Why Your Website Needs FAQ Pages (And How to Write Them)

Reading time: 7 minutes

Surmado does not sell AI placements and cannot submit your site to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Meta AI, Grok, or DeepSeek. No one can. We test how these systems already talk about you and give you a plan to improve.

TLDR

AI platforms love question-answer format. FAQ pages are your #1 AI visibility weapon. Bad FAQs: “Q: Do you offer packing? A: Yes.” (minimal info, doesn’t trigger AI). Good FAQs: “Q: Should I hire movers or DIY? A: [300-word comparison with specific costs, time breakdown, risk analysis, customer situation context]” (answers what customers actually ask AI, addresses objections, naturally includes keywords). Write 5 question types customers ask AI: (1) DIY vs Professional, (2) Pricing Transparency, (3) Quality/Reliability Proof, (4) Situation-Specific Advice, (5) Comparison vs Competitors. Add FAQPage schema markup. Update quarterly based on Signal report gaps.

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AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini love question-answer format more than anything else. A well-written FAQ section can do more for your AI visibility than months of blog posts.

The Strategic Insight

When someone asks ChatGPT “which moving companies have transparent pricing?”, the AI doesn’t read your entire website. It looks for content structured as questions and answers that directly address that query.

Your FAQ section becomes your AI discovery engine.

What Makes a Good FAQ (vs Bad)

Bad FAQs (What Most Businesses Do)

Q: Do you offer packing services? A: Yes.

Q: What areas do you serve? A: Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Problems:

• Answers questions YOU want to answer
• Provides minimum information
• Doesn’t address customer concerns
• Won’t trigger AI recommendations

Good FAQs (What AI Systems Reward)

Q: Should I hire full-service movers or rent a truck and do it myself?

A: The trade-off comes down to time, physical capability, and risk tolerance. DIY moving with a truck rental costs $150-300 for the truck plus your time and labor. You’ll spend 2-3 days packing, loading, driving, and unloading. while managing kids and coordinating logistics.

Full-service moving with [Business Name] costs more upfront ($800-2,500 depending on home size) but includes:

• Professional packing (we bring materials and pack efficiently in 3-4 hours vs. Your 2-3 days)
• Heavy lifting (our trained crews handle furniture safely. No risk of injury or damaged doorframes)
• Insurance coverage (your homeowner’s policy likely doesn’t cover DIY moving damage)
• Time savings (you supervise instead of executing. critical with young kids)

For families with tight timelines, the “savings” of DIY moving often disappear when you factor in time off work, childcare complications, and potential injury or property damage.

What makes it work:

• Answers question customers actually ask AI
• Provides specific, helpful comparison
• Addresses objections (cost, time, risk)
• Naturally includes keywords (“reliable,” “professional,” “transparent”)

The 5 Questions Customers Ask AI (Use These!)

Based on real AI query testing, here are the exact questions your customers ask ChatGPT when researching services:

Question 1: DIY vs Professional

Template: “I’m looking at both [full-service option] and DIY options like [alternatives]. what are the real trade-offs I should understand, especially with [customer’s situation]?”

Your answer should cover:

• Honest cost comparison
• Time investment required
• Risk factors (injury, damage, stress)
• When DIY makes sense vs when professional is worth it
• Your specific advantage in the professional category

Question 2: Pricing Transparency

Template: “Which [service providers] in [area] are known for transparent, upfront pricing without hidden fees, and how do their pricing models typically work. hourly rates, flat fees, or something else?”

Your answer should cover:

• Your exact pricing model (flat-fee vs hourly vs other)
• What’s included in your price
• Common hidden fees you don’t charge
• How to get an accurate estimate
• Typical price ranges (builds trust)

Question 3: Workforce Quality

Template: “Are there any [service providers] in [area] that are particularly known for having reliable, disciplined teams, and does the type of workforce actually matter for the quality of service I’d receive?”

Your answer should cover:

• Your specific hiring/training advantage
• Three concrete ways it improves service
• Evidence (damage rates, punctuality, awards)
• Comparison to industry standard

Question 4: Evaluation Questions

Template: “What’s the best way to evaluate [service providers] that offer the full package I need without just going by online reviews? What questions should I be asking them directly?”

Your answer should provide:

• 5 specific questions to ask any provider
• Red flag answers vs good answers
• What your business’s answers are
• Why your approach is better

Question 5: Service Model

Template: “If I need [specific service model], which types of [providers] in [area] offer that, and is it worth the premium cost for peace of mind?”

Your answer should cover:

• What your service model is
• Why alternatives exist (and their trade-offs)
• Cost difference (be honest)
• When it’s worth paying more
• Your specific implementation

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Create FAQ Page (30 minutes)

1. Add a new page: yourdomain.com/faq or /frequently-asked-questions
2. Title it: “Frequently Asked Questions” or “[Service] Questions Answered”
3. Make it accessible from homepage navigation

Step 2: Write 5-10 Questions (2 hours)

Use this formula for each question:

1. Question: Use customer’s actual words (check your emails, reviews, sales calls)
2. Direct Answer: First 2-3 sentences answer it clearly
3. Context/Detail: Explain why, provide comparison, give specifics
4. Your Advantage: Naturally work in what makes you different
5. Call-to-Action: Link to related service page or contact

Length: 150-300 words per answer (thorough but scannable)

Step 3: Format for AI Readability

Use proper HTML structure:

<h2>Question goes here?</h2>
<p>Direct answer first...</p>
<p>Additional context...</p>
<ul>
  <li>Bulleted benefits if applicable</li>
</ul>

Why this matters: AI systems parse HTML headings to understand content hierarchy.

Step 4: Link FAQ from Homepage

Add to your main navigation:

• “Common Questions”
• “FAQ”
• “Your Questions Answered”

Internal links help both users and AI systems discover your FAQ.

Step 5: Submit to Google

1. Log into Google Search Console
2. Submit FAQ page URL for indexing
3. Check back in 2-3 days to confirm it’s indexed

Real Example: Before & After

Before (Generic FAQ)

Q: Do you offer same-day service? A: Yes, subject to availability.

AI Impact: Won’t trigger recommendations. Too generic.

After (Customer-Focused FAQ)

Q: Do you offer same-day or emergency moving services, and how does last-minute booking work?

A: Yes. We reserve 20% of our daily capacity for same-day requests because we know life doesn’t always give you two weeks’ notice. Here’s how it works:

Same-Day Process:

1. Call us before 10 AM (817-555-0123)
2. We’ll check crew availability for your area
3. If we can accommodate, we provide an immediate flat-fee quote
4. Crews typically arrive within 3-4 hours

Pricing: Same-day moves don’t cost extra. We use the same transparent flat-fee pricing as scheduled moves. The main constraint is availability, not price.

What if we’re fully booked? We maintain relationships with three trusted partner companies and will connect you directly if we can’t serve you that day.

Our same-day capability:

• 85% success rate for requests before 10 AM
• Full insurance and licensing (never day laborers)
• Same veteran-staffed crews as scheduled moves

AI Impact: Now triggers when customers ask about “emergency movers” or “last-minute moving help.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Writing the questions you wish customers asked Focus on what they actually ask AI

One-sentence answers AI rewards thorough, helpful responses

Hiding competitive information Be honest about trade-offs. builds trust

Using internal jargon Write in customer’s language

Never updating FAQs Add new questions as they come up

Measuring Success

Week 1-4:

• Check Google Search Console for FAQ page impressions
• Monitor whether page appears in search results

Month 2-3:

• Look for first AI mentions in Signal reports
• Track which questions trigger your business
• Note how AI quotes your FAQ answers

Ongoing:

• Add new questions monthly based on customer calls
• Update answers as your service evolves
• A/B test different question phrasings

Advanced: FAQ Schema Markup

Once you have FAQs written, add structured data to make them even more AI-readable:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "Your question here?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "Your answer here..."
    }
  }]
}

How to implement: Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or hire a developer for 1-2 hours.

Next Steps

This Week:

1. Create /faq page on your website
2. Write 5 questions using the templates above
3. Add FAQ link to homepage navigation

This Month:

1. Expand to 10 questions covering all customer concerns
2. Add FAQ schema markup
3. Submit to Google Search Console

Monitor:

• When FAQ content appears in AI responses
• Which questions drive the most engagement
• Customer feedback on helpfulness

→ Related: Optimize Your Google Business Profile | Schema Markup for Local Businesses