With online shopping at a near all-time high, it’s no surprise that ecommerce brands are seeing a large influx of new shoppers. But with new customers comes an influx of questions. Even if your product detail pages contain a wealth of information, shoppers may still be deterred from purchasing if outlying questions aren’t answered. Customers expect timely and relevant answers that build trust in the brand. But scaling those answers can be tough — if you’re not using Community Q&A. Community Q&A is the community-driven solution to product questions.

Community Q&A vs. FAQ Page

Community Q&A is different from an FAQ page. The FAQ page has questions and short answers about general information, such as shipping or payment methods. The Q&A section, most commonly found below the product description, shows customer questions with answers from both customers and your brand. While your FAQ could absolutely include questions asked in the Community Q&A, it serves a uniquely beneficial purpose.

Five Reasons Why Community Q&A Wins With Customers

1. Answers the Questions Only Other Customers Can Answer

This is the most basic aspect of the Q&A section. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and browse your website. Imagine you’re there for the first time, and you want to learn more about the product you intend to purchase. You’ll go ahead and ask a question or check to see if someone else did before you and what the answer was. The Q&A section provides customers with additional information without contacting customer support, knowing someone personally who owns the product, or looking for the answers on other pages. Community Q&A is a quick way for people to learn more and connect with each other. If a customer asks a question about your product, chances are other customers were wondering the same thing. By giving them a space dedicated to answering their questions, you can enhance their online shopping experience and make it easier to feel confident about a purchase.

2. Improves the Product Page User-Experience

The product detail page (PDP) should be the best source of information for a product. While it’s impossible to anticipate every single question a customer might have about a specific product, community Q&A can fill in the gaps and add a lot of value. Desktop or mobile, customers should be able to ask questions and answer them easily–right from the product page.

Answered Q&A not only offers necessary information about the product, it also provides social proof that other, like-minded customers are purchasing these products. This helps to keep shoppers on that page and out of third-party comparison sites.

3. Saves Customer Support for Order-Specific Inquiries

Customers expect low wait times when contacting support about a pressing issue. If your support lines are being bogged down with simple product questions, community Q&A can help here as well.

The more customers you have, the more questions will likely be answered by other shoppers. By minimizing time spent answering questions that customers who already own the product might be more equipped and trustworthy to answer, your employees can focus on solving real problems and help you avoid negative feedback.

4. Establishes Social Proof  

As previously mentioned, social proof is the idea that customers can validate a product based on other user’s experiences with it. Whenever a shopper asks a question, it means that they expect your brand community to know what you’re selling. People will decide whether to buy from you based on those answers. If you know your product in detail and prioritize amplifying the voices of customers in your Q&A section, your shoppers will believe you. The Q&A section establishes you as a trustworthy business, meaning that people will connect with your brand better. This section also shows you’re thinking proactively and are doing your best to keep your customers happy, while giving them a place for ongoing, authentic dialogue.

5. Helps Grow the Brand Community

Building a brand community means being close to your customers. Every channel, even your product pages, can be a two-way conversation that results in an engaged community if you use the right tactics. With Community Q&A, each unique person can bring their perspective and share it with other customers in the form of a personalized answer. When more difficult and support-oriented questions arise, your Q&A section can be answered in a way that suits your brand. Adapt the tone and voice of your answers to your products and store. Don’t be afraid to show customers what your brand stands for.

Community Feedback that Scales

By taking a community-driven approach to your Q&A sections, you allow people to connect with your brand as well as with each other. Social proof comes from hearing the stories of customers people can relate to, so taking a dual approach to question answering gives your users the best and most authentic online shopping experience.