FAQs¶

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) anticipate and answer common user questions. Well-crafted FAQs reduce support tickets, improve user experience, and demonstrate that you understand user needs. Poorly done FAQs frustrate users with irrelevant or unhelpful content.

FAQ Purpose¶

Good FAQs:

• Answer questions users actually ask
• Reduce support ticket volume
• Help users help themselves
• Improve discoverability through search
• Build confidence in the product

Writing Effective Questions¶

Use Real Questions¶

Base questions on actual user inquiries:

Sources: - Support tickets - Search queries - User interviews - Forum discussions - Sales conversations

Invented questions (avoid):

Is your product the best on the market?

Real questions (use):

Can I use the product offline?

Question Format¶

Write questions as users would ask them:

Formal:

What is the procedure for password recovery?

Natural:

How do I reset my password?

Question Scope¶

One clear topic per question:

Too broad:

How do I use the application?

Focused:

How do I create my first project?

Writing Effective Answers¶

Answer Directly¶

Start with the answer:

Indirect:

There are several factors to consider when thinking about data export capabilities. Our platform supports multiple formats...

Direct:

Yes, you can export your data anytime. Go to Settings > Export to download your data in CSV, JSON, or PDF format.

Be Complete¶

Answer the whole question:

Incomplete:

You can cancel your subscription from your account settings.

Complete:

Yes, you can cancel anytime. Go to Settings > Subscription and click Cancel. You'll keep access until the end of your billing period. You can reactivate anytime.

Include Next Steps¶

Guide users to related actions:

**Can I upgrade my plan?**

Yes. Go to Settings > Subscription and select your new plan.
The change takes effect immediately, and you'll be charged
the prorated difference.

[View plan comparison](../pricing.md) | [Contact sales for enterprise](../contact.md)

FAQ Structure¶

Organization Options¶

By topic:

## Account & Billing
- How do I change my password?
- How do I cancel my subscription?

## Features
- Can I use the product offline?
- How many users can I add?

## Troubleshooting
- Why is my data not syncing?
- Why can't I sign in?

By user journey:

## Getting Started
- How do I create an account?
- What are the system requirements?

## Daily Use
- How do I create a project?
- How do I share with my team?

## Advanced Topics
- How do I use the API?
- How do I set up integrations?

Standard Format¶

## [Question in natural language]

[Direct answer in first sentence]

[Additional details if needed]

[Steps if procedural]

[Links to related content]

Example FAQ¶

# Frequently Asked Questions

## Account

### How do I reset my password?

Click "Forgot Password" on the sign-in page, enter your email,
and we'll send you a reset link. The link expires in 24 hours.

If you don't receive the email, check your spam folder or
[contact support](../support.md).

### Can I change my email address?

Yes. Go to Settings > Profile and click "Change Email." You'll
need to verify your new email address before the change takes
effect.

### How do I cancel my account?

To cancel, go to Settings > Subscription > Cancel. You'll keep
access until the end of your current billing period. We'll send
you an email to confirm the cancellation.

Want to pause instead? [Learn about pausing your subscription](../subscription/pause.md).

## Features

### Does the product work offline?

The mobile app works offline for viewing and editing. Changes
sync automatically when you reconnect.

The web app requires an internet connection.

### How many team members can I add?

| Plan | Team Members |
|------|--------------|
| Free | 1 |
| Pro | 10 |
| Business | 50 |
| Enterprise | Unlimited |

[View all plan features](../pricing.md)

### Can I import data from other tools?

Yes. We support import from:
- Competitor A (direct import)
- Competitor B (CSV export/import)
- Spreadsheets (CSV or Excel)

Go to Settings > Import to get started. [Import guide](../guides/importing.md)

## Troubleshooting

### Why isn't my data syncing?

If data isn't syncing:
1. Check your internet connection
2. Sign out and sign back in
3. Check our [status page](https://status.example.com) for outages

If syncing still fails, [contact support](../support.md) with your
account email.

FAQ Anti-Patterns¶

Marketing Disguised as FAQ¶

Bad:

Q: Why is your product better than competitors? A: Our revolutionary platform offers unmatched performance...

Users see through promotional content in FAQs.

Questions Nobody Asks¶

Bad:

Q: What is your corporate mission? A: We believe in empowering users to achieve their goals...

Include only questions users actually ask.

Vague Answers¶

Bad:

Q: How much does it cost? A: Pricing depends on your needs. Contact sales for a quote.

If you can answer, answer. If you cannot, explain why clearly.

Outdated Information¶

Bad:

Q: How do I access the Dashboard? A: Click the Dashboard button in the left menu.

(When the UI has changed and there is no Dashboard button)

Keep FAQs current with the product.

Maintaining FAQs¶

Track Real Questions¶

Monitor incoming questions:

• Support ticket analysis
• Search query logs
• Chatbot interactions
• Forum discussions

Add new FAQs for recurring questions.

Review and Update¶

Regular maintenance:

• Verify answers are still accurate
• Update for product changes
• Remove obsolete questions
• Reorder by frequency or importance

Measure Effectiveness¶

Track FAQ performance:

• Which FAQs are viewed most
• Which FAQs lead to support tickets anyway
• Search terms that don't find relevant FAQs
• User ratings ("Was this helpful?")

FAQ Alternatives¶

Consider whether FAQs are the best format:

FAQs work best for simple, self-contained questions.

Summary¶

FAQs answer real user questions efficiently:

• Use questions users actually ask
• Answer directly and completely
• Organize logically for browsing and search
• Avoid marketing content disguised as FAQ
• Keep content current and accurate
• Track effectiveness and improve

Well-maintained FAQs reduce support burden while helping users find answers quickly.

Next: Tutorials covers learning-oriented documentation.