153: Get Found by AI Using FAQs

In this episode, Jules White explains how frequently asked questions, one of the most underused sections on a website, can grow your traffic, build your authority and increase your conversions, and why they matter more now that AI answers and AI Overviews pull directly from them. Jules shares a real example from a website visibility report she ran recently for a physiotherapy business, whose FAQ page was showing up for "sports massage" in both organic and AI search. From there she walks through why FAQs work on two fronts: removing the last-minute hesitation that stops human visitors booking, and giving search engines the context and plain language that show you know your subject. She then covers how to find the right questions, how to structure them so they stand on their own and get cited, and where to place them across your site, including the local-intent questions that help nearby businesses get found. **Key Takeaways:** **Why FAQs matter:** They remove buyer hesitation right beside your call to action, help attract right-fit clients by answering things like how you work and your policies upfront, and cut down the admin of answering the same questions over and over. **Finding the right questions:** Start with what your clients genuinely ask you, then widen out using Google Search Console, the People Also Ask and related searches on a results page, AlsoAsked and Answer the Public, and AI tools like Google Gemini, though Jules suggests not starting with AI. **Structuring them to get cited:** Lead with the answer rather than waffling, keep each question and answer able to make sense taken out of context, use clear headings, keep answers to roughly 40 to 60 words, stick to one question per entry, and add FAQ schema where you can. **Where to place them:** A few general questions low down on your homepage, four to six targeted ones on service and product pages to strengthen thin content and weave in keywords, and a dedicated, well-organised FAQ page broken into clear sections. **Local intent for local businesses:** Questions tied to local events, parking, addresses and nearby landmarks weave your location in naturally, like asking whether to book a sports massage before or after a local marathon. **Google Business Profile:** Google has retired the manual Q&A section, so its AI now answers questions using your website, reviews and profile details, which makes keeping those sources accurate and complete more important than ever. **Your takeaway this week:** Review your core pages, your homepage, your most important product or service, your about page and your contact page, and check whether your existing FAQs still make sense out of context, and what you could tweak or add. **Resources mentioned in this episode:** - Episode 143: AI search and why simple foundations still matter - Google Analytics & Google Search Console Made Simple - AlsoAsked and Answer the Public for surfacing real search questions - The free Discover Your Core Topics guide - Book a free Website Potential discovery call to talk through using FAQs, and FAQ schema, to help you show up in search and convert You can also text the show or send Jules a DM to share what you discover are your core topics. Subscribe to The Website Success Show for more grounded, practical tips on getting found in search without relying on social media. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Ever feel like your business should be easier to find on Google & in AI search? You’re not imagining it - most local businesses already have a Google Business Profile, but it’s sitting there, half-filled and hidden. That means people searching for your exact services might be finding your competitors instead. The good news is you don’t need to spend hours posting on social media to fix it. A few intentional updates to your Google Business Profile can make a big difference in how often you show up in Maps and local searches. That’s where my Local Google Visibility Checklist comes in. It gives you a clear, practical list of things to review and update - all the small changes that help Google trust your business and make it easier for nearby clients to find and book you. It’s free, simple to follow, and designed for local businesses who want to grow in a sustainable way (without having to rely on social media). Download your free checklist now https://thewebsitesuccesshub.com/google-profile-checklist