| name | faq-section-design |
| description | Use when designing FAQ sections. Covers the structure (accordion vs always-open), question selection (objection-driven), the answers that build trust, and the format.
|
FAQ Section Design
A great FAQ section preemptively kills objections. A bad one is filler.
Question selection
Questions should answer the buyer's REAL concerns, not your product's strengths.
Common categories:
- Is this legit? ("Is this legal advice?", "Is my data secure?")
- Cost objections ("Can I cancel?", "What if I outgrow it?")
- Comparison ("How is this different from X?")
- Implementation ("How long until I see value?", "Do I need to integrate anything?")
- Team / scope ("Do all my drivers need accounts?")
Audit your support tickets for question 1-10 most asked. Those are your FAQ.
Layout patterns
Accordion (most common)
Questions visible; answers expand on click.
Pros: Compact, scannable.
Cons: User has to click to see answers.
Always-open
All questions + answers visible.
Pros: All info visible, SEO-friendly.
Cons: Long page, fewer questions can be shown.
2-column
Questions left, answers right.
Pros: Easy scan + answer visible.
Cons: Less mobile-friendly.
For most SaaS, accordion is default. SEO-heavy pages use always-open.
Answer length
| Length | When |
|---|
| 1-2 sentences | Default for most questions |
| 1 paragraph | Nuanced topics (data security, legal disclaimers) |
| 2 paragraphs + link | Deep topics that deserve their own page |
NEVER more than 2 paragraphs in an FAQ answer. Move to a separate page.
Tone
FAQ should sound like you're talking to a real customer:
- Conversational
- Direct
- Honest about limitations
- Specific (not vague reassurance)
Bad: "Yes, we take security very seriously."
Good: "TLS 1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest, row-level security at the database level. Privacy policy here."
Linking from FAQ
Each answer should:
- Link to a deeper resource where applicable
- Link to a related FAQ
- Link to the relevant product page
Common mistakes
- Q&A that doesn't actually answer real customer questions
- 50 questions (too many — users give up)
- Sales-pitch answers ("Yes! And our product is amazing because...")
- Questions written in PR-speak ("What makes X3 Compass the leading...")
- Answers under 5 words (looks evasive)
- No FAQ section at all
Where this fits in X3 Compass
X3 Compass has FAQ on /faq plus inline FAQ section on homepage (8 expandables). Includes "Is this legal advice?", "What if AI is wrong?", "Cancel anytime?" — the real top concerns.
