How to Write FAQs That ChatGPT Actually Uses
Most FAQ pages are completely useless. Sorry, but they are.
They're written to tick a box, not to actually answer anything. Vague questions like "What makes us different?" followed by three paragraphs of marketing fluff. ChatGPT reads that and moves on. It needs concrete information, not a sales pitch disguised as a question.
If you run a local service business in Hitchin, Letchworth, or anywhere in Hertfordshire, getting your FAQs right is one of the fastest wins you can get for AI search visibility. Here's how to actually do it.
Why ChatGPT ignores most FAQ pages
ChatGPT is looking for clear, factual answers that help someone make a decision. When your FAQ page is a list of leading questions designed to make you sound good, the AI sees right through it.
"Why should I choose ABC Plumbing?" followed by "Because we're the most trusted plumber in the area with years of experience" gives AI absolutely nothing useful. No specifics. No facts. No reason to cite you.
The biggest mistake I see is writing FAQs based on what you want to say rather than what people actually ask. That disconnect is obvious to AI. It's looking for the questions real humans type into search boxes, and your marketing questions don't match.
Start with questions people genuinely ask
Check Google's autocomplete. Type the start of a question related to your service and see what comes up. Look at your Google Search Console data, there'll be real queries in there. Think about what customers actually ask you on the phone or in person.
If someone in Baldock is searching "how long does bathroom fitting take?", that's your FAQ question right there. Word for word. Don't dress it up. Don't make it more corporate. Use the exact language your customers use.
A tiler in Royston told me his most common question was "Do I need to take the old tiles off first?" So we put that on his website with a proper answer. Within weeks, ChatGPT was pulling that content when people asked similar questions about bathroom tiling in the area.
The answer structure that AI actually prefers
Lead with the direct answer in the first sentence. Then add supporting detail.
Don't bury the answer three paragraphs deep in context and qualifications. AI looks for clear statements first, then uses the surrounding content to verify and expand. If it has to dig for the actual answer, it'll often give up and look elsewhere.
Keep answers between about 50 and 150 words. Long enough to be useful, short enough that the core point doesn't get lost. This range seems to work well because it typically contains enough detail without watering things down.
Format it properly
Use proper heading tags. Your question should be an H3 if it's under a section heading. This hierarchy helps AI understand the relationship between different pieces of content on the page.
Break longer answers into short paragraphs. Single-sentence paragraphs are fine for FAQs. Makes them easier to parse for both humans and AI.
Be specific with numbers and details
Instead of "We respond quickly", write "We typically respond within 2 hours during business days." ChatGPT pulls specific information like this because it's verifiable and useful. Vague promises don't cut it.
Location details matter more than most businesses realise. If you serve Royston and Stevenage, mention those areas within relevant answers. When someone asks an AI tool about services in their area, these location markers help match your content to their query.
Address objections honestly. If a service costs more in winter or takes longer for certain property types, say so. AI cross-references information across multiple sources. Transparency builds the kind of consistency AI looks for.
Questions every local service business should cover
These seem boring. They're actually the queries most likely to get you mentioned by AI.
- Service area with specific towns
- Typical pricing or how your pricing works
- How long the service takes
- What preparation the customer needs to do
- Qualifications, insurance, or certifications you hold
- Emergency or out-of-hours availability
- Payment methods you accept
I had a pest control company in Stevenage add these seven questions with proper answers. Their AI search visibility improved noticeably within a month. Nothing else changed on their site. Just these seven FAQs.
How this connects to AEO
This whole approach sits at the heart of Answer Engine Optimisation.
Traditional SEO focused on ranking pages. AEO focuses on getting your information included when AI tools generate answers. Your FAQ page becomes a data source rather than just another webpage competing for clicks.
For businesses across North Hertfordshire, this shift creates a real window of opportunity. Someone in Letchworth asking ChatGPT for recommendations isn't scrolling through ten pages of search results. They're reading one answer. Being part of that answer is the new visibility.
Just start somewhere
Pick your five most common customer questions. Write clear, honest answers with actual specifics. Add them to your website this week.
Then test it. Ask ChatGPT questions about your service area and see what comes back. If your business doesn't appear, look at what sources ChatGPT does cite. What are they doing that you're not?
It's an ongoing process. Customer questions change. Your services evolve. Keep your FAQs current and they'll keep working for you, both for human visitors and for the AI tools scanning your site.
If you want help getting this right, book a call with us. We work with local businesses across North Hertfordshire on exactly this kind of thing, making AI tools work for your business rather than against it.