FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) are a fantastic tool for gaining a better Google ranking, because Google values a website that provides someone with all the information needed to make an educated decision.  And, FAQs take the pressure off the business owner having to repeatedly answer client questions (you know what I mean, right?). They also help educate the market about what your product or service can do and why yours is better.

Why are FAQs important?

FAQs are an essential selling tool because these questions are the very same ones your target market is asking in their own head. If the business owner (you!) cannot answer these for the customer, the customer will go elsewhere to a company that can. It is psychologically proven that if we have unanswered questions about a product (e.g. how much is it, is there a money back guarantee etc.), we cannot process through the mental steps required to feel confident in purchasing the product.

A few tips on how to write a powerful FAQ quickly.

1. Write out the top 20 or 30 questions you often get asked by people who are considering buying from you.

Start with the basics, no matter how obvious or ordinary they may seem. For example, if I was writing copy for a florist, I would write down the most mundane questions.

• • Can I order online?
  • Do you offer free delivery?
  • Can I add chocolates or gifts to my order?
  • What is the minimum purchase?

I would then follow that up with more detailed questions:

• • What if the flowers I order are not fresh?
  • Do you offer a money back guarantee?
  • How long does it take to get my flowers delivered?
  • Do you belong to an accredited floristry organisation?

2. Answer the questions. Then, you simply write out the answers in the most elegant, persuasive and concise way you can. This now becomes your FAQ. Easy.

A few more reasons why writing an FAQ in this way makes sense:

1. It provides you with the raw material for the rest of your copy. I always start out with the FAQ because it helps me understand my client’s product better and it also becomes the foundation for all the other copy on the website or brochure. With a bit of tweaking, cutting and pasting, and re-writing, I can use what I have already written for other pages. This is a very time efficient and productive way of writing copy.

2. They are easy to read. Everyone loves a Q and A because they help us get answers to questions we need answered. Not everyone needs every question answered but having a clearly laid out, well written FAQ means readers can scan quickly through the text and find what they need.

3. It helps you show online customers you care about their experience. Taking the time to put yourself in the customer’s shoes means that you can pinpoint then respond to their real needs and queries.

But, if this all sounds too hard and too time-consuming, why not outsource the task. I know someone who can help you. Let’s chat!