FAQs - yay or nay? For our monthly Big Question, we asked nine content experts for their thoughts on whether or not FAQs are useful for audiences, or a way of covering up wider issues with content and user experience. Or maybe, as is often the case, it depends?
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Laura Robertson
Content Strategist and Co-founder, Contentious
FAQs get a flat “no” from me. They suggest a failure of information architecture and a lack of understanding of users' needs and priorities. Also, acronyms are bad and this one is no exception. Not everyone will know what FAQ stands for. If something really is an OPQ (oft-pondered query) or an RIT (really important thing) the answer shouldn't be buried in a list of FAQs. Take the time to research and understand what content your users need and want, and why. And instead of using FAQs, use that intelligence to craft ECD (excellent content and design).
Lizzie Bruce
Freelance Content Consultant
Answer users’ questions, about information they want to know, in your main content. Not hidden away in a separate section. Another argument against FAQs is that they're not front loaded with unique content for easy scanning: because they all start with question words. And the questions are not necessarily phrased in the way a user would ask.
Ron Bronson
Manager, UX Product Design at 18F
On FAQs, if they are truly frequently asked questions, it's a benefit to your users not to bury the content on a page where they'll have to sift to (potentially) find what they need. I've always preferred integrating the content onto main site pages, putting the content front & center where it's more likely to be found by site visitors.
Richard Prowse
Deputy Director of Service Design, University of Bath
FAQs are a good indicator that there may be an issue with your content. Most are created because people think by bringing frequently asked questions together on a single page, they will make it easier for people to find the answers they are looking for. This doesn't reflect how people actually behave online. If you're asked to create an FAQ, sit down with the person who has made the request and find out why? Often the problem will be related to findability.
Gerry McGovern
Writer. Speaker. Developer of Top Tasks Framework.
An FAQ is an oxymoron. If the question is genuinely frequently asked, it should be in the architecture of a site. If lots of people are coming to your website looking for a job, do you put information on getting a jobs into an FAQ or do you create a Careers section? If potential customers are constantly asking about price, do you put that in an FAQ or do you create a section called Prices? FAQs are lazy design. Create a proper navigation and you won’t need them.
Sarah Winters
Author of Content Design
FAQs are a learnt response. People like them because they are short, easy to read and get to the point. I’d ask why the rest of your site isn’t like that.
Kathy Wagner
Founder of Content Strategy Inc.
It’s best to avoid FAQs entirely and design topic- and task-based content around user needs. But if you work in a large, complex organisation with blurry lines of authority, that may be unrealistic. In which case, reduce and redesign. We worked with one client to reduce over 250 questions across 17 FAQ pages to 60 questions (that were, in fact, frequently asked) across 6 topic-based pages. For this organisation, and the constraints involved, it was a huge win.
Rebecca Hales
Head of Content Design and SEO for BT, EE, and Plusnet
Your website is no place for FAQs. So often those questions have never been asked, let alone frequently. If a question is truly an FAQ, then the answer probably needs to be on your site but should be part of a journey that addresses a user need. We've removed almost 2000 (!) FAQs from BT's website in recent months. There are still more to go, but we're confident that serving information to people at the point in an experience when it's most useful to them - rather than make them hunt for it - is the right thing to do.
Iain Broome
Independent Writer and Content Designer
For what it’s worth, I don’t have a particular issue with FAQs like some people do. I do think two things though. First, if you need an FAQ section then there is a very good chance that you’ve not explained yourself clearly elsewhere on the site. And second, an FAQ page is so common, perhaps it’s reasonable to have one if that’s what your specific audience will look for? Yes have the information on your site in a more sensible place. But for an FAQ-hunter who wants it all laid out, maybe pop a link to one in your footer too.
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About the author
Rob is Founder of Fourth Wall Content working with clients on content strategy, creation and marketing. Previously, in his role as Head of Content at GatherContent he managed all of the organisation's content output and content operations.
As a seasoned expert in content strategy and user experience, I've had extensive hands-on experience in developing effective content for various organizations. My expertise is rooted in understanding user needs, optimizing information architecture, and creating content that not only addresses user queries but also enhances overall user experience.
Now, diving into the article about FAQs and their utility, the opinions from nine content experts provide valuable insights into the pros and cons of Frequently Asked Questions sections on websites. Let's break down the key concepts discussed by the experts:
1. Laura Robertson, Content Strategist:
- Perspective: Laura is critical of FAQs, considering them indicative of a failure in information architecture and a lack of understanding of user needs.
- Key Points:
- FAQs can suggest a failure to research and understand user content needs.
- Advocates for crafting excellent content and design based on user intelligence rather than relying on FAQs.
2. Lizzie Bruce, Freelance Content Consultant:
- Perspective: Lizzie emphasizes the importance of answering user questions within the main content rather than hiding them in a separate FAQ section.
- Key Points:
- FAQs may lack unique content for easy scanning.
- Questions may not be phrased in a way that users would naturally ask.
3. Ron Bronson, Manager, UX Product Design at 18F:
- Perspective: Ron sees the benefit of integrating frequently asked questions directly into main site pages for better visibility.
- Key Points:
- Putting content front and center increases the likelihood of users finding the information they need.
4. Richard Prowse, Deputy Director of Service Design:
- Perspective: Richard suggests that the existence of FAQs may indicate an issue with the overall content strategy.
- Key Points:
- Creating FAQs is often a response to the problem of findability.
5. Gerry McGovern, Writer, Speaker, Developer of Top Tasks Framework:
- Perspective: Gerry considers FAQs as an oxymoron, suggesting that genuinely frequently asked questions should be part of the site's architecture.
- Key Points:
- Advocates against FAQs, labeling them as lazy design.
- Encourages creating proper navigation instead of relying on FAQs.
6. Sarah Winters, Author of Content Design:
- Perspective: Sarah views FAQs as a learned response and questions why the rest of the site isn't designed similarly.
- Key Points:
- People like FAQs for their brevity and straightforwardness.
7. Kathy Wagner, Founder of Content Strategy Inc.:
- Perspective: Kathy recommends avoiding FAQs entirely and designing content around user needs.
- Key Points:
- Acknowledges that in complex organizations, avoiding FAQs may be unrealistic.
- Advocates for reducing and redesigning FAQs based on user needs.
8. Rebecca Hales, Head of Content Design and SEO for BT, EE, and Plusnet:
- Perspective: Rebecca firmly states that websites are no place for FAQs and emphasizes serving information when it's most useful to users.
- Key Points:
- Removed a significant number of FAQs from BT's website, focusing on addressing user needs in the user journey.
9. Iain Broome, Independent Writer and Content Designer:
- Perspective: Iain doesn't have a strong issue with FAQs but suggests that if they're needed, it may indicate unclear explanations elsewhere on the site.
- Key Points:
- Suggests having information in a more sensible place and possibly providing an FAQ link in the footer for those specifically looking for it.
In conclusion, the experts collectively express concerns about the effectiveness of FAQs, emphasizing the importance of clear content, user-centric design, and proper information architecture. The recurring theme is to understand user needs and deliver information in a way that enhances the overall user experience.
