Definition: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) are collections of the most common questions and brief, easy-to-understand answers about a particular product, service, or topic. They can be presented in various formats, such as a webpage, a PDF file, or an interactive chatbot.
They serve as a self-service tool for customers to easily find the information they need without contacting customer support.
Benefits of having FAQ pages
- Saves customers’ time by letting them find the information they need without contacting customer support, which can take time due to delays.
- Establishes trust by showing customers that the company understands their pain points and is addressing them. It creates transparency about the company’s products/services.
- Reduces the cost of customer support by lowering the number of low-impact tickets in the support queue and making more room for important tickets.
- Improves website navigation by pointing users to the right pages on the website (specific blogs, features, tutorials…). This is done through internal linking.
- Improves SEO traffic by making the website more visible, making it easier for potential customers to find the website by searching for specific questions.
How to craft good FAQs
- Identify common questions customers are asking about the product/service across all channels and create lists of questions that need to be answered.
- Organize the FAQ into categories based on different topics, customer personas, and products/services.
- Answer questions clearly and concisely with only the important information that solves the problem and easy-to-understand language.
- Make answers easy to find by displaying the most common questions on top, internally linking them, and allowing customers to search for questions.
- Include media (images, GIFs, videos) that visually explain what the paragraphs are telling the customer to do.
- Update the FAQ regularly with new questions, remove outdated answers, and improve other aspects of the FAQ.
- Optimize for SEO by using relevant keywords in questions/answers as many customers search for answers for products/services on Google.
- Make the FAQ accessible on every website page and inside the product.
How do you structure frequently asked questions?
There are two ways to structure them:
- A list of questions one after another. This structure works for small FAQs.
- Categorized by topics where questions are grouped, each category has a heading that customers can click to access questions. This structure is best for big FAQs because they are easier to navigate.
Examples of well-designed and written FAQ pages
Airbnb has a search bar allowing users to search for specific questions with suggestions based on their profile, with every FAQ page acting as a mini blog.
YouTube’s FAQ is split into categories and sub-categories, leading to different branches of questions on separate pages.
WhatsApp has an easy navigation system of drop-down categories and questions that follows the user with questions being answered step-by-step.
Wikipedia has every important topic on each page linked to the appropriate page creating a web of pages.
FAQs
A frequently asked questions (FAQ) list is often used in articles, websites, email lists, and online forums where common questions tend to recur, for example through posts or queries by new users related to common knowledge gaps.
What does the FAQ stand for? ›
Meaning of FAQ in English
abbreviation for frequently asked question: a question in a list of questions and answers intended to help people understand a particular subject: If you have any problems, consult the FAQs on our website.
What is frequently asked in a FAQ? ›
It is a collection of common questions and answers not specific to a product, feature, or service. They usually cover payment policies, how to contact customer support, and refund policies.
Do people know what FAQ stands for? ›
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be overwhelming and leave your customers searching through a sea of content.
What is the purpose of the FAQ section? ›
What is the purpose of an FAQ page? An FAQ page is a quick way to provide valuable information to your audience with a useful organization of key information and answers to common questions.
What is FAQ also known as? ›
The FAQs or Frequently Asked Questions page is a place on your website dedicated to the most frequent customer queries.
What does an FAQ look like? ›
FAQs start with a question and then provide a concise answer. While many think of FAQs as a basic list of questions and answers, some businesses incorporate them into a single section when building a larger help center.
How to write a good FAQ? ›
If you intend to create an FAQ page for a business, follow these steps to ensure it's effective:
- Consider what questions customers commonly ask. ...
- Categorise the questions. ...
- Design the FAQ page. ...
- Ensure it's easy to find. ...
- Monitor any changes in customer questions. ...
- Update the FAQ page regularly.
How To Handle FAQs Effectively
- Keep the structure logical, clear, and simple.
- Make sure the answers are straightforward and concise.
- For detailed explanations, provide a link to a guide or article.
- Regularly update questions and answers with new information.
- Organize questions into categories.
- Provide a search bar.
An FAQ page (short for Frequently Asked Question page) is a part of your website that provides answers to common questions, assuages concerns, and overcomes objections. It's a space where customers can delve into the finer details of your product or service, away from your sales-focused landing pages and homepage.
That said, you want to find a nice middle ground. Fewer than five questions might indicate you haven't done your research… or that you didn't need an FAQ to begin with. Fielding dozens of questions isn't good either, but if they're all necessary, consider splitting your FAQ into multiple pages.
When to use FAQ? ›
FAQs are a good indicator that there may be an issue with your content. Most are created because people think by bringing frequently asked questions together on a single page, they will make it easier for people to find the answers they are looking for. This doesn't reflect how people actually behave online.
Is FAQ a knowledge base? ›
A knowledge base is very similar to an FAQs page but typically much more detailed and complex. An FAQs page doesn't require a search bar, for example – customers simply scroll through the list of questions to find an answer.
What are some common FAQ questions? ›
Some common examples include questions about service hours, shipping and handling, product details, return policies, etc., depending on the industry. You can have different FAQ sections for different pages of your website. Your FAQ page demonstrates how well you understand your customers.
What is the meaning of FAQs? ›
/fæk/ used in writing to mean ' frequently asked questions. ' (a list of questions and answers about a particular subject, especially one giving basic information for users of a website)
Why are FAQs so important? ›
FAQ pages aren't only beneficial for customers; they're a game-changer for your business. Take a look at the benefits they bring to the table: They serve as an indispensable resource for addressing common queries, significantly reducing the influx of repetitive customer inquiries. FAQ pages streamline communication.
What does the FAQ refer to? ›
A frequently asked questions (FAQ) list is often used in articles, websites, email lists, and online forums where common questions tend to recur, for example through posts or queries by new users related to common knowledge gaps.
What does the F in FAQ stand for? ›
FAQ is used especially on websites to refer to questions about a particular topic. FAQ is an abbreviation for `frequently asked questions'.
What is the Q in FAQ? ›
A Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page contains a list of questions and answers pertaining to a particular topic.
