The Q&A format is one of the best ways to attract leads, build authority, and convert curious minds into paying customers. And, in this article, I’m going to show you how to do it.
You may be familiar with FAQ pages…
…take that concept and think BIG.
People turn to contain for a number of reasons. Entertainment is usually at the top but following right behind this is learning answers to their inquiries and curiosities.
If you can harness these frequently asked questions – and purpose them by applying a touch of content marketing – then you can create a powerful way to engage your audience.
Let’s dive in.
First Things First: FAQ Meaning
FAQ stands for ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Questions may relate to a specific topic or have a broad focus.
Combine enough of these Q&A and you could create a FAQ page. These pages are a great addition to cut down spending time answering the same questions over and over again.
You may also choose to repurpose Q&A’s beyond the FAQ page (more on this in a bit).
What Makes Question and Answer Content (and the Q&A Format) So Great
It’s a challenge having someone commit to reading a novel-like blog post or watch a documentary-length tutorial video.
Why?
Because: attention spans are fleeting.
You don’t have to dig up fact sheets and industry stats to realize people want shorter content. All you have to do is look at the popularity of platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Google, too, has a tendency to promote short, concise answers by way of featured snippets.
So, back to the point — the FAQ format:
- Short, concise answers — You’re no longer having to commit to 2,000+ word posts for questions that likely only need 100-200 words.
- You’re (likely) doing it already — Questions answered via comments and social posts could become part of your FAQ page or amended to blog posts.
- Be the expert — Great answers help show off your expertise and knowledge; this helps with brand and authority building.
- More long-tail keywords — Amending a Q&A section to content lets you easily add secondary keywords to a page (which helps it show up in more Google searches).
Think of how many questions you receive about your business, products, and services. Now, imagine if you harnessed that effort answering them and applied it as content. You’ve now got a steady stream of content that attracts leads, builds authority, and converts visitors!
Start Small: The Frequently Asked Questions Page
Everyone running a business gets questions about what they do and offer. Sometimes you receive these questions every day. Answering them is a priority but you also don’t want to take up half your day covering the same subjects.
That’s where the FAQ page comes in.
A frequently asked questions page (on your site or in a bio) answers common questions received via:
- One-to-one chats with clients
- Inquiries via contact forms
- Comments and responses
- Site visits and activity
- On-site searches
You can also begin collecting customer service questions. Or, ask your team what questions they’re asked day in and day out. This gives you a monster list of topics for the FAQ page!
The creation of this page is like any other:
- Create a new page on your website set as ‘Frequently Asked Questions’
- Set up the page using a question and answer format
- Continually update this as you notice/answer common questions
There are FAQ plugins (WordPress) that make this process even easier. Ultimate FAQs, Accordion FAQ, and Easy Accordion are three standout options. Give them an install and experiment with the Q&A format where you see fit!
Go Big: Amending Blog Posts with Q&A Sections
I’ve noticed an uptick in adding a Q&A section to bigger content pieces.
These act as a sort of “catch-all” with the subtopics of a blog post. You know, all those questions someone may have that don’t need a huge section in the main blog.
What’s particularly great about answering FAQs on an existing post is that:
- Keep things relevant — Google loves timely information and amending + updating a page with new content is the way to go; FAQs are an easy way to expand the topic without fundamentally changing the core feature.
- Make it skimmable — A lot of people skim content and may skip over big, important sections of your blog posts; a section for Q&A could reiterate the main points and work as an extra call-to-action for the page!
- It adds engagement — Comments are great for engaging site visitors but they’re often buried on the page; FAQs let people contribute while giving them a shout-out.
This last part is especially powerful.
Turning comments and questions from visitors into Q&A sections leverages the concept of user-generated content. Your audience is creating content for you.
It’s a powerful way to both save time AND capture a ton of keywords + subtopics. It’s also fantastic for giving people a voice and having them feel part of your community.
Get Creative: Repurposing Questions and Answers
The last thing I want to cover is how the Q&A format offers a ton of content flexibility. Specifically, you can do a lot with it since it’s such a direct, no-nonsense format.
Need ideas and inspiration? Consider this:
- Doing an AMA-like live session — Taking some of those FAQs and answering them live via Facebook Video, Zoom, or whatever live streaming platform you want. Then, taking questions from your audience, too. This turns into a sort-of “Ask Me Anything” experience that lets you connect with the audience and inform.
- Creating simple videos — Got a social account? Of course, you do and already know the value of posting great content. So, why not turn each of those responses to common questions into a short video? Give it a try and see the response!
- Expanding on the topic — Some questions may catch you off guard (those big questions you never thought to be asked). If it’s worth the extra effort then go ahead and expand that response into a full-fledged blog post. This is an incredible tactic if you’re on Clubhouse (take those questions and discussions and create big posts on your site!)
There are a ton of ways to repurpose content.
The Q&A stuff is no different when it comes to what you can do with it when you’re feeling creative. In fact, it might be easier to repurpose and remix it into something because it’s so focused!
From transforming questions/answers into infographics or videos to GIFs and audio, see what you can do with this format to boost lead, branding, and sales efforts.
Be the Answer to Their Needs
The Q&A format is extremely powerful as you begin to explore all the ways you can use it across your website, social media, and other business assets.
A lot of the work is already done…
…you just need to condense it.
Look through those inquiries from your contact forms. Check through your emails. Ask team members what questions they’re receiving. Ask the audience. And, use research tools to dig into what people are looking for online.
Give it your best shot at answering these frequently asked questions.
No doubt, the Q&A format will turn into new ways to attract leads to the pages it’s on. In turn, you’re also building your authority on the subject. And, you’re satisfying that curiosity they have which can then turn them into paying customers for your online course.
So here’s what happens next.
Come on by our Facebook group and start asking questions! We’re there to offer deep insights and so is our amazing community!
