What this criterion covers exactly
This criterion seems “simple”, but it creates a lot of discrepancies in production.
**D9 — Direct question answers** (Chapter 4 - Content): Q&A format for Featured Snippets, answer in 40-60 words after the question
E3 — Chapter 5 - URL
Criterion e3-tirets-comme-separateurs : Direct question answers — guide + checklist
This criterion seems “simple”, but it creates a lot of discrepancies in production.
The **D9 — Direct question answers** criterion is part of our SEO checklist (335 criteria). Here, you have a **practical** method to check and correct it — with a concrete example.
Why it’s important (SEO + UX)
Why it matters: it’s a signal of understanding for the engine. When poorly applied, we often observe: ambiguity (wrong associated query), duplication between pages, or loss of performance on CTR.
On sites generated in volume, this criterion also serves as a **safeguard**: a stable rule avoids 1,000 errors at once.
How to check (step by step)
Approach: express audit (manual + 1 tool). Recommended tool: **Google Trends**.
- Open the source code and locate the concerned element (tag/structure).
- Control the hierarchy and coherence with H1 + intro.
- Run a crawl to detect pages that violate the criterion.
Tip: first isolate 10 “representative” URLs (top pages + generated pages) before scaling the correction.
How to correct properly
Strategy: correct + add a safeguard for bulk import.
- Rewrite the plan: clear H1, H2 = sub-questions, H3 = details.
- Add a differentiating element (scope, method, example) to avoid duplication.
- Control the coherence with the intent (info / comparison / action).
Then: re-crawl 50–200 URLs, then monitor Search Console over 7–14 days (impressions/CTR/indexing).
Concrete example (illustrative)
Example (illustrative):
- **Context**: product sheet for real estate in Tunis
- **Before**: generic H1 + sections without hierarchy (inconsistent H2/H3).
- **After**: intention-oriented H1 + H2 by sub-questions (case: product sheet — real estate).
- **Note**: Objective: make the plan “scannable” and aligned with intent.
Checklist to tick
- [ ] Responds to the intent
- [ ] Respects: 60 words after the question
- [ ] Unique
- [ ] Concrete examples
- [ ] Natural keywords
FAQ
Frequently asked questions — E3
What is the most frequent error on “Direct question answers”?
Applying a too generic automatic pattern (same logic on all pages) without adding a differentiating element.
Which tool is the fastest to control at scale?
For this type of criterion, a crawl (e.g. Screaming Frog) + a targeted check in Google Trends is generally the fastest combo.
How to prevent it from happening again on 10K generated pages?
Freeze an auto-generation rule (title/structure/schema/URLs) + add an automatic control (crawl or test) before import into production.
Ready to go from theory to action?
Validate this criterion with an audit, then deepen the method in the Academy.