Episode Details

E1041: Google just officially killed FAQ schema support in Google Search.

But the bigger story is this:

Most SEO advice is still telling people to prioritize FAQ schema anyway.

We break down:
- What Google actually deprecated
- Why this changes almost nothing for most websites
- How schema became overhyped in SEO
- Why ChatGPT still recommends outdated SEO tactics
- How to use critical thinking instead of blindly following SEO advice
- What actually drives rankings and conversions in modern SEO

Topics covered:
- Google removing FAQ rich results
- Why FAQ schema stopped mattering years ago
- How to evaluate schema types yourself
- SERP features vs. actual ranking factors
- Why LLMs don't really need schema
- The difference between relevance and authority
- How to identify better SEO keywords
- A simple 3-question framework for writing SEO content that converts
- Why most SEO content fails search intent

Key takeaway:

If a schema type does not create a visible SERP advantage for your target keyword, it is probably not worth obsessing over.

The fundamentals still matter most:
- Relevant content
- Search intent alignment
- Authority
- Useful pages that satisfy users better than competing results

This episode also includes:
- A real example from a startup I'm funding
- Why relying entirely on ChatGPT for SEO can backfire
- The exact exercise that improved content quality immediately

⭐️ The announcement from Google - https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/faqpage
⭐️ Previous schema types being deprecated - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-drops-support-structured-data-types-40386.html
⭐️ The Reddit thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/TechSEO/comments/1t7ccqv/comment/okobz8c/?context=1
⭐️ Lily Ray's post - https://x.com/lilyraynyc/status/2052788585070215286
⭐️ 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 Deprecated
00:22 What Google Announced
00:43 Why It Barely Matters
01:51 Schema Keeps Changing
02:12 Pick Schema With SERPs
03:35 LLM Advice Can Mislead
05:22 Focus On Relevance
06:06 Three Question Content Trick
06:22 Real Keyword Targeting Story
08:29 Better Keywords, Better Content, Better Authority
10:45 Final Takeaways And Goodbye

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

#searchengineoptimization #technicalseo #seo #digitalmarketing