talkmagic.co.uk

I'm currently working on my website and am having an FAQ page and it needs padding out a tad and would appreciate your suggestions as to what questions should appear on it, what do you get asked alot?

Now, before you tell me just to list the questions I actually get asked frequently, I'll explain my reasonings for an FAQ page in the first place. It's not somewhere for simple yes/no or bland answers. Each question is there to provide a hook, allowing me to elaborate and embelish on what I do, so I'm looking for inspiration for things I could possibly be asked.

For example:

How long did it take to be able to do the things you do? Can anyone do it?
I've been involved in this line of work/performace for almost 20 years. I began reading Tarot Cards at the age of 16 and have been an avid student of the paranormal, occult and mentalism since then.
I do not posess any special 'powers', instead I have, over the years, honed my natural intuition in ways that most people do not. I believe some people are more inately suitable for this kind of work than others but also that anyone can, theoretically, do exactly as I do, given enough time, practice, study and dedication.

Thus, a simple FAQ has allowed me to give a little bit of history to what I do, implies that the miracles I share with them are not just little 'tricks' and finally removes any idea that I am anything but 'one of them', merely using the same senses that they posess but in a different way (Osterlind puts it better than I do, but there you go, these are my words).

So, don't be shy, any suggestions?

I'd suggest you'll get more respect if you use the FAQ page for clear, straightforward answers to real questions.

People go to a FAQ because they have a specific question and want a quick practical answer. They won't appreciate having to wade through non-questions and thinly disguised sales talk. It could easily turn people off (I know it would me).

Certainly do as much as you can in the FAQ to show how professional you are, but leave the selling to other pages.

Good point, I'd never intended to have anything other than fairly simple obvious questions (though if they're obvious why can't I think of them?! )

That example is the most 'thorough' answer that I've got for everything I've come up with so far and I'd like to think it doesn't come across as a thinly veiled sales pitch. Does it?

*clears throat*
Don't ever ever ever ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever.
Ever ever, ever make a FAQ page for a webpage

They're not questions you're frequently asked. Heck, they're not even questions you're asked once

That sort of stuff can go onto other pages. For example, the example answer you've given can very easily fit into an "About me" page

kolm wrote:*clears throat*
Don't ever ever ever ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever.
Ever ever, ever make a FAQ page for a webpage

Why not? I'm not trying to be flippant or anything by asking that, I appreciate you of all people know your stuff in this field, I'm genuinely curious as to what the 'current thinking' about this is. Are they almost never visited or are they seen as dated etc?

kolm wrote:They're not questions you're frequently asked. Heck, they're not even questions you're asked once

Technically true, but that's a moot point imho. It seems a good way of getting a piece of information across that I want to get across that I might not be able to do elsewhere.
Which brings us nicely to....

kolm wrote:That sort of stuff can go onto other pages. For example, the example answer you've given can very easily fit into an "About me" page

Good point, I will probably give that a shot, not sure about my ability (as a writer) to get it across without it sounding long winded or just plain boring. My thinking is, that with FAQs, the reader gets the information in good sized, distinct chunks which are clearly laid out, rather than reading through a page of biography.

They're just seen as poor writing - little nuggets of information hidden away when they can be put to more use elsewhere

Some thinking about it here

kolm wrote:They're just seen as poor writing - little nuggets of information hidden away when they can be put to more use elsewhere

Some thinking about it here

Thanks kolm, that's given me some food for thought, I especially liked these two quotes from the ALA article:

Too many websites have FAQs that list questions the company wished users would ask. No good.

And especially this one:

If your FAQ page is answering questions that the rest of the website should answer, then you have a problem with your site content.

That sums up the argument against FAQs nicely I think and definitely makes me think about the content.

FAQs no more I think! Thanks to both of you!

Don't call it FAQs. Why not 'Things you should know' or 'Helpful info'? This way, you are saying that the area is helpful to them. Semantics maybe but important onetheless.

Whether or not you call it FAQ or other, the simple fact is questions about where you learnt what you know etc aren't important to somebody wishing to book you.

Whether or not you are insured, how you will be presented and how long your act is, are the kind of questions a potential bookee would be asking.

Exactly. What you want to put in this section is information that will be of help to a potential client,whether it is frequently asked about or not.

Where you learned something isn't; whether you are insured is.

I use companies' FAQ pages often, and yes, they're probably not actually "frequently asked" questions. But they're where you look for the quick factual answers to basic questions. They're especially likely to be used by newcomers to the site.

For a magician's site, I'd expect, not necessarily in this order:

Who are you? (name, sex, age, any distinguishing features)
What sort of magic do you do? What sort of style/feel?
What do you charge?
Do you do weddings? stag/hen nights? children's parties? etc?
What's your geographical area? How far are you willing to travel?
How far in advance do you take bookings?
How can I contact you?

Keep the FAQ answers short, with links to other parts of the site if matters are too complex to cover in a few sentences. Links to other relevant web pages are always welcome anyway -- starting from the FAQ is a form of navigation.