Has Just Begun
The deprecation of FAQ rich results doesn't mean structured data's value has disappeared. From 'visual benefits' to 'AI understanding benefits' — the role of structured data has shifted, not ended.
'GEO is just good SEO' remains our consistent position. Continuing to carefully implement structured data is part of good SEO, and consequently serves as GEO/AIO optimization.
This verification has just begun. We will continuously observe how the relationship between AIO citations and structured data changes after the Search Console FAQ report removal in June and the API removal in August, and report follow-up findings when sufficient data is available.
Check Your Site's Structured Data Implementation
Enter a URL to diagnose 45 items including FAQPage, JSON-LD, and meta information. Check your structured data implementation at a glance.
Written by
今井政和SEO Director / Frontend Developer
SEO Director with 20+ years of web industry experience. Creator of CodeQuest.work SEO and the official WordPress plugin "ORECTIC SEO CHECK." Author of a book on web strategy inspired by Edo-era merchant principles.
@imai_directorFAQ
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