An FAQs – frequently asked questions – page can help users quickly find answers to common questions. It can be an incredibly valuable resource for reducing admin queries, improving your school website user experience and supporting search engine optimisation (SEO), which in turn should improve your school’s online visibility. Schools often overlook this page when building or updating their site.
Why FAQ pages matter on school websites
A well-structured FAQ page helps parents, pupils and staff save time and feel supported. Good FAQs reduce repetitive enquiries and create a more positive online experience.
The following FAQ page best practices are outlined to help you implement your frequently asked questions website design:
1. Group questions into clear categories
When looking at the layout of your school website FAQ page, rather than listing questions in a long list, divide them into sections such as admissions, uniform, term dates and curriculum. This helps users quickly scan and find what they need.
2. Make questions conversational and searchable
Use natural, plain language that reflects how people actually ask questions. This improves clarity for users and helps FAQs show up in search results. Showing that your school communication online is effective demonstrates that you are relatable, that you understand the needs of parents, pupils and staff, and indicates to prospective stakeholders that your overall communication is effective too.
3. Include internal links to relevant pages
Where possible, link answers to key pages like admissions forms, calendar events or policies. This not only helps users but improves site navigation and SEO.
4. Keep answers brief but informative
Avoid long-winded or vague responses. Aim for concise, clear answers that directly address the question. Use bullet points for longer content to aid readability.
5. Update your FAQ content regularly
Make sure answers stay accurate and reflect current policies, dates and school information. Regular updates signal to users and search engines that the website is active and trustworthy. When search engines see your website as trustworthy, this can help when it comes to search engine rankings.
6. Optimise for search engines
SEO for school websites is crucial for improving visibility. Use keyphrases that parents or students might type into Google and mark up the page with structured data – data that’s organised and formatted in a certain way, which makes it more readable and understandable by both people and machines – if possible. This increases the chance of your FAQs appearing in rich results or snippets – search results that include additional data, like star ratings, review counts, prices or images.
7. Design for mobile and accessibility
Ensure FAQ content is easy to read and navigate on all devices. Use collapsible menus, clear headings and readable font sizes to support mobile users and those with accessibility needs. This not only shows you care about all pupils, parents and staff, it also shows potential parents and students that you do all you can to communicate with, and support, those you teach, or work with.
There is no doubt that a well-designed FAQ page can be very impactful – both for the user experience and for your school communications.
Review your current FAQ section and consider updating it based on our education website design tips.
