When I am working on our website content, someone will often say, “Let’s add an FAQs section.” It sounds like a quick fix. It feels helpful. It sounds quick. It feels like the easiest way to tidy up a messy set of questions.
But in reality, FAQs rarely help our users. In fact, they often make things harder.
Frequently Asked Questions put our problems on display
When we fall back on FAQs, we are actually signalling something important: our content isn’t clear enough. If people keep asking the same question, it usually means we haven’t explained the answer properly on the main page. Adding the question to an FAQs list doesn’t fix the problem, it just hides it somewhere else.
They are slow and hard to read
Most people don’t read websites word‑for‑word. They scan.
FAQs break this pattern completely. Instead of clear, front‑loaded headings, every line starts with “How…”, “What…”, or “Why…”. This slows people down and forces them to read every question in full before they know whether it’s useful.
Our job is to help users find answers quickly. FAQs do the opposite.
They create duplication (and confusion)
FAQs almost always repeat content that already exists elsewhere on the site. That means:
- We end up with two versions of the same information
- Search engines show duplicate results
- Someone eventually updates one version, but not the other
- That is how outdated content sneaks in, and that is when people lose trust.
What do we do instead
Instead of collecting questions, we fix the content.
Here’s what works far better than FAQs:
- Write clear, descriptive headings – users should know instantly what a section is about.
- Structure content around real tasks – what the user is trying to do, not what we think they might ask.
- Explain things once, in the right place – that reduces confusion and keeps everything consistent.
- Use plain English – always. Clear, friendly language helps everyone.
If a service keeps receiving the same question, that is not a sign we need more FAQs. It is a sign we need to improve the page the question should have answered.
Better content equals fewer questions
When we make our content simple, logical and task‑focused, people don’t need an FAQ page at all.
They find what they need the first time and that is the real test of good content.
We are here to help people take action, apply, report, pay, understand or get support. FAQs get in the way of that. Good content clears the path.
