How to create reusable FAQs on Squarespace for better SEO and user experience

FAQs are a staple for any website aiming to enhance user experience and boost SEO. Including a FAQs section at the end of your blog posts not only addresses common questions but also ensures that your content remains user-friendly and optimized for search engines.

However, creating FAQs manually for each post can be time-consuming and repetitive. If you find yourself repeatedly copying and pasting similar content across various sections of your Squarespace site, it might be time to explore a more efficient approach. This guide walks you through creating reusable FAQs on Squarespace using tags, summary blocks, and custom CSS.

Why Reusable FAQs Matter

Reusable FAQs allow you to:

• Centralize your FAQ management, saving time and effort.

• Automatically update FAQs across multiple pages when changes are made.

• Enhance SEO by organizing content with long-tail keywords.

• Deliver a consistent user experience throughout your site.

Collecting User Questions for FAQs

Finding the right questions to include in your FAQs is crucial. Here are some effective methods:

1. Analyze Support Tickets: Review questions frequently asked by users.

2. Leverage Chatbot Data: Utilize chatbot logs to identify recurring queries.

3. Use Tools Like AnswerThePublic: Explore tools that reveal popular questions people ask online.

4. Check Google SERPs: The "People Also Ask" section is a goldmine for relevant questions.

Pro Tip: Questions gathered from your chatbot are particularly valuable because they are user-generated and highly relevant to your business. Revising these answers not only improves your chatbot’s performance but also enriches your FAQ content.

Grouping FAQs for Specific Pages

By default, Squarespace does not allow filtering individual blog posts in summary blocks. Instead, rely on tags to group FAQs. Here’s my trick:

1. Retrieve the page URL slug as the unique identifier

2. Assign a unique tag (e.g., "blog-faq") to FAQs meant for a specific page using the page URL slug

3. This ensures multiple FAQs can be reused across multiple relevant pages seamlessly.

Pro Tip: This approach differs slightly from the reusable copy tutorial. Instead of assigning each post's URL slug as a tag and filtering FAQs individually, use the slug of the target page where the FAQs will appear. This allows you to group multiple FAQs under a common tag and filter them collectively for streamlined management.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Reusable FAQs

Check the video below for detailed steps

1. Create a Dedicated Blog for FAQs

Start by creating a new blog post that will serve as the central repository for your FAQs. Follow these steps:

1. Go to your Squarespace dashboard and create a new Blog collection.

2. Write each question as the title of a blog post.

3. Use the blog body for detailed answers.

4. Copy body content to the excerpt field to ensure compatibility with summary blocks.

Pro tip: for those who followed my last blog on revising response from Docsbot, the blog body will be in markdown format, so you can save the blog body and copy the generated content from the Preview into excerpt.

2. Organize FAQs with Tags

Squarespace allows filtering of blog posts using tags or categories. Here’s how to organize your FAQs effectively:

1. Instead of using the blog post slug as the unique identifier, use the page’s slug URL where the FAQs are displayed as the tag. This ensures FAQs can be reused across multiple relevant pages seamlessly.

2. Add multiple tags to FAQs if they belong to more than one pages.

3. Display FAQs Using a Summary Block

To include FAQs on other pages, use the Summary Block feature:

1. Edit the target page where you want the FAQs to appear.

2. Insert a Summary Block and select the FAQ blog collection.

3. Filter the FAQs using the assigned tag (e.g., "general-faq").

4. Customize the Summary Block layout:

   • Metadata: None

   • Layout: List

   • Content: ensure Title & Excerpt are toggled ON

4. Customize the Appearance with CSS

To make the summary block blend seamlessly with your site’s design, add custom CSS. For example:

.summary-title a[href*=qanda] {
    font-size: 1.3em;
    line-height: normal;
}
.summary-title a[href*=qanda]:before {
 content: 'Question: ' 
}

with qanda is the name of the Faq blog

Advantages of Reusable FAQs

1. Efficient Management: Manage FAQs from a single source and update them site-wide.

2. Boost SEO: Organize content with long-tail keywords for better search engine ranking.

3. Dynamic Filtering: Use page slugs as tags for flexible FAQ placement.

Pro Tips for Effective FAQs

1. Keep Answers Concise: Focus on clarity and brevity.

2. Use Strategic Tags: Assign multiple tags to increase FAQ versatility.

3. Experiment with Layouts: Try accordion-style layouts using CSS for a modern look.

Reusable FAQs on Squarespace are a game-changer for streamlining your workflow and enhancing your site’s SEO performance. By centralizing and automating your FAQ management, you can save time, provide a better user experience, and keep your site optimized effortlessly.