Why You Need an FAQs Page and How to Write One

Customer service is a top priority for every business. The telephone used to be the go-to method for service, but in today’s online world, customers turn to email, live chat and FAQs (frequently asked questions) pages first. Email and live chat services are straightforward; an FAQs page takes insight and skill to write. Nevertheless, an FAQs page will save your business precious time and resources that you can’t afford to waste.

Why You Need an FAQs Page

An FAQs page is, in its simplest form, a list of questions with thorough, detailed answers. The goal is to provide answers to common customer questions, so they can find the answers they need right away.

Customers don’t have to sit on hold or wait several days for an email response. Businesses don’t have to waste more time and resources answering simple questions.

Tips for Writing a Successful FAQs Page

There’s an art and a science to writing a useful FAQs page. It’s not rocket science, but there should be some thought behind it. Here are some tips:

Provide Useful Information

Make sure that your FAQs page is actually useful. Don’t provide a list of random questions about your company; answer questions that real customers would have.

Take a look at the FAQs page from NuFlowOK as an example. The company includes common questions customers would have about pipe repair, and they offer very detailed answers. There’s also a “contact us” page at the bottom page that makes it easy for customers to submit questions that may not be on the list.

The questions can be simple or in-depth, but they have to be useful. Questions like “When did your company open its doors?” or “Who started your company?” are not useful to customers. That type of information should be included in the About page instead.

Use ‘I’s’ When Writing Questions

Write questions in the first person, as this is how the user would ask the question. To understand this idea, take a look at these two questions:

  • How long will it take for my order to ship?
  • How long does it take you to ship orders?

The first question is how you would actually think through the query. Remember that the goal is to improve the customer experience. Think like a user, and frame questions in the way the user would ask them.

Start with a Question Word

Don’t forget to include actual questions when writing your FAQs page. Don’t just list concepts and provide explanations.

Which of these sounds more appropriate for an FAQs page?

  • How long will it take my order to ship?
  • Shipping Orders

The goal is to answer questions, so formulate each topic into a query.

You can, however, have general topics on your page, such as “Shipping,” “Ordering,” etc., and list questions underneath each topic.

Talk to Customers

There are several ways to come up with questions for your FAQs page, but if you’re looking to provide the most value, you should include questions that your customers actually have.

You can find these questions through email messages, live chat data, social media responses or even comments on your blog posts. You can also reach out to customers and make it easy to contact you. You can also host a Q&A session, and use that information to formulate your questions and answers.

Alex
 

Alex is a small business blogger with a focus on entrepreneurship and growth. With over 5 years of experience covering the startup and small business landscape, Alex has a reputation for being a knowledgeable, approachable and entrepreneurial-minded blogger. He has a keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing small business owners, and is able to provide actionable advice and strategies for success. Alex has interviewed successful entrepreneurs, and covered major small business events such as the Small Business Expo and the Inc. 500|5000 conference. He is also a successful entrepreneur himself, having started and grown several small businesses in different industries.