[21-Day CX Challenge] #18 - Just the FAQs Ma'am, Just the FAQs

Hey there,

Today is all about questions and answers.

The Great Q&A Paradox

People have questions. And when people are customers (or potential customers) of your company, some of those questions are going to relate directly to the products and services your company offers.

Here's the rub: People don't like asking questions, at least not on the internet where doing so often means doing research on Google, filling out a form, or sending an email to someone they don't know.

But the alternatives aren't great: They mostly involve either making incorrect assumptions or worse, deciding that something's too complex and simply moving on to something else.

This is where a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page is key.

A simple collection of the most common questions -- and their answers -- is a great way to save your visitors from a headache.

Why This Matters

No matter what your company provides, chances are it creates a fundamental change in your customer's life.

When we're creating change, a necessary ingredient is education. It can be easy or it can be difficult, but it has to happen.

A good FAQ page on your website communicates to visitors:

You're experienced. You can anticipate your visitors' questions because you've done this many times before.
You care enough to educate. Customers are usually interested in the process. You're interested in rewarding that interest.
You're a partner and a guide. You're not just throwing around jargon and expecting your visitor to keep up. You're here to lead them.

Beyond that, when someone does go out searching for answers, you're keeping them off Google (where other sites, potentially even your competitors' can compete for their attention) and on your own site.

Today's Mission

Today your mission is to take steps to implement or improve your company's FAQ page.

If you don't have an existing FAQ page:

Create a collaborative spreadsheet. Include a column for the question, the answer, and the category or topic the question relates to -- this last column is key for helping group similar questions to make for an easier browsing process for your site's visitors.

Think about the most common questions you're asked and try to add a few. Don't feel pressure to make it perfect, just get those ideas out of your head and onto (virtual) paper!

Then share the spreadsheet with your team, inviting them to write down their ideas as well.

If you've already got an FAQ page:

Take a peek at it. Use the guidelines I write about in this post to see how your FAQ page measures up.

Are you creating the best experience you can for your site visitors? If not, it may be time to talk to your digital team about implementing some improvements.