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Update Outdated Copy with FAQs to Enrich Search

by Sheetal Pinto - Published on 11/12/2020 06:00

If you’ve done a Google search recently, you’ve come across some of the newer features of search. For some searches, videos are getting more notice for more interactive and informative information for users. Another addition to search is the rich FAQ snippets or “people also ask” boxes. Google’s “mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Understanding that Google and other search engines aren’t created for your online marketing efforts can help you provide the right content to maximize your SEO strategy. FAQs were once an afterthought. Today, FAQs can boost your organic search efforts in multiple ways. Almost every page has the potential to function like an FAQ page.

A Well-Designed FAQ Page Improves Your Rankings in Search

The FAQ page on your website provides customers with a central place to find quick answers. A well-designed FAQ page gives your audience a sense of your overall website. If customers can’t find answers to their simple questions, they may question your effectiveness. A good FAQ page addresses basic information about your products, services, and overall business. As your customers read your FAQ page, they’re engaging with your website, which plays a big role in your SEO strategy.
When creating your FAQ page:

  • Keep it organized for customers and SEO. As you increase the number of FAQs, try to organize your questions into categories to make it easy for customers to find answers.
  • Use everyday language that your audience can understand. FAQs aren’t for industry jargon or technical terms.
  • Make your FAQ page interesting by adding images and screenshots. Videos can also enhance your customer’s understanding. FAQs don’t have to be answered in words.

Using FAQs to Earn Search Real Estate 

With Google’s enhanced search, FAQs can show up in search listings. For example, in the “People Also Ask” results, you can easily click on the question to get a quick answer. These organic results are another way to get noticed in search. If you aren’t providing answers for your audience, your competitors will. FAQ pages can pay off for you not just with your readers, but in search engine rankings. FAQs that show up in search are not promotional but informational. Once you think through the types of questions that may show up in search, you can build a FAQ page and content strategy that boosts your SEO efforts and engages with your readers.

Using FAQs in Your Content Strategy 

Your FAQ page may not be one of your most exciting pieces of content, but content it is. You should treat your FAQ page as you do any content by enriching it with keywords and optimizing it for search. Include calls to action in the answers to direct your customers to your sales pipeline. Link FAQs to other pages on your website. If your customer is reading the FAQ page, give them ways to become more interested by showcasing your most popular content through their questions.

FAQ Enriched Results for Search

FAQs aren’t only relegated to your FAQ page. Including FAQs on other pages of content can help users get the information they want and help search engines understand your content to index it in search.

Your brand can use the FAQPageSchema WordPress Plugin to highlight FAQs for search. You only need to have two FAQs on the same page with at least two questions followed by the answers.

Google offers guidelines for enriching content with FAQs. One important factor is to make sure that the questions are answered by the same person. This content cannot be a forum where users are allowed to answer questions. These questions should be informational. Enriched FAQs cannot be used for advertising purposes. When you’re using the plugin, use the entire question and answer. Q&A content won’t be displayed if it contains profanity, obscenity, or violence. When using the plugin, don’t markup every instance of the same question.

Look at a page in your content to find out where to build in FAQs. Use a tool like Text Optimizer to help you determine what questions are being asked by users. Focus on your customer’s journey to know what questions they’re asking as they move toward a purchase. Refresh older copy instead of creating new pages to use your content assets.

FAQ Pages Are a Treasure Trove for Search

Your FAQ pages serve many purposes. By giving customers answers to their questions, you build trust in your brand. It saves time for your customer service team when they aren’t answering the same questions over and over again. Search engines can find information for customers to link to your pages. Take a look at the data analytics for your FAQ page and see how your audience is using your FAQ page. Update it to make it more search and user-friendly.

Search is a constantly changing platform as user behaviour develops and changes. MintCopy’s team of SEO writers keeps up with best practices for fresh content that delivers results. We can help you add FAQs to your current content that helps your customers find answers. Discuss your content marketing needs with our marketing specialists to find solutions.

Use our online form to get in touch. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest content marketing trends.

Resources:

https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2020/10/google-faq-rich-snippets/

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Filed under: content marketing, content strategy, content writing, SEO strategy, SEO writers

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