Jeweller - November 2021

BUSINESS
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The hidden power of your website’s FAQ page
The ‘frequently asked questions’ page is often an afterthought when designing a website, but it can provide
opportunities to both promote your business and increase sales, writes DONNA ST JEAN CONTI.
Public relations (PR) practitioners have a
variety of tools at their disposal, with the
press release possibly the most used – but
anothe, the question-and-answer (Q&A)
is used less often, yet it can be highly
effective and useful.
As the playwright Eugène Ionesco wrote,
“It is not the answer that enlightens, but
the question.”
The Q&A is valued by editors, reporters,
and customers alike, as it provides
straightforward information about
a business, its products, and/or
its services.
When crafted well, they lead a reader
through and to the exact message the
communicator wants to deliver.
Addressing common enquiries
When customers or potential customers
want to learn more about you and your
business, an effective way to help them
with this is through a type of Q&A – the
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on
your website.
But what are these pages for, exactly?
According to Kelli Matthews, a PR
executive and academic, these pages
are essentially edited transcripts of
an interview that “includes both the
interviewer’s direct questions and the
interviewee’s response in written format.”
In an article published by the firm
Allen Hall Public Relations, Matthews
further explains that this format is often
preferable to that of a narrative story,
as it is simplistic and written in a “to-thepoint
fashion.”
Matthews identifies several important
steps in how to put together an effective
FAQ page, following this interviewstyle
format.
The most important point is that you
should think about the final product
and desired message before conducting
the ‘interview’.
First, type out the entire transcript before
editing. Then, arrange the questions in an
Answering your customers' questions can help you improve sales and SEO.
order that makes sense, and revisit the
page after you have written it.
Thinking of open-ended questions will
allow for more in-depth responses, and
editing a full transcript is easier than a
partial one.
Also, having questions arranged in
a meaningful way leads to efficient
navigation.
Revisiting the page after its completion
allows you to approach it in its entirety,
with a refreshed perspective – similar to
the way a customer, potential customer,
or journalist looking to write about your
business would.
Evolving the FAQ
The development of technologies such
as voice search, mobile search, and
personal/home assistants and speakers
has led to the resurgence of the Q&A.
In an article published on Search Engine
Journal – a website dedicated to search
engine optimisation (SEO) and digital
marketing news – Lee Wilson, head of
services for UK digital marketing agency
Vertical Leap, explored the role of the
FAQ page.
“FAQ pages can bring in new visitors
to your website via organic search and
drive them to related pages – most
typically deeper blog pages and service
Thinking of
open-ended
questions
will allow for
more in-depth
responses...
[and] having
questions
arranged in a
meaningful way
leads to efficient
navigation
pages closely related to the questions
being resolved,” Wilson wrote.
This is because all of these innovations
“rely on pre-results and can be targeted
specifically with FAQ pages.”
An effective FAQ page “reflects your
audience’s needs, covers a broad range
of intent, is frequently update with new
data, drives viewers to important pages
on the site, and showcases expertise and
authority within your niche,” he added.
Putting it all together
So, what goes into an effective Q&A?
Based on my own experience, and after
reviewing both Matthews’ and Wilson’s
articles, there are several answers:
• Approach your FAQ page with a bigpicture
perspective and create questions
for an interview that are open-ended
• Address the common needs of your
target audience
• Use the opportunity to lead the audience
to the message you want to convey. As part
of this, ensure that your questions and the
edited responses are to the point
When done correctly, FAQ pages instil a
sense of trust in your audience, removing
barriers to purchase by directing
customers – and potential customers
– to the information they need before
making a purchase.
They also showcase expertise and
authority in your category and improve
your SEO ranking.
DONNA ST JEAN CONTI is president
of St. Conti Communications, an
award-winning full-service marketing
communications agency specialising
in public relations, social media,
and writing support. Visit:
stconticommunications.com
November 2021 | 79