How to write a FAQ page (with some tips and examples)

Updated 30 September 2022

If a customer is trying to find information relating to a business's offerings, a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page is usually the place they go to answer common queries. This type of information ranges from what the company offers to contact details and is a way to answer questions for customers without them having to ask. A well-designed FAQ page on a company website can improve how customers perceive the brand and how it's found in search results. In this article, we discuss what a FAQ page is and some tips to write a FAQ page.

What is a FAQ page?

A frequently asked questions (FAQ) page helps companies to answer common queries related to their products, services and business. FAQ pages are a useful resource for consumers to learn about a company without having to reach out and ask these questions directly. FAQ pages vary depending on the business, but could include the following information:

business information such as opening hours and brand values
product support, help and specifications
price listings for products
user guides and manuals

Usually, FAQ pages include a common question such as, ‘what are the opening hours of the store?'. The answer is underneath, making it easy for consumers to find out useful information in a straightforward way.

How to write a FAQ page

A frequently asked questions page can be a useful repository for staff and customers alike, but to be effective, it's valuable to know how to write a FAQ page. If you intend to create an FAQ page for a business, follow these steps to ensure it's effective:

1. Consider what questions customers commonly ask

You can aim to identify what questions are most commonly asked by customers. Try inspecting customer queries if you have them saved as emails or notes or if you have staff that field these questions you can ask them directly. It's important to understand what your customers want to know - so take the time to find out.

It's a good idea to have too many questions rather than too few, as this allows you to whittle down your questions until only the most pertinent ones remain. Depending on how complex the business is, you might have a lot of questions. Generally speaking, anywhere from 5 to 20 questions is the standard used by most companies.

2. Categorise the questions

Once you have a pool of questions that customers ask about the business, try to divide them into categories for your FAQ page. This makes it easier to browse for consumers so that they can quickly navigate to the question they want to answer. Categories might include product information, returns policies, payments or other topics related to the business. Categories can have concise, easy-to-understand titles so they can be quickly browsed.

3. Design the FAQ page

It's a good idea for a FAQ page to be easy to navigate and aesthetically pleasing so that it impresses customers. You can design the FAQ page in a number of ways, either as a single page or split over multiple linked pages. There are additional features that you might look to include to make the FAQ page more functional. This might include a search bar or jump links. It's also a good idea to mirror the design theme of the existing website so that the FAQ page aligns with it.

4. Ensure it's easy to find

It's important that customers can easily navigate to your FAQ page, so you can include links to it wherever it's relevant across the website. This might include using the landing page or service page. Try to consider the customer journey. If they're browsing a product and want to know about shipping costs, including a FAQ page link there would be useful. Another important consideration is using searchable keywords when creating the FAQ questions and answers so that customers can search for them.

5. Monitor any changes in customer questions

Once you have rolled out the FAQ page, you can monitor your customers to see if their behaviour has changed. If there are fewer email or telephone enquiries about things answered on the FAQ page, you can assume that the FAQ page was a success. If there are still questions to answer on a regular basis, there may be areas that you have missed on the FAQ page.

6. Update the FAQ page regularly

Try to regularly update the FAQ to reflect the current state of the business. If you have implemented new pricing models or product lines, this can go in the updated versions of your FAQ page. This ensures that customers have the right information available to them so they're well-informed about the business.

What is the importance of a FAQ page?

An FAQ page is important because it helps customers get answers to questions quickly. It's also useful because it saves resources for the business, as it's no longer necessary to dedicate time answering the same questions to multiple customers. A FAQ page is a good way for customers to inform themselves about a product or service, so a well-designed FAQ page can influence the customer's purchasing decisions.

A FAQ page can also help with search engine optimisation (SEO) practices by increasing visibility on search engines. FAQ-type pages are useful for search engines because they offer concise, informative answers that are easy to search for. This, in turn, makes it easier for customers to find you through search engines.

Tips to make an effective FAQ page

To ensure that your FAQ page is effectively set up to help your customers, follow these tips:

Keep it brief. Short, straightforward answers are the most effective way of relaying information to customers so try to keep it brief. Try not to write more than a paragraph or two for each question.
Consider the customer journey. Think about what the customer is asking about and why then tailor your answer to respond to it. When writing questions, use the first person (I, me, my) so that it feels like you're directly answering the customer query.
Try to answer fully. If you can answer the question fully in one answer, you can avoid linking customers to different pages to find the information they want. This cuts down on the user journey and makes the FAQ page more effective.
Make it easy-to-read. Try to make the answers as easy to read as possible so that all customers can glean information from the FAQ page. Break down difficult concepts or jargon so it's easier for customers to understand the answer.
Add functionality. There are a few different things that you can add to the FAQ page to make it easier to use. A good example of this is a search bar so that customers can find what they require to quickly and collapsible sections are also handy because it separates useful and unimportant information, which makes it easier for the customer to find the answer they need.
Include a ‘contact us' option. If the customer hasn't found the answer to their question, make sure that they can get in touch with you easily so that customer support can help them with their query. If there's nowhere for a customer to turn to for an answer, you might end up losing out on a sale.

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Examples of successful FAQ pages

If you're trying to find inspiration for your own FAQ page, there are lots of excellent examples available online. Below is a list of the best examples of FAQ pages:

McDonald's

The McDonald's FAQ page has been well designed with ease of use in mind. There are popular categories for you to filter through so that you can easily find the answer to your question. There's also a good use of the design on the page so it's intuitive to navigate. Links are appropriately scattered throughout the FAQ page to direct you to relevant pages across the site.

Dropbox

Dropbox keeps things really simple with their FAQ page, which is great from a customer perspective. It makes it very easy to navigate through and find the answers you need. All of the answers include a link that points towards a more detailed article that discusses the topic at length.

The WhatsApp FAQ page uses various categories based on the device that you used to install the application. This tailors the FAQ page results so that they're more relevant to your needs. There's also a useful search bar implemented at the top of the page for easy navigation. The FAQ page has optimisation for desktop and mobile use, so it's easy to find the answers you need regardless of the device you use.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia uses a FAQ page with an index that uses a format similar to their articles and wiki pages. This makes it easy to understand and navigate through. There are also useful categories that include ‘general' and ‘specific' answers around topics. This makes it easier to find exactly what you need without scrolling through the entire FAQ page.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.