Have you ever wondered how sites show up in Google’s FAQ rich results? Or better yet, have you ever wondered how some of these listings have clickable hyperlinks? This quick-resource will walk you through how to do both in five easy steps:
Step 1: Create FAQ Schema
Both Schema.org or Merkle’s Technical SEO Schema Generator offer excellent templates for crafting schema. But between the two, I would say that I favor Merkle’s tool when it comes to simple (less niche) types of schema markup such as FAQ page schema.
To create your schema via Merkle’s generator, simply choose ‘FAQ Page’ Schema from the dropdown option and begin filling out the questions and the answers that are published on your FAQ Page (the FAQs you hope to have show up in Google Search Results). Special note: FAQ schema is meant to be used on pages that answer MORE than one question.
Example: In the example below, you’ll see that as I type in my Q + As on the lefthand side, the code on the right hand side of the page updates to reflect them.
Step 2: Copy And Paste the Schema into Google’s ‘Structured Data Testing Tool’
Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool does two things for you. One, it ensures that the code you have just created is free of any errors that will make your schema ineligible to appear in search engine results pages (SERPs), And two, will act as your notepad for adding the html links into the code you already have already created / double check that it has remained free of errors.
To add a hyperlink, simply type in a standard, HTML <a href> link that you’re used to seeing in other parts of a website. Remember, Schema Markup is nothing more than a specific piece of HTML code – don’t overthink it. Here is a template you can copy and paste:
<a href=https://example.com/test/>your anchor text</a>
So, pretending that we wanted to add a hyperlink from the text “blog post” to my homepage, the schema code would update from:
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Read this blog post."
To:
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Read this <a href=https://tekki.digital/>blog post</a>."
Validate the code again with your new additions (the grey and white play button on the bottom of the page) to make sure it has remained error free. If it hasn’t remained error free, the tool will highlight the area in need of updating.
Step 3: Use Google’s ‘Rich Results Test’ To Visualize How Your Code Would Actually Look Like In SERPs
Although adding clickable/HTML links to your FAQ schema is straight forward, it’s still a really good idea to proof your work by running it through Google’s Rich Result Test to make sure everything is working properly before implementing the code on your site.
To do this, simply copy and paste your code into the test tool and then click ‘test code’. From there, click ‘preview results’. If you have implemented the code correctly, you will see hyperlinked text within your <a href> tag.
Example: In the example below, I’ve added a <a href> tag around the words “blog post” in the first question. Because of this, there is a clickable hyperlink within the rich results preview. I did not include a hyperlink in the second question at all, and therefore it looks slightly different.
Step 4: Implement The Code On Your Page
You can copy and paste your final code in either the <head> or <body> of your page. And as a quick top for WordPress Gutenberg users, this can be done by simply creating new HTML block anywhere within the article and clicking ‘save’.
Step 5: Test One More Time
The last step you’ll want to complete is to test your code one last time once it is live on your site — by running your URL through Google’s Rich Results Test (instead of the standalone code). If there are no errors, you are good to go! Again, warning errors are fine.
Example: In the example below, I run my URL through the rich results tester in order to make sure my FAQ schema is free of errors. A few minutes later, the results show that my code is eligible for rich results, and therefore we have performed the previous steps correctly. Please note that a “warning” does not mean you did anything wrong. Instead, it actually means that Google wants to provide you with additional opportunities for you. to build upon your existing schema.
Wrapping Up
Rich results help your site’s pages stand out from the competition in SERPs. This is especially true when they include clickable links.
There’s no guarante that your site will be featured in rich results just because you have schema markup. However, it DOES increase the likelihood significantly. Schema markup it makes your content much easier for bots to understand because you’re clearly defining the elements on the page.
I hope this post was helpful, and don’t hesitate to drop questions in the comment section below.
