What could a Frequently Asked Question page do for your site?

What you should avoid doing with your Frequently Asked Questions page

Why adding valuable FAQ content could help grow your website.

Does your site have a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page? If it doesn’t, you might be missing out. A great FAQ page can add another level of content to your site - the type of content that helps your site visitors and your sites SEO performance.

Why an FAQ Page

Valuable Content

A well-delivered FAQ page can be the ideal store for the questions you get asked all the time. For a retail shop, this might be your opening time. Or, for an e-commerce store, it might be details about your returns policy.

Content Marketing expert Marcus Sheridan uses a simple phrase that I believe is a great guide for you site and your FAQ page. “They ask. You Answer.” In other words, think of all the questions you get asked and make sure you answer them somewhere on your site.

Some answers might require a full blog post or dedicated page. But for many, a short sentence or paragraph in the form of an FAQ is perfect.

Valuable Search Engine Optimisation Tool

Search engines, by their nature, are answering tools. How many times a day do you ask Google a question? Google wants you to help their customers. But merely having an FAQ page isn’t enough. If you’re smart and creative, you can optimise your individual answers to be SEO friendly.

Each FAQ you answer can act as another way for the search engines to find you. In fact, a well-produced FAQ page could become one of your sites most popular landing pages.

Customer Support

The mere presence of your FAQ page shows that you are a helpful organisation. You’ve taken the time to serve up answers to the real questions your visitors have. You are enabling a self-service approach to customer care, which of course, could save you time and money. Rather than someone phoning or emailing a simple question and tying up your resource, they can find the answer on their own.

 However, this should never be your prime motivation. And it absolutely shouldn’t be viewed as an excuse for not providing excellent customer service.

I recommend that on your FAQ page you state a message along the lines of “Prefer to speak to someone in person? No problem call 01234 567890.”

Valuable Part of the Sales Process

Your FAQ page can also be a key way of directing people to other content on your site. Think of it as a directory. Someone asks a question and in addition to providing a clear answer; you also offer a link to extra content on your site.

You might direct them to a related blog article that expands on the short answer. Or directing them to a particular product or services landing page might be appropriate, especially if they are asking questions relating to price.

Helping your visitors find more relevant content, can be a great way of strengthening the relationship and positioning you as subject matter experts.

What not to do

We’ve seen our fair share of bad FAQ pages over the years. Don’t fall into that trap. Your FAQ page should be a trusted bank of great answers NOT a dumping ground for miscellaneous rubbish! In other words, put some thought into your page. And always ask the simple question - “Is this helping my audience?”

Too often, we see FAQ pages that have been thrown together with absolutely no thought at all. Those people are missing the point, as well as a genuine business opportunity. 

Over to you

Do you have an FAQ page on your site? If so, share the link so we can showcase some practical examples of how different industries and organisations use FAQ. Hopefully, it can inspire other people to do the same.

Or maybe you’ve come across a particularly compelling FAQ example on another site? Share away. The more examples we have - the better.

And remember, a well executed FAQ page, with great content, can become a major asset for your website and business.

If you need any help with your FAQs, give us a call on 01786 700006 or drop us a line here.  Our Marketing team is on hand to help.