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Question and answer blog posts are a great way to establish your blog as having expertise in a particular area. In this post, we will discuss how you can use this type of post with good SEO to rank higher on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).
What is a question and answer blog post?
In a question and answer blog post the blogger asks the question and then answers it themselves. The blog post can be on just about anything from healthy meals to job interviews to how to write a blog post!
This type of post allows the blogger to show their expertise in their niche and helps to build the credibility of your site. It’s useful for learners, helping them to find the information they need. The information can also be used across social media or even YouTube.
How do I choose my questions?
Use your SEO keyword research to generate lists of keyword terms for your post. Generate questions around the terms of the keywords, this can generate good organic traffic to your site.
For example Main keyword – Clean slow cooker
Possible questions could include:
- How do you clean a slow cooker?
- Can you clean a slow cooker in the dishwasher?
- Do slow cooker pot liners help to keep it clean?
- How do I get grease out of my slow cooker pot?
You can also look at the People Also Ask section or the related searches in the search results. This is a really useful way to find questions people are asking and you can address them in your post. You could compile your answers into one blog post or break it up into a series of smaller posts to tackle the question.
It is also beneficial to think back to when you were a beginner in your niche, what questions did you ask? Write a post to answer these questions, if it helped you it can help others too.
Creating a FAQ post
Another option is to write a FAQ post or have a FAQ section on another relevant post. A FAQ post includes more questions and shorter answers.
The answers may be listed and numbered or bullet-pointed. It is commonly aimed at those who are new to the topic but want to find out more information.
This type of post can often be seen on sales pages to answer questions about a product or service. It gives people the information they need about the product to decide if they want to make a purchase and it tackles common questions to reduce customer service queries.
How do you format a Q&A blog post?
Use your main question as the title and then answer the question at the start of your post.
For the main body of your post, you could use a numbered list or paragraphs.
Give a simplified answer initially and then go into more detail in the main part of your post. Keep paragraphs short and use headings so people can scan the article and easily see the section they need. Include sub-questions and sections if needed.
As you write your answers in response to the question try to not use “I …” You can share your opinion but make the post about your readers.
Use a table of contents plugin or WordPress block so readers can quickly see and skip to the questions and answers that they need.
SEO tips for Q&A posts
Just as with any other blog post, it is important to do your own SEO research for a question and answer post. Make sure to include keywords in the question.
Use a strong meta description that pulls people’s attention in from the search results. Add relevant images and step by step photos for tutorial-style Q&As if you can. Always use a description in the ALT text that includes your main keyword.
An easier to write blog post option
Question and answer posts are great for giving your readers a sense of what your blog is all about. They can be considered an easier type of post to write. When you have your question for the post, the rest of the post comes together around it. It showcases the type of topics that you cover in your blog. These types of posts can be both informative and entertaining. They work well with additional information and links to other resources on similar topics.