This week’s Ask An SEO question comes from Aleksandar, who asks:
“Is there a role for product Q&A for a fashion brand, which only sells its own branded products, besides the obvious question on the sales/delivery/return process?”
Yes, there is absolutely a role for product Q&A, and for FAQs on collections or categories.
This applies to all niches and industries and is especially relevant in fashion, even more so when the company retails its own products.
But it isn’t SEO-focused; it is about the user experience.
Don’t limit yourself to FAQs alone, descriptions, and answering common questions in the copy works, too. This is something we do a lot in conversion rate optimization (CRO).
A positive impact, when done correctly, is a reduction in customer returns and wait times due to poor website experiences with customer support. I share some examples by page type below.
Proper Q&A on relevant pages answers visitors’ questions so they know the product or service will meet their needs. When you build the consumer’s confidence, they may be more inclined to click add to cart, schedule a meeting, or fill out a form.
Don’t be afraid to say the product or accessory won’t work either, this lets you have an internal link to the product or service while leading them to a working solution.
The first place we look for questions are live chat transcripts and customer service emails – and then we go to the web.
If you look at popular review sites, forums, and communities, you’re going to find questions that your own customers and your competitor’s customers are asking.
Here are a few examples by page type that I either researched or really want to try if the opportunity arises. I’ll start with product pages, then do categories, and finally, a homepage and FAQ.
Product Pages
If the query is about the product in particular and it doesn’t apply to other products you sell, place the content on the specific product page.
I normally do the catch-all vs. the variants like size or color. If you have your canonical links set correctly, you can include them on variants. I’ll use fashion here as the example since that was in your question.
Answer product questions like how the fit of the garment feels, or maybe whether it is meant for pear body shapes or diamonds. You can also compare the sizing of your products to popular brands, like how your company’s medium size fits like the XYZ size at AB, a popular retail store with the same customer demographics.
Do you sell hair care products? Mention the hair types as well as thickness and lengths it is best for, or if it is not good for hair that is dry or chemically treated.
This applies to shoes, too, where you’ll want to talk about them being good for play or comfort, road running or trail hiking, and whether the person pronates or not.
Putting this information in the copy above the call to action (CTA) can help the user make a decision, and there is no harm in placing them in FAQs on the page since they are product-specific. I’ve done this with electronics, fashion, toys, tools, and plenty of other niches.
Collections And Categories
If you work in Shopify, you’ll know this as collections; for most other platforms, they’re called categories. It is a grouping of similar products or services that meet a consumer’s needs.
It could be split by sizes, colors, variations, etc., and adding in questions and answers works just like the product pages above.
In the copy above and below the product grid, don’t keyword stuff for SEO. Instead, answer the questions consumers are asking while focusing on brand talking points and benefits.
You’ll be displaying why the person should shop from the selection of options on the page, have opportunities for natural internal links, and be able to build confidence that the consumer is in the right place.
Instead of a retail experience, I’ll use cruise ships for this one.
I’ve never worked with a cruise company before, but I’ve had this idea for about 10 or so years and have never seen it done. I was researching which cruise to take and saw cabin bathroom questions for a person of size often come up in forums.
I have about 20 more ideas for cruise lines, airlines, and hotels that are similar. Hint hint: If you work in this space, submit an Ask An SEO question so I can get them into writing and out into the world.
Cruise ships are notorious for maximizing limited space. That means they may not be friendly for all types of consumers based on size and physical abilities. You could use text and written language, which is normally smart, and you can use visuals.
My idea here is to have eight or so “tour guides” that can walk the person through the experience as themselves. At least one model should be over 6 foot 5, one should be plus size, and one in a wheelchair.
Not all showers in all cabin types will be able to accommodate someone who is larger, for example. By having a model that resonates with the cruise shopper, they can find out if the cabin type is a match, and the tour guide can walk them through which cabin experience may be better and alternatives like a locker room shower.
Locker room showers on the ships tend to be large and spacious, and the water pressure is normally fantastic. This appeared in multiple comments when I was doing the research and true on the ship we were on.
Tall people may want to see what it’s like to walk through the ship, try the games and amenities like waterslides, and see if there are activities they may not be able to participate in.
The same goes for someone in a wheelchair or who has mobility issues.
If they can have a tour guide that shows the distance from specific rooms to elevators and the fastest routes possible to dining areas and entertainment, they will know if the ship or cabin they’re looking at is right or if they should select a different one.
Home And FAQ Pages
Your homepage and FAQ pages are more similar than you think. The homepage is the perfect space to answer questions about your brand, service, and product lines, as well as things customers want to know. Do this in paragraph form.
You’ll be building natural mentions of collection or category pages for keyword rich internal links that guide the user to the correct experience while you build consumer confidence.
On your FAQs, list out brand and company questions that do not apply to a specific category or product. This could include hours of operation, return policies, where you ship to, and the costs, as well as funny questions to hide an “easter egg” for consumers and fans of your brand to find.
Before you begin adding FAQs to any page, make sure the FAQ applies to that page and not to others. You don’t want to add content for the sake of adding content.
Questions and answers on a collection page should be about the collection, not a specific product. And product questions shouldn’t be about company policies, they should be about the product on that page.
I hope you found this answer helpful. It is one of the tools we use to help save on logistics and overhead expenses and to increase conversions. Great question, and thank you for asking it!
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Featured Image: Visual Generation/Shutterstock