People also ask

Why does it matter for a local business?

The questions in that box are the ones your customers ask before they call anyone. "Is a root canal painful?" "How much does a new roof cost?" "Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade?" If your page supplies the answer, your business name sits right under it, often on a search where your competitors only show up lower down.

The box is also a free list of what to write about. Search your main services and write down every question that appears. Click a few, and more questions load. In ten minutes you'll have the questions for a proper FAQ page, pulled from what people actually type.

Google says that when a searcher expands a question, the answer shown is a featured snippet. So the way you earn a spot is the same way you earn a featured snippet: a page that answers the question clearly, in its own words, near the top.

How do you write answers Google can use?

Put the question on your page as a heading, in the words a customer would use. Answer it in the first sentence or two under the heading, plainly, with no warm-up. Then add the detail: the price range in your area, the factors that change it, when to call a pro.

One question per heading. A page with a heading for "How long does a water heater last?" and a two-sentence answer under it is easy for Google to lift. The same answer buried in the middle of a long paragraph about your company history isn't.

Be specific and local where it's true. "Hard water shortens a tank's life, and we see it a lot on the east side of town" is an answer. "It depends on many factors" isn't. Only give numbers you'd stand behind if a customer quoted them back to you.

Common mistakes

• Burying the answer under a long intro instead of putting it in the first sentence.
• Stacking every question into one block of text with no headings.
• Copying another site's answer word for word instead of answering from your own experience.