The key to successful search engine optimization is to always have it “on the brain.” Successful search marketers take the time to think about how every facet of the business can improve SEO efforts. For example, let’s take a look at how the company website FAQ page can be turned into something much more.
Depending on the nature of the business or industry, an FAQ page can be very beneficial. Current and potential clients visit a business website to find more information. It’s very likely that they are looking for the same information as others. It’s a smart business (and web development) practice to easily lead them to the answers. An FAQ page demonstrates that the business understands its target audience and wants to assist them in making their decisions. But why should it stop there? Content is what fuels a search engine optimization campaign and instills trust amongst target audience members. Therefore, frequently asked questions should be used as a resource to create additional web content.
The first way in which FAQs can be leveraged for content marketing is to build a web page for each question. Many businesses have one long list of questions and answers on one FAQ page, but none of the answers are very deep. Remember, website visitors are looking for information to decide whether or not they should do business with you or the other guy. There’s no reason to hide anything. In fact, businesses that are more transparent with their policies and processes are more likely to capture attention and earn trust. Instead of one FAQ page with all of the questions and answers, link out to additional pages that answer the question more thoroughly. The search engines love content and a website that has lots of quality content will always be viewed more favorably than one that doesn’t. Of course, in order to use this approach, it needs to be justified. Don’t create lots of pages if the content is going to be flimsy. Expand upon each answer to create a web page with a respectable amount of content pertaining to that question.
Once new pages have been created for each question, it’s important to optimize them and include custom meta tags. Conduct some keyword research and incorporate chosen keywords and keyword phrases naturally throughout the content and meta tags just as you would any other page of the website. An FAQ page is a great place to target some long tail keywords that can result in increased traffic.
Another way to use frequently asked questions for content marketing is to write blog posts, articles, guides, e-books, and whitepapers that are inspired by the questions. Sure, content is created for SEO and link building purposes, but potential clients and customers are the true target audience members. This kind of content is only beneficial to them if it provides them with information or helps them answer a question or solve a problem. What better place to look for content topic ideas than your frequently asked questions?
