This post was originally published on DigitalGov.
If you write clear web content that is easy to navigate and answers your readers questions, you will not need to create a FAQ. FAQs often cause your readers more frustration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be overwhelming and leave your customers searching through a sea of content. Before creating a FAQ, think about what you are trying to say, what you want people to do with that information, and the most effective way to convey that information. Often your best solution is a clear, well-organized main content page explaining a process.
How to write better FAQs
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Supplement your main content with FAQs, but don’t try to replace the main content. Do not use FAQs to explain an entire process; a landing page should explain the basics.
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Use real customer feedback. Do not assume what kinds of questions people will have. Monitor customer calls and emails to create helpful FAQs.
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Use language that non-experts will understand. Use plain language when drafting FAQs. Do not burden your reader with insider jargon or undefined acronyms.
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Provide unique content with your FAQs. When a FAQ has the same content as other Web pages, it usually means that the FAQ content is redundant and can easily become outdated, especially when content to the website is updated but the FAQs are not.
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Limit the volume of content. When there are too many questions, searching through them can overwhelm the reader. They may never find an answer to their question.
Designing and editing FAQs
If your agency is using FAQs, the order, length, and content is critical in providing a good user experience. When editing, Catania uses the following process:
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Read through all of the FAQs first. Then, go through and group them by topic/subject.
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Develop headings for each section and organize the content in a way that would make sense to the reader.
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Read through each section and edit the content.
- Focus on steps in a process. Think about what the reader is trying to accomplish.
- Eliminate redundancies. This often helps with organization.
For a good agency example, see the Transportation Security Administration’s Frequently Asked Questions about travel. This page:
- Highlights real questions from flyers
- Uses clear headings to chunk the FAQ into sections and accordion files to keep the page short
- Has short, conversational questions
Turning FAQs into web content
Whether you are trying to eliminate your FAQ section or make certain pieces of information more visible, you may find yourself turning FAQs into web content. Consider the following:
- How many questions are in the FAQ?
- Who will be looking at this content?
- Is the current format helpful to the reader?
- Is this information already available on the web in another format?
- Is the current format easy for readers to navigate and understand?
At USCIS, the Form Filing Tips page began as a lengthy FAQ. Kathryn Catania’s team turned it into web content by adding jump links and headings for people to find their answer.
Resources
FAQs
If you write clear web content that is easy to navigate and answers your readers questions, you will not need to create a FAQ. FAQs often cause your readers more frustration. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be overwhelming and leave your customers searching through a sea of content.
Is plain language a law? ›
The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to use plain language when communicating with the public. Plain language is clear communication that the public can easily understand and use.
What is the current status of plain language? ›
The current administration does not have a formal plain language initiative, however a mandate for communicating clearly with the public is part of the Strategic Plan in a number of federal departments and agencies. Many agencies have strong, active plain language programs in place.
What are plain language guidelines? ›
Plain language is clear, concise, organized, and appropriate for the intended audience. Write for your reader, not yourself. Use pronouns when you can. State your major point(s) first before going into details.
What can I use instead of FAQ? ›
What is another word for FAQ?
| frequently asked questions | common questions |
|---|
| help section | online guide |
| questions and answers | docs |
| documentation | commonly asked questions |
| answers to common questions | |
FAQ pages can disrupt conversions
Nobody stops there first. They visit an FAQ page in response to a failure to find the information they need. This means that an FAQ page is a distraction from the conversion sequence.
What are the 5 rules of plain language? ›
Crafting Your Message with Plain Language
proofread another student's work, or your own, with a focus on the five principles of plain language: active voice, common words, positive tone, reader focus, and short (concise) words and sentences.
Is plain language a civil right? ›
Vice President Gore believed that plain language promotes trust in government, and said, “Plain Language is a civil right.” As the lead for the plain language initiative, he presented No Gobbledygook Awards monthly to federal employees who took bureaucratic messages and turned them into plain language that citizens can ...
Who supports plain language? ›
Non-profit organizations
The Center for Plain Language is a federally tax-exempt non-profit membership organization made up of people in government, academia, and business who are dedicated to promoting and supporting plain language in the public and private sectors.
What are the arguments against plain language? ›
The major criticism of plain language is that its guidelines do not have sufficient research to back them up.
According to the plain language experts, this approach uses every day words that people understand, while also avoiding “government speak”. “It's about being clear and unambiguous,” Asha explained, “It's not about dumbing down your words; it's about using simpler words intentionally.”
What is a plain language example? ›
Beyond avoiding jargon, plain language also avoids longer and more obscure words. For example, plain language would use hungry instead of famished and quickly instead of expeditiously.
What is the SEC plain language rule? ›
Using plain English assures the orderly and clear presentation of complex information so that investors have the best possible chance of understanding it. Plain English means analyzing and deciding what information investors need to make informed decisions, before words, sentences, or paragraphs are considered.
Who needs plain language? ›
From language learners to advanced readers, everyone benefits from plain language. Plain language is one element of clear communication. It means you are communicating with your audience in a way that's understandable and direct.
What is plain language legal documents? ›
Plain language is clear, direct writing that can be understood by all. Courts have a duty to communicate clearly and effectively with court users.
Are FAQs a good idea? ›
Frequently asked questions, or FAQs as they are known, are a great way to improve your customer's experience of your website. It allows you to answer the questions that are most commonly asked surrounding your product or service. At the same time, there are also many other benefits to having FAQs on your website.
Should it be FAQ or FAQs? ›
FAQ can be pronounced as an initialism, "F-A-Q", or as an acronym, "FAQ". Web designers often label a single list of questions as a "FAQ", such as on Google Search, while using "FAQs" to denote multiple lists of questions such as on United States Treasury sites.
Does FAQ affect SEO? ›
FAQ pages help search engines understand what your website is about. They also give users the information they need without working for it. One of the main ways FAQs help with SEO is by allowing you to use targeted keywords throughout your page. They can also improve your website's technical SEO.
