FAQs on websites: How to build an FAQs page and why it’s so important!
You’re on a website and have a burning question. You really don’t want to have to pick up the phone and talk to someone…You just want to put the product in your basket and get on with the purchase.
FAQs on websites are for this type of website visitor. After all, many of us will avoid contacting customer service if we can help it! We can’t help but dread the thought of being passed from pillar to post in search of an answer.
An FAQs page eliminates this problem. Nine times out of ten, someone’s question will be answered on this page. This means they can move forward with their journey, and (hopefully) make a purchase.
In the rest of this article, we're going to look at how to build a faq page on your website.
The benefits of FAQ pages on websites for you and your customer
It’s not just the customer who benefits from a well-written FAQs page. It can also prove highly cost-effective for your business. After all, if the most common customer questions are answered easily online, it reduces the pressure on the in-house customer service team.
This redirection of customer queries helps you get more value from your website investment.
Placing an FAQ section on your website is also a great way of generating content for your other channels. For example, knowing the most common questions your audience asks can provide a helpful insight into useful topics for blogs and social media posts. This can be great for your content generators!
What’s more, an FAQ page can:
- Alleviate any doubts a customer might have about your service or product.
- Improve your website SEO.
- Demonstrate experience and expertise and a deeper understanding of your audience and their needs.
How to create FAQs your visitors love
Identify the questions that are genuinely frequently asked
It can be really, really tempting to use the FAQs page as an information dumping ground, but you’ve got to resist the urge to use this page as a storeholder for spare parts.
Your key information should already feature on relevant pages.
The FAQ section is simply a place to format information in a way that makes it easy for your users to find. If your page has too much on it without the proper structure, it will only leave your customer more confused – and we don’t want that!
How to identify real customer FAQs
Don’t worry! There are lots of ways to retrieve information to help build your FAQ page. For example, we can use:
- Email history
- Live chat archives
- Surveys
- Returns
- CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software
- Search information data from Google Analytics
You might also run Q&A sessions with a beta group who doesn’t know a lot about your products or services. Giving this group access to your company website can help you identify which answers are hard for your customers to find.
Format your FAQ page in a way that makes answers easy to find
We’d all be lost in a supermarket if the dairy and meat were mixed in with cereals and tins; if there was a loaf of bread in with the ice-cream and the baby food was next to the wine…In the same way, an FAQs page needs to be structured so that a customer can find their way around the content.
Clear headings and topic groups are the first steps. Categorise your questions according to key themes, such as pre-purchase and post-purchase, or by product type, for example.
Make sure your formatting includes plenty of white space as well as text so it’s easy on the eye.
Write in the first person
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. It’s easier to find the question that’s on your mind if it’s written in the same way as you’re thinking it.
For example, compare the following:
- ‘Should I choose pay-as-you-go or pay on retainer?’
- ‘Should someone use pay-as-you-go or pay on retainer?’
The first question is more likely to resonate with the reader and make it clear that the answer will be relevant to them. It reads better and makes it clear what the question is about. The second question reads more as a hypothetical one.
Make sure you actually answer the question
Now, many of us are hardwired to sell, sell, sell. This can make it tempting to use the FAQs section as a platform for sales pitches – but don’t fall into that trap!
While the FAQs page is a great place to rid the customer of any potential niggles or worries to help close a sale, the point of the page is primarily to provide information. That means you need to make sure your answers to the questions actually provide valuable insight.
For example, compare the following:
Q: What does a marketing agency do?
A: What doesn’t a marketing agency do? Get in touch to find out more!
Q: What does a marketing agency do?
A: A marketing agency works as an external marketing department for your business. In the simplest terms, a marketing agency manages some or all aspects of your marketing so your team is free to focus on other things. A marketing agency is a great choice for some businesses who would benefit from the extent of expertise that comes with a team of specialists that they may not be able to afford in-house.
In the second example, the question has been fully answered while also making a subtle reference to the benefits of using a marketing agency. In this way, it fulfils the role of both FAQs and self-promotion.
Use layman's terms
We’re all experts in our own fields, but we have to remember that most of our customers aren’t. The point of FAQs on websites is to get rid of confusion. So, using technical jargon or specialist terminology might scare off an already confused customer. Instead, make sure your copy is clear, concise and simple as possible.
If you struggle with creating copy, get in touch with us today. We have a team of expert copywriters who are skilled at engaging audiences. And we’ve written on everything from electrical installation to soundproofing, so we know how to make all topics accessible!
Keep answers updated
FAQ sections can become outdated, so it’s important to stay on the ball and make sure your content stays fresh. To make sure your pages remain useful and current, be sure to update them regularly.
Run a check on the following:
- All links still work correctly
- All information is still correct
- Dates, names, and places haven’t changed
- Products and services haven’t changed
- All frequently asked questions have been included.
Make sure you’re making corrections regularly and updating as required. Show your customers you’re actively engaged with your users.
Create internal links between your FAQ page and other site pages
FAQs are meant to provide quickfire solutions. Where it’s difficult to provide an easy answer, it might be more effective to link to a more detailed page. For example, you might link to a blog post that covers the topic in question, or to a product page if there are lots of people asking which product is right for a particular need.
Use your brand voice
FAQs on websites are still part of your brand image, so make sure you’re using your brand voice. Whether you’re funny, quirky, serious, traditional, or artsy, make sure your company sounds like your company in all its responses.
Integrate calls to action at relevant points
Calls to action are prompts for a reader to follow through on an action. Common calls to action include ‘Learn more’, ‘Buy now’ and ‘Contact Us’. Including these throughout your FAQ sections makes it more likely that a customer who has found an answer will go on to make a further enquiry or even purchase.
Make FAQ on your website easy to find from other pages
Your FAQ page should be really easy to find on your site. Many companies choose to include the FAQs as a link in the footer. Remember, if people have questions, they’ll often look for this page, so make it easy for them to find!
What you should avoid when writing FAQs
Don’t duplicate content
FAQs should be limited to questions that are genuinely frequently asked by your customers. The purpose of the FAQ page is not to rehash or reformat information from other areas of the site. If the information does appear in other areas of your site for a frequently asked question, it may be better to simply provide a link.
Don’t use FAQ on websites in place of quality information elsewhere
For many people, the FAQ on websites is a last resort if their question is not answered elsewhere on the site. This means that there is a risk of losing confused site visitors who don’t choose to click through to the FAQs.
For this reason, you should make sure your content is informative and comprehensive throughout the site. This minimises the number of questions that should appear in your FAQ section, as the answers are already included in your site content. You don’t want an FAQ page with dozens of questions. 6-10 is about the right number.
Writing a list of questions you think users want
Do your research on what questions your customers are asking; don’t simply invent questions you imagine would be useful. While you might cover some ground, you’re just as likely to miss the mark.
Here are some examples of FAQs pages we’ve created for some of our clients:
Stamford Stone
The Meeting Venue
If you’d like Ketchup to help you with copywriting for your FAQs web page, don’t hesitate to get in touch today!
Choosing Ketchup – the FAQs!
Who is Ketchup?
Ketchup is your fully-outsourced marketing department. Or your ad-hoc support team. We’re a totally flexible marketing resource.
We are content creators, from web copy to brochures, to email marketing campaigns and advertisements. Web or print, traditional or digital – we do it all. Our team comprises copywriters, designers, marketing strategists, PR experts, and more.
Why can’t I write my FAQs myself?
You certainly can! But when you choose Ketchup, you’re getting the expertise of a team of skilled copywriters, as well as the knowledge of our SEO guru. This means you’ll really be getting the most out of the page. What’s more, we can feed FAQs content into your larger marketing strategy.
How much does it cost?
That depends on your budget and your ambition! We cater to smaller businesses looking for one-off pieces or one-time support to large companies looking for a completely outsourced marketing department in the long term. Call us today to book your consultation.
Where can I find you?
We have two office locations - a leafy Leicestershire village location in Buckminster and a vibrant city-centre space in Nottingham.