Yahoo Answers is hugely popular. It attracts millions of visitors and ranks well in the search engines. Yes, it even ranks well in Google for questions that are asked and answered in Yahoo Answers.
These days more and more people go to the Internet to get their questions answered. Naturally, a Q & A website is a perfect solution for many websites in any niche or industry.
3 Question and Answer software solutions are:
- Q & A WordPress themes
- Q & A WordPress plugins
- Q & A software.
1. Q & A WordPress themes:
If you want a website dedicated to Questions and Answers, a theme may be right for you. There are several Q & A WordPress themes to choose from:
1. AskIt by ElegantThemes
Click to view demo of AskIt Theme
2. Answers by Templatic
Click to view demo of Answers Theme
3. Instant Q & A Theme (on ThemeForest)
Click to view demo of Instant Q & A Theme
4. Questions and Answers Theme by Theme Flicks
Click to view demo Questions and Answers
5. QnA Theme by DailyWP
2. Q & A WordPress plugins:
Plugins are great because you can use them in conjunction with your installed theme. Perhaps instead of creating a website dedicated to questions and answers you simply wish to create a section dedicated questions and answers in your niche or niches. One solution, if you use WordPress, is a Q & A plugin.
The following are Q & A WordPress plugins:
- Q&A Lite (free)
- Question and Answer Forum (free)
- WP-Answers (paid)
3. Q & A Website Dedicated Software:
Answerbase
Maybe you don’t use WordPress or need software more robust for building a large Q & A website community. One method is to use web-based Q & A software such as Answerbase.
Answerbase is web-based Q & A software that integrates into your website on a subdomain or stand-alone website. The Answerbase website is highly informative. However, I had some additional questions. The following are my questions and Answerbase’s answers (FYI – Answerbase answered within an hour which is very good customer service):
1. Can I install Answerbase on a subdirectory so it’s not the main part of my site? Can I install it along with my WordPress theme? I think I’d want to create a Q&A portal and not have AB comprise my entire site.
You’re able to setup a subdomain on your root URL, which has been the preference of many enterprise level clients and works just as well from an SEO perspective. WordPress themes are not currently supported, but we do give many customization tools in the admin area for you to customize the look/feel of your site as well as the option to even add your own CSS for maximum control over your site’s design.
2. Can you configure it so people who answer don’t need to log in to do so?
It is important that the users who answer questions are identified by a username, and we can give them updates via email regarding the acceptance of their contributions as well as when they receive points. This encourages their future activity, and creates a more involved user base. Users are able to write their answers before logging in or registering to help streamline that process, and then at the end they are required to fill out a simple registration form or login so we can recognize them for their contributions.
3. Can you give dofollow links to answerers’ websites to encourage participation? Can you do this after a person answers a certain number of questions?
Users are encouraged to participate through links they’re able to have on their user profile, where they can showcase their company/website which gives them exposure and encourages them to participate. Users being able to submit “do follow” links in answers is not something that is currently supported, but is certainly being considered for the Answerbase engine and has been implemented by some of our enterprise clients. We have this on our list of client suggestions for consideration, and will be working out the details of how to make that easy to manage for administrators in the future and an effective way of encouraging perticipation.
4. Can you attach topics to blog categories and/or posts so the Q&A’s appear on particular posts relevant to that post?
You’re able to create widgets and add them to your site by using our advanced widget builders in the administration area, allowing you to easily post subject specific content and functionality to your site. We also have extensive API available through the integration section of the admin site, where you’re able to pull subject specific data to your own site including questions, answers, top contributing members, etc.
END OF ANSWERBASE Q & A
Read my Answerbase review for more information.
Q & A Software vs. Forum software
I love forums, but I’d be more inclined to add a Q & A section in my site than a forum. Why?
Forums need huge traffic and require a huge commitment to build up. Moreover, the registration process for forums is onerous and a barrier to entry.
For more information on using Forum software as part of your website, read my 13 Tips and Reasons to Buy the Best Forum Software for your Business article.
Q & A vs. commenting
Q & A is not much different than commenting except the format is more strict in that the content begins as a question and is answered by the webmaster and/or visitors.
Moreover, your Q & A section need not be attached to a particular blog post. Your Q & A section could be a stand-alone portal where people go to ask and answer questions pertaining to your site’s topic.
Blog comments, on the other hand, are restricted to a particular post. They aren’t as easily searched if someone is looking for a particular answer.
I’m not saying commenting isn’t useful. It’s very useful for readers. Instead, Q & A functions differently within the site.
Moreover, an active Q & A section will create loads of content that ranks in the search engines. Blog comments are good for SEO, but assist a particular post only.
For example, a post with 50 comments could become 10 question and answer threads creating 10 URLs that rank in the search engines.
Can you have both commenting and a Q & A section?
Absolutely. They aren’t mutually exclusive. As I said above, comments serve a different function than a question and answer section.
Benefits of a question and answer section in your website?
1. SEO & Traffic
I monitor keyword searches carefully and I can tell you that many people search in Google with questions. Since a question and answer website automatically produces questions as content, it’s not hard to rank for those questions. Questions are usually long-tail keywords with little competition.
A question and answer website with a lot of content can attract boatloads of traffic.
Moreover, the large volume of unique content will also be good for SEO. Search engines like unique and quality content. If the answers are high-quality, you’ll get traffic.
2. Credibility
If you’re establishing yourself, your business, and/or your site as an authority on a topic, an active and focused Q & A website (or section within a site) could do wonders to help establish you as an authority.
3. Social Media
Your Q & A site can work to building a community of users, which at the end of the day is social media.
4. Membership potential
If you create a specialized Q & A website that ends up with a great deal of excellent information, you could convert it to a membership site and charge for access. Unless you provide specialized knowledge right away, then monetizing in this way will take awhile.
5. Money
Any high-traffic website can earn money. See how to monetize a Q & A website below.
Pitfalls of a question and answer website
1. Misinformation
This is particularly important if you run a business. You don’t want bad information on your site. It requires vigilant moderation.
2. Lack of answers
Nothing kills a Q & A site (or forum site) faster than no answers. This means you may have to answer questions while your site gains momentum.
3. Time
If you’re moderating and answering questions, you will be spending a lot of time doing so at least initially while getting your website off the ground.
In time, users will answer. However, if you run your Q & A section on a business website, you’ll always want to moderate the answers. You don’t want bad answers on your site.
What’s the key to building a successful Q & A website?
Getting people to ask AND answer questions. In other words, you need the content. No content looks bad. People like using sites that are alive and active.
If you have more unanswered questions than answered questions, your site will struggle.
In order for you to build a great resource, you’ll need to have plenty of quality answers where people will want to visit your site repeatedly as a resource.
How do you get questions answered?
1. The webmaster and moderators answer questions
You may have to start by answering questions yourself or hiring a moderator unless you have huge traffic volume on your site.
As you answer more questions and build up your online resource, then more and more people will visit your website. Once your visitors ask and answer questions, you’ll get user-generated content – one of the holy grails of publishing a website.
2. Offer dofollow links in the answers
One other method is to permit dofollow links in the answers to a website the answerer provides. You’ll get a lot more answers this way because people will like the added SEO benefit of backlinks and be inclined to answer questions.
If you’re committed to offering dofollow links, go to an internet marketing forum and let them know. You’ll get a stampede to your site in no time. Expect them to ask questions and then answer. They know all the tricks. You may or may not mind these tactics.
3. Don’t require logging in and setting up an account
I’m tired of setting up accounts. Configure your Q & A site so people asking questions and people answering don’t need to log in to your site.
That said, one of the benefits of building a Q & A website is building up a subscribership of users and a community. If you don’t require people to open an account, then you’re forsaking this benefit.
Is it cheating if the webmaster answers the questions?
Not in my opinion. Who cares who answers the question as long as the question is answered well.
That said, planting questions and then answering them may appear less than credible … but it’s not unethical. After all, aren’t FAQ pages just that?
How do you monetize a Q & A website?
You don’t have to monetize your website. If you’re a business offering a Q & A section, you may not want to monetize it in the strict sense of the word. However, naturally you hope to generate business with your question and answer section. Note that as a small business, you could certainly use a Q & A site to generate leads with lead generation tools (i.e. e-newsletter subscriptions).
If you’re not a business, then you’re likely interested in monetizing your Q & A website. The following are monetization options:
- Ads – banner ads and Google Adsense.
- Lead generation – more targeted traffic means more people will sign up to your website and/or e-newsletter.
- Memberships – if you build up a specialized information Q & A site, you could charge membership fees down the road.
- Links to informative articles containing affiliate links. Direct visitors to articles where you have affiliate links. It’s your site – you can control the traffic to some extent.
Should businesses create Q & A websites?
It depends. Some professions may not want a Q & A website because answers to specific questions could constitute advice. This could be the case if a 3rd party answers questions. It could get murky and require very careful moderation.
However, for non-professionals, a Q & A site could be an excellent way for a small business owner to create a user-friendly, quality content website that ranks well in the search engines.
That said, it’s important that the business owner and/or staff answer questions thoroughly and promptly.
Also, the Q & A portion should not be the home page. It’s best if it’s in a dedicated Q & A section. Note, the Q & A element is different than an FAQ section which contains questions and answers provided by the business.
Be sure you get traffic to your site. If you offer Q & A, it looks bad if there are no questions AND no answers.
The best approach is to test the method. If it results in new business and profits, then it works. If not, abandon it. However, do not undermine the potential SEO value of a dynamic Q & A website.
A question and answer section could form an excellent support function where customers can ask questions about products and services. The bank of answers over time will reduce the number of times you’ll need to get involved answering questions.
Avoid monetizing with ads and affiliate marketing if your Q & A site is part of your business website. Lead generation and memberships are perfectly acceptable.
Should the Q & A section be the primary focus of a website?
This depends if your question and answer section is your primary focus of your site. For Yahoo Answers, the Q & A is the focus. Many forum websites have the forum as the primary element of their site.
However, if you Q & A service is to supplement your blog or website, then create it as such. If you use a WordPress theme, create a subdomain and install it separately. Alternatively, use a plugin and place in place other than your home page, but making it easy to locate.
Integrating your Q & A website with Facebook
I think integrating your questions and answers with a Facebook page (if possible) is an excellent potential benefits of a Q & A site over a forum and commenting.
People spend an inordinate amount of time in Facebook. You could build up a nice following with an active question and answer format on your Facebook page (or as part of your Facebook page). You’d probably drive traffic from your site to your FB page and vice versa. It’s a win win. It’s also an easy way to generate some great personalized FB content.
How to integrate question and answer software with Facebook?
This will depend on your chosen question and answer software platform.
Q & A WordPress Themes & Facebook
If your chosen question and answer WordPress theme is structured so that each Q & A thread is a post, then your posts can be integrated into FB using the Networked Blogs App. The issue is whether users can actually ask and answer questions with the blog posts that are fed into FB. I haven’t tested this, so it’s a question for your WordPress theme provider.
Q & A WordPress plugins & Facebook
The same issue applies to any question and answer plugin you use.
Answerbase & Facebook
Answerbase does not integrate with Facebook on the face of it. However, you can develop Answerbase Api’s that may integrate.
Facebook summary:
I’m not sure any Q & A software platform will integrate directly with a FB page. If you find one that does, let me know and I’ll include it here.
What about Q & A Facebook Apps – should you use these? I’d favor focusing the Q & A platform on my website. If the FB app integrates on a website, then great use it. However, the potential SEO benefit of having you Q & A platform on your site is too great to restrict it to Facebook. That’s my 2 cents’ worth. However, a Q & A section on a Facebook page could also be fantastic for building a community. I tend to write from an SEO perspective.
How do you choose the right Question and Answer Software platform
Step 1: decide on the list of features you want. Consider:
- Dofollow link capability in answers (be prepared to tons of spam if you go this route. But you’ll generate content fast).
- No login required or at the very least, easy login. Of course you want the option of requiring setting up an account and logging in.
- Use within your site or prefer to use on a subdomain.
- Categorized questions and answers.
- Point system rewarding frequent users.
- Rating system of answers (i.e. best answer, etc.).
- Subscribe by email to questions.
- Mobile site technology.
- Video image response capability.
- Ad placement options.
- CSS customization.
Step 2: Decide if you need a separate theme, plugin, or other software such as Answerbase
Taking your list of desired features, see that your shortlist of themes, plugins, and/or software provides these features.
Step 3: Choose your Q & A software
How do you promote your question and answer website?
Much like you’d promote any other website. I set out 57 Ways to Increase Website Traffic here.
If you already get a lot of traffic to your website, it will be easier establishing your Q & A site.
Please note, I have not tested every theme and plugin above, so I can’t say which offers some of all of the suggested features. These are features you’ll want to put to each theme and plugin provider.
Think long and hard about committing to a Q & A website. It should not be taken on lightly. Like pretty much all online success, it requires effort, dedication, planning, and persistence. That said, a question and answer website can certainly build up any type of website into a high-traffic success.
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