Implementation of structured data for AI assistants: FAQPage, HowTo, comparison tables

The classic SEO no longer works without deep integration of structured data. It is the microdata that transforms your website into a "language" that machines understand. FAQPage, HowTo, comparison tables — these are not just technical tags, but direct bridges between your content and AI. In this article, we will explore how to make your site readable for artificial intelligence while still being useful for real people.

Why it's important

In 2025, the digital world is undergoing a real revolution: artificial intelligence is becoming not just a tool, but a full-fledged intermediary between the user and information. Voice assistants, chatbots, and neural network algorithms no longer just "search" for content — they analyze it, process it, and then generate real-time responses.

In such conditions, traditional SEO methods are giving way to technologies that make content "readable" not only for humans but also for machines. Structured data has become the universal language that websites communicate with AI in. Without it, even the most useful material risks going unnoticed. Especially in an era when 60% of queries are processed through voice interfaces, and search results are personalized based on location, browsing history, and the type of device each user is using.

Example: when a person asks Alice how to bake a vegan cake, the assistant doesn’t open dozens of websites. It extracts the ready-made answer from the HowTo markup, displaying it as a card with steps and timings. This is not just convenience — it's the new standard of communication.

Companies that ignore microdata lose up to 40% of organic traffic, as their pages cannot participate in "zero positions" or voice responses. At the same time, Yandex and Google's algorithms have already long explained: structured data is one of the top 5 ranking factors for commercial and informational queries.

But here lies the challenge. AI assistants have become more demanding of data quality. They filter out template FAQs, ignore tables without sources, and "punish" attempts at manipulation. To survive in this new world, webmasters need to not just add JSON code to the header of a site, but rethink the content strategy — making it machine-oriented while maintaining its value for real users.

How to find this balance, which types of markup are critically important in 2025, and how to avoid hidden errors that will turn your efforts into digital waste — I will cover all of this in the article.

Why this is especially important in 2025

In 2025, 68% of search queries are processed through voice assistants and chatbots (Juniper Research data). Without structured data, your content remains "invisible" to AI, even if it is useful to people.

Example of FAQPage in action. When requesting "How to set up two-factor authentication," Yandex Alice extracts the answer directly from structured data, bypassing the website. This reduces the bounce rate but requires perfect snippet optimization.

Types of Structured Data for AI

1. FAQPage

This markup increases the chance of appearing in Google’s “Answer Box” (Featured Snippet) and voice responses.

How to implement

JSON-LD format:

json
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org",
      "@type": "FAQPage",
      "mainEntity": [{
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "How to choose a CMS for an online store?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "
Selection criteria: SSL support, integration with payment systems, up to 1000 requests/sec. Recommended: Shopify, Bitrix, WooCommerce.
"
        }
      }]
    }
    

Tip: Use HTML tags inside text for formatting (Yandex algorithms have considered this since 2024).

Lifehacks:

• Add 5–7 questions to the page;

• Include key phrases in the questions: “How...”, “Why...”, “What to do if...”.

Mistakes:

• Answers longer than 300 characters: AI assistants truncate them, resulting in loss of meaning;

• Duplicate questions: if there is a “Delivery Questions” page, don’t duplicate the same questions in the FAQPage for products.

2. HowTo

HowTo pages receive 50% more visits from Discover (Google Webmaster Trends 2025).

How to implement

Mandatory fields:

• totalTime: Specify the total time for completion (e.g., “PT30M” for 30 minutes);

• tool: List tools with HowToTool microdata.

Example for SaaS:

   json
    {
      "@type": "HowTo",
      "name": "Setting up end-to-end analytics in Roistat",
      "supply": [{
        "@type": "HowToSupply",
        "name": "API access"
      }],
      "step": [{
        "@type": "HowToStep",
        "text": "Log into the administrator panel...",
        "image": "https://example.com/step1.jpg",
        "url": "https://example.com/roistat-guide#step1"
      }]
    }
      

Advantages:

• Visibility in Google Images: HowTo with images appear in the “Visual Instructions” section;

• AR support: In 2025, HowTo steps can be projected through augmented reality glasses (e.g., Microsoft HoloLens).

3. Comparison Tables

Pages with comparison tables convert 25% better (CXL Institute data).

How to implement

1. Use Product and Review:

  json
    {
      "@type": "Table",
      "about": "CRM system comparison",
      "column": ["Price", "Integrations", "Rating"],
      "row": [{
        "@type": "Product",
        "name": "Bitrix24",
        "brand": "Bitrix",
        "aggregateRating": {
          "@type": "AggregateRating",
          "ratingValue": "4.7",
          "reviewCount": "1500"
        }
      }]
    }
     

2. Dynamic data: Connect APIs for real-time price/feature updates.

Important: In the citation attribute, specify the data sources. For example:

 json

    "citation": "Source: Gartner research, 2025."

      

Avoid bias: do not use phrases like “our product is better”—this violates EEAT principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

Integration with AI Assistants

Technical Details

How Yandex Alice parses data:

• uses the NLP model “Kalibr” to extract entities from JSON-LD;

• gives priority to responses with acceptedAnswer and step attributes.

Tip: test your markup via the Yandex Dialogs emulator (available in Yandex Webmaster).

Verification and Optimization Tools

Pro tips:

1. Google Structured Data Testing Tool.
   
   Check property nesting. The 2025 error: 60% of HowTo items get rejected due to missing totalTime.

2. Schema Markup Generator (DeepSEO).
   
   Generates code reflecting the latest schema.org updates (for example, the isAccessibleForFree attribute for paywall content).

3. Ahrefs Site Audit.
   
   Set up custom checks:

• find FAQPage pages with fewer than 3 questions;

• flag comparison tables missing the aggregateRating attribute.

Future Trends in Structured Data Adoption for AI Assistants

Insider forecasts:

1. Dynamic markup.
   
   Example: an online store updates product prices via API—the microdata changes automatically. Tools: Google Merchant Center API, Yandex.Market Feed.

2. AR-compatibility.
   
   How it works: a user points their camera at a QR code → the AI assistant displays a 3D furniture assembly guide using HowTo markup.

3. Data ethics.
   
   Starting in 2025, Google penalizes markup with no isBasedOnUrl. Example violation: a comparison table based on made-up data.

Structured data is no longer an optional tool—it has become the mandatory language for dialogue between your site and artificial intelligence. In 2025, when neural networks do more than just rank content—they interact directly with users—the absence of microdata is equivalent to silence in the age of total digitalization.

Technologies like FAQPage, HowTo, and comparison tables are not just about improving SEO; they’re strategic assets that determine whether your content takes part in voice search, chat interfaces, or AR scenarios. Success stories—from boosting traffic by 70% to reducing support load—prove that machine-readable content format isn’t the future, it’s already here.

However, implementing structured data requires not just technical literacy but a deep understanding of AI ethics. Algorithms now recognize manipulation and users increasingly trust only those sources that openly cite where their data comes from and avoid subjective claims. Dynamic markup, API integration, and adaptation for AR are no longer experiments but standards that define a site’s visibility in next-generation search.

Main lesson of 2025

If your content doesn't speak the language of AI, it remains outside the digital ecosystem. Start small — add FAQPage to key pages, test HowTo in instructions, but don't stop there. Monitoring, adapting to new formats, and dialoguing with algorithms through data are the only ways to stay relevant in a world where search results are not designed for people, but for their smart assistants.

What else to read

• Google and Yandex have integrated AI into search engines — and this is significantly changing the approach to SEO. We've developed an action plan

• How search engines work: 4 perspectives (none of them are correct)

• Yes, artificial, but not yet intelligence. Why you shouldn't fully rely on neural networks