How to Write FAQs for your Service-Based Business Website
Skipping out on adding a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to your small business’ website? You’re missing out!
In my (humble) opinion as a website copywriter, FAQs are such an underrated yet important part of your site. I honestly think they need to undergo a little bit of a rebrand, because so many people think of them as stale and just another piece of a website people scroll past without reading.
Keep reading to learn more about why you need FAQs for your website, how to write your own, and some copywriter-approved (that’s me!) FAQs for your own site.
Why Do I need FAQs for my website, anyway?
So many websites use their FAQs as a place to answer generic questions that don’t really add anything for the reader. They feel like an afterthought when really, they should be an important part of your business’ website!
Here’s how FAQs can help your site:
address common questions before site readers even reach out
Yes, you can create a template for your commonly answered questions over email, but FAQs help you save time answering the same question over and over!
Your FAQs can answer someone's burning questions BEFORE they even contact you. Even if you have a spot on your site that says “email me if you have any questions!”, lots of people won't reach out to ask about shipping options or if you have payment plans (mostly because they don't want to wait hours or days to wait for your reply so they can make a purchasing decision). They'll simply go somewhere else.
PRE-QUALIFY YOUR AUDIENCE WITH THOUGHTFUL FAQS
Want to book more discovery calls that lead to hell-yes clients? Dying for fewer requests for last minute website design? Adding FAQs to your website can help you do that!
MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FEEL LIKE YOU’RE THE SERVICE PROVIDER OR COACH FOR THEM!
People feel more confident inquiring with a service provider or coach when they know details! Specific, thoughtful FAQs give your site visitors the information they need to decide if you’re the right fit.
AND OF COURSE, FAQS ARE IMPORTANT FOR SEO PURPOSES, TOO
You can add keywords that relate to your industry and that tells Google it should show your website to a relevant audience.
Can you eliminate every potential customer question with FAQs? Of course not. But when you have on-brand and genuinely informative FAQs, you'll make it WAY easier for people to book with or buy from you.
HOW TO COME UP WITH FAQS FOR YOUR SITE:
The hardest part of adding (or revamping) your FAQs? Figuring out exactly which ones you should add. Instead of throwing together some generic questions, here are some things to try to come up with your own frequently asked questions:
Think about the questions your audience is asking you
What questions are people asking in your DMs or email? On your Instagram, Facebook, or Tik Tok posts? On discovery calls when they inquire? What are they asking about your processes, timeline, cost, how to prepare for your service, or anything else? If you can see a common pattern between questions people ask, create an FAQ for it!
Search to see what people are most commonly searching for in your industry
Use Google to see what people are searching for. For example, if people are searching “brand photographer”, Google will show similar questions like, “why should I hire a brand photographer?” and “who needs personal brand photography?”. You can also try tools like Answer the Public to see what questions or topics people are searching for related to your niche.
Read through this Instagram post for suggestions for FAQs in your industry
This one’s a bit of a gimmie, but I created some FAQs you can borrow for your own site. This is especially for you if you’re a social media manager, wedding industry professional, virtual assistant, or website designer!
Think about common “objections” you get on discovery calls or in your DMs.
For example, people on discovery calls for my Done-with-You Copy package often ask me, “I'm not a good writer. How can I be sure I can do this?”. Your FAQs are a great spot to reassure them (kindly and honestly) and make them feel more confident about working with you!
EXAMPLES OF FAQS FOR YOUR SITE:
Because I love making things easy for you, here are a few examples of FAQs you can use on your website for your service-based business! Take which ones that make the most sense for your business (and leave what doesn’t).
For in-person service providers:
Do you take insurance?
Where are you based? Do you travel, and are there fees associated with this?
What should I expect during our consultation?
For online service providers:
How far in advance should I book your service?
Are deposits refundable?
Do you offer payment plans or a flexible payment schedule? Do I need to pay a deposit?
How do I know if I need a [insert your title here] right now?
What type of brands do you usually work with? OR what kind of brands do you have experience working with?
What platforms/software do you work with? Do I need to pay for or have a subscription for these services?
How do you communicate with clients?
What should I have in place before booking your service (ie. brand photos, a website, etc)?
How long will [insert service here] take?
Set aside some time this week to add FAQs to your site! Your audience will thank you.
BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY…
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Peek at my services page: Want help avoiding these web copy mistakes? Explore my done-for-you and done-with-you website copy options!
Learn more about marketing on the blog: Curious about if you should include your pricing on your site? This one's for you!
