{"id":11762,"date":"2023-06-10T19:51:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-10T19:51:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpcrunch.com\/blog\/?p=11762"},"modified":"2023-06-10T20:06:03","modified_gmt":"2023-06-10T20:06:03","slug":"how-to-write-faqs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helpcrunch.com\/blog\/how-to-write-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write FAQs Effectively? 11 Tips with References"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You know what they say: haste makes waste. <\/em>This goes for everything but is especially true when you do business. <\/em>I need to move this point further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing FAQs or explanatory content for customers isn\u2019t that easy. Something you think is clear might be a thick forest for clients. Even something as obvious as \u201clog in to your account and press this button in the right corner\u201d. That is why you should think hard when shaping a help center for clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From here, we arrive at a logical question: how to write FAQs so that customers are pleased with finding what they are looking for? This is the kitchen table issue we explain today. Let\u2019s get going!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

What does FAQ stand for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

FAQ stands for frequently asked questions on the website\u2019s self-service page. They aim to solve the most common and burning queries customers come up with. The key FAQ peculiarity is that it should start with a question and proceed with a straight answer \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffb <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, How to get into your cinema school? \u2192 To become a student, register on our website before the admissions campaign kicks off and take entrance exams. Oh, and have a Tom Cruise-like talent. Drop us a line if you have any questions.  <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unspoken rule says that if you know how to write a good FAQ, you can successfully boost customer self-service and satisfy your users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the way, do you KNOW how to make the most of your FAQ? I thought so. Let me break that down for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to write an FAQ page: questions to answer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When writing an FAQ page, how do you know what customer questions to answer? Depending on the industry, you are going to have a different number and types of queries from your users. At the same time, the sources to find those questions are usually common for all niches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s focus on content creation for your FAQ page in this part.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk to your customer support team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This might sound even a little too obvious, and still, that\u2019s where your question hunt starts. Consider creating a spreadsheet or just a shared document in Notions, where your customer support representatives add the most repetitive questions from users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, think about hosting special meetings or sessions where service agents can share real customer queries and pain points with the rest of the team. This way, you kill two birds with one stone: get the insights needed and fill the FAQ page with the content your audience will scour for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leverage the power of Google<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can do that by using Google\u2019s Autosuggest feature. Start typing a question about your product or company into the search bar and see the list of suggestions. Usually, these are the most commonly asked questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, on the screen below, you can see questions people usually google about Starbucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"how<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, remember about the People Also Ask section that can come in handy when accumulating all repetitive questions in one database. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"People<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Another tool you can use for this research can be Ahrefs. Just type in the keywords (usually the name of your company or product you offer) and see the most frequently asked questions. Continuing with our Starbucks example, here is the list of questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ahrefs<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Thus, we can make a conclusion that users are interested in jobs at the chain, the open hours, foundation history, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep close tabs on social media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is where customers are the most communicable. Listen to their comments about your business, be responsive in direct messages, and track mentions. Speaking of, you can do that with such tools as Mention<\/a>, Talkwalker<\/a>, or Social Searcher<\/a>. Once you gather enough questions, write your FAQ page!   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add common questions to your FAQ<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Including general questions in your help center that go beyond your product might be a good idea. Say, you sell wooden maps; hence your potential customers might look for answers like, \u201cWhat\u2019s the best gift for your boyfriend\u201d, \u201cBest gifts for travelers\u201d, or \u201cWhat are the top eco-friendly gifts\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you cover these questions as well in your FAQ, the chance is high that prospective users land on your website and consider buying a wooden map as a gift. In short, this approach can help you attract customers who have never heard of your company. It also helps to build authority and improve the trustworthiness of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

General tips for writing an FAQ page<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dedicate time to the page’s design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the old proverb goes, bread is the staff of life. True, but I offer its modern version: organization is the staff of life. Exactly! It\u2019s an indispensable part of everything you do, from sorting things out on your desk to folding the clothes in the dresser. Once you decide to know how to write an amazing FAQ page, the first step in this adventure is its thorough organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This may be a slippery slope: not all FAQ pages look like two peas in a pod. Depending on a company and its customers\u2019 needs, the layout and the whole informational hierarchy may vary. Some might include a single-page design with just a list of questions, others might enjoy multi-tier formatting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From where I am standing, one of the must-have elements of an FAQ page that simplify the total layout is a drop-down menu. As a clear example, here is the page with frequently asked questions from Airtable. Once you land on its FAQ page, scroll down to see the section. Here, all the questions are piled into a drop-down menu and provide straightforward answers, with no lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Airtable FAQ section <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Organize your FAQs with simplicity in mind <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Users don\u2019t visit your FAQ section to read another Harry Potter volume. They strive for plain structures and readable texts. That\u2019s why you should keep stuff to the point and as brief as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can lop off wordy sentences, break up long answers, and create small paragraphs. By the way, this hack is also good for the users\u2019 eyes, as walls of text have never been beneficial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look at the FAQ page done by Shopify. The guys know the ropes in writing FAQs. They did their categorization homework coupled with internal linking, and it looks awesome! The paragraphs are logically (and visually) divided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Shopify FAQ page<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Even though the whole page seems packed with info, the sentences are easy to digest. What\u2019s also cool about this example is that Shopify doesn\u2019t prey on multiple fonts, excessive images, and other stuff that might distract the reader. This is the point worth thinking of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go for a unique tone of voice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consumers would have had a hit of the blues if every brand had the same communication style. That\u2019s why having a unique character is worth gold today. Think of how you could translate that unique character into written form and how you would like to sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that we bring up uniqueness, examples should correspond as well. When I first saw this FAQ page, I was like, \u2018WOW! Nicely done!\u2019. This is a 40\/40 creative agency, and the naming matches up. Everything is done with creativity \u2013 the Q&As, the language, and the wording \u2013 no one could be left ignorant after reading this section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
40\/40 creative agency FAQ page<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mind language and grammar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It happened several months ago. I was looking for a return policy on a clothes store\u2019s website. I did find their FAQ page\u2026but it was as clear as mud! Full of unnecessary bank restriction details, extracts from the company charter, and God knows what else. Consequently, I let it all hang out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line is to keep the content as understandable as possible for users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole point is to be on the same page with clients and speak their language. For instance, if you operate in banking and write a Q&A on ATMs, formulate your thoughts simpler: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are allowed to carry out funds withdrawal using the ATM that is located \u2026 \u2192 You can withdraw cash from the nearest X company ATM; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that we touched upon banking, let\u2019s stick to it. Here is a proper example from Bank of America. Not only is its FAQ page structured, but they also chose transparent language in instructions so that you don\u2019t tie your tongue in knots while reading it. What\u2019s great about this is that before entering the page, you can choose the state of residence. Based on this info, you can get related answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Bank of America FAQ page<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Optimize content for SEO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Go on the SEO path for writing FAQs that strike that WOW effect. The thing is that when you optimize your FAQ content for relevant keywords, the chances are it will rank high in search engines and attract valuable organic traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve already mentioned its usefulness for business, now let\u2019s be more specific. Where do you start? Here is your likely action plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n