When an AI assistant answers a question about a local business, it's usually paraphrasing something it found on a website, in a review, or in a listing. FAQ sections are one of the easiest places for it to find an answer, because they're already written as question and answer.
Most FAQ sections waste that. They answer questions nobody asks, in language too vague to repeat. Here's how to write one that gets used.
Start with real questions
The best source is your phone and inbox. Write down every question customers ask in a typical month. Ask whoever answers the phone. Look at the search terms in Search Console. You'll end up with a list that sounds like your customers, which is exactly how they phrase questions to an assistant.
Skip the questions you wish people asked, like "why are you the best choice?" Nobody types that.
Answer in the first sentence
Put the direct answer first, then the detail. "Yes, we install tankless water heaters, usually in one day, permit included" is quotable. "Our experienced team offers a wide range of water heater solutions tailored to your needs" isn't, because there's no answer in it to quote.
A good test: if the first sentence were the only thing someone read, would they have their answer?
Use specifics
Numbers, places, timeframes, and names give an assistant something concrete to repeat. "We serve Pasadena, Glendale, and Burbank" beats "we serve the greater area." "Most projects take four to six weeks" beats "timelines vary." If the honest answer is "it depends," say what it depends on.
One question, one answer
Keep each answer to a short paragraph about one thing. Long answers that wander across three topics are harder to pull a clean quote from, and harder for people to scan.
Put FAQs where they belong
A general FAQ page is fine, but questions about a specific service belong on that service's page. Someone reading about roof repair wants roof repair answers, and an assistant looking for them is more likely to find them on a page clearly about roof repair. Our piece on giving each service its own page explains why that structure matters.
Add the markup
Mark FAQ sections up with FAQPage schema. In 2023 Google limited FAQ rich results mostly to government and health websites, so don't expect the expandable answers to appear under a business listing in search. The markup still helps: it tells every system reading the page, search engines and AI assistants alike, which text is a question and which is its answer. Our guide to schema markup covers how it fits with the rest.
Keep it honest and current
Assistants repeat what they find, so an outdated answer about hours, service area, or how you price does real damage. Review FAQs whenever something changes and at least twice a year. Keep the answers consistent with your Google, Bing, and Apple listings so every source agrees.
A quick before and after
Before: "Do you offer financing? We work with a variety of partners to make your project affordable." After: "Yes. We offer financing through a third-party lender, and approval usually comes back the same day. Ask about it when you request an estimate."
The second version answers the question, adds a useful detail, and tells the reader what to do next. That's the whole formula.