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How Best to Index an FAQ - When/Where to use Canonical?

by consultant1027
3 replies
  • SEO
    • |
So I have a large FAQ with 6 categoies, each category has 5-6 questions with lengthy multi-paragraph answers.

From a user-friendly objective standpoint, it makes sense for the site navigation system to link to each category page with the answers for each question default to being hidden (aka the question is 'collapsed') so they can easily see all the questions without scrolling though all the answers.

But what's the best practice from an SEO standpoint?

The first issue is that it is my understanding, content hidden by default, will carry less weight than content that isn't hidden.

Okay, there's also an option in the FAQ for every question on the category page to link to an individual page with only that question. So Google COULD index that page. So would the category page not be considered duplicate content of that question or vice versa. Seems like use of the canonical tag can't really be applied in this scenario?

Should I just set it up in the way that is most user friendly AND link to the individual question pages hoping what I lose by hiding the answers on the category page I'll gain by getting Google to index the individual question page without worring about dupe content issues?
#canonical #faq #index #when or where
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  • Profile picture of the author .
    My suggestion is to move away from the fancy FAQ designs and make it the old way. A FAQ that is a series of questions and each question goes to a new page.
    Then flood that page with content.... = write as much as possible...

    So I will go individual pages all day, unless you have very thin content
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    • Profile picture of the author dsimms
      creating FAQ on each questions sounds like a bad idea, and irresponsible, then you want him to flood the page with useless content that probably has nothing to do with a single page that was created for one question.

      If you are using WP, then you have Canonical options, check the box, then google will decide on what is best to index, and avoid duplicate content.

      Create one FAQ page...
      List all your questions, and answers on that page.
      period, done.

      do not try to make it fancy or reinvent the faq wheel.
      It certainly does not have to be this complicated...
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    I would use jump links on one page, that gets you jump links in the SERP description (image below) that can help CTR.

    You can always add additional internal links/pages like already suggested and aim to rank two pages per keyword (FAQ + relevant internal page) but either way I'd use the jump links.





    I have no idea what OP means by hidden content, either the plain text is on the text version of the page or it's not. Don't use anything that involves javascript for content you want to use for SEO.
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