FAQ Videos: Quickly Answer Customers' Most Important Questions

Did you know that 90% of customers expect an instant answer when they reach out to a company with a question? That’s pretty much everyone, right? So when your customers hit you up with a question, you want to be ready with an answer at any hour.

You can try to do that with a customer support team working around the clock — or easily do it with frequently asked question (FAQ) videos that are ready to watch any time!

FAQ videos are a win-win for your business video strategy: They offer your customers the instant answers they crave while freeing up your support team from the merry-go-round of repeating the same info. Even better, they’re a breeze to create without breaking the bank. And we’ll show you how.

What is an FAQ video?

An FAQ video is a short video where a member of your team (or any friendly face representing your company) answers a frequently asked question about your product or service.

There’s no set style or length — it’s more important that you answer the question well. You can opt for a simple talking head, a screencast, or a combination of both to best match the message you’re delivering.

What makes a good FAQ video?

A good FAQ video is clear, engaging, and to the point. As you put together your question and answer video, make sure it has these key characteristics:

• Clarity: The video should provide a clear, concise, and thorough answer to the question being addressed. No fluff; just straight to the point.
• Accuracy: Make sure the answer is correct and up-to-date.
• Visual aids: Use graphics, screenshots, or screencasts when you need to support or emphasize certain points.
• Personality: The video should reflect your brand’s personality, whether it’s professional, friendly, or quirky.
• Consistent branding: Stick to your company’s colors, fonts, and logos.
• High quality visuals and audio: Good lighting, clear sound, and high-resolution visuals make the video more appealing and professional.
• Accessibility: Include captions, transcripts, high-contrast visuals, and other accessible elements.

Where should I publish FAQ videos?

The answer is simple: Publish your FAQ videos wherever your customers and leads are looking for answers on your site. The most common places include:

• Product and service pages
• Help and support pages
• Blog posts or resource libraries

You can even send your FAQ videos to your sales team to help them convert leads into customers. By addressing any hesitations leads might have and showcasing your product or service in its best light, these videos can be a great way to nudge those almost-customers over the finish line.

Benefits of FAQ videos

Let’s talk about how FAQ videos can benefit both your customers and your company:

Your customers get instant answers

FAQ videos improve the customer experience by giving your customers the information they need right when they need it. No more waiting around for a reply from your support team!

FAQ videos provide clear answers

When answering certain questions, sometimes showing is better than telling. A video can demonstrate how something works in a way that words can’t. It’s the difference between reading about how a software feature works and seeing it in action — visuals make it easier to grasp and remember.

FAQ videos improve your brand’s credibility

FAQ videos put a personal touch on automated customer service. While artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots might handle the basics (albeit in a super impersonal manner), a video with a real person from your team adds a human element that AI can’t offer.

This personal approach not only makes your company feel more accessible but also showcases your expertise in a relatable way. A team member explaining a process or answering a question reinforces trust and positions your brand as a knowledgeable and dependable resource. It’s these interactions, with a face and voice to remember, that elevate your credibility and keep your brand in the forefront of customers' minds.

FAQ videos reduce the workload for your customer support team

Instead of fielding the same queries over and over again, your team can direct customers to these videos. This frees up their time to tackle more complex issues, which can boost efficiency and customer satisfaction.

How to create FAQ videos

Now that you know the what and why of FAQ videos, it’s time to jump into the how! Even though FAQ videos are generally super easy to make, there’s still a process to follow:

1. Find the right questions to answer

The first step is figuring out what your audience actually wants to know. Start by chatting with the folks on your team who talk to customers and prospects daily — they’re the ones hearing all the repeat questions. You can also look for common questions or concerns in customer surveys, product reviews, and social media posts.

2. Pick your video style

FAQ videos are like a blank canvas: There are so many possibilities. You can feature a talking head, a screen recording, or a mix of both. Or if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can go for a full camera setup!

If you want to walk folks through a process on screen, a screen recording makes the most sense. If you don’t need any visual aids to answer the question clearly and succinctly, a talking head may be your best bet.

Either way, Wistia’s screen and webcam recorder is the only tool you need. Just fire it up and record your webcam, screen, or both. The recording is then automatically saved to your account where you can edit it, share it, and track views straight from your dashboard.

3. Write a script

Going off-script can be fun, but FAQ videos need a good structure to keep the content tight and on point. It’s all about getting to the heart of the matter — no rambling or beating around the bush. This way, your viewers get the clear, accurate answers they’re after.

So you should put together a solid script before hitting record. If you’re looking to make a typical FAQ video, here’s how you can lay it out:

1. Kick off with an introduction.
2. State the question.
3. Deliver a clear and concise answer.
4. Wrap up by guiding viewers on where they can find more info or get further help if they need it.

And here are some more good-to-know tips when writing your FAQ video script:

• Reach out to the subject matter experts (SMEs) in your company for guidance and to double-check that your info is right and your answers are crystal clear.
• Be clear, concise, and to the point.
• Use a friendly and conversational tone, no matter how technical the answer may be.
• Answer one or two questions per video to keep it simple.
• If you want to infuse some humor, be careful not to overdo it so it doesn’t overshadow the main message.

4. Prepare the set

Whether you’re capturing your screen or your smile, you have a set to prepare. For screencasts, clear your computer screen first (that means closing your browser tabs, hiding your bookmarks, and more).

If you’re recording a simple talking head, all you might need is a great webcam setup. But if you’re aiming for a more polished look in an in-office studio or another location, you’ll want to delve deeper into the finer points of video production.

Here are some quick tips for shooting a talking head video on your webcam or with a full camera setup:

• Choose a simple background and a quiet location away from potential photobombers (looking at you, Fluffy!).
• Light your talent with natural light, desk lamps, ring lights, or professional lights for bigger setups.

• Check your camera and microphone before recording. While cameras and computers come with built-in microphones, we recommend using an external microphone for better sound quality.

  Get Inspired

  Whether you’re a newbie to video or you just want to brush up on your camera, audio, or editing skills, you may find some handy tips in our guide to video production!

5. Edit your recording

Once you have all the raw footage you need, it’s time to turn it into a masterpiece. Just open up a video editor and start slicing and dicing!

We rounded up some video editing best practices to follow for FAQ videos:

• Talking heads can be tedious, so break it up with visual aids like B-roll footage or graphic or text overlays to keep the momentum going. Just make sure these visuals support the answer you’re providing.
• For screen recordings and voice-overs, add bumpers that feature a photo or a quick video snippet of your speaker to the beginning and/or end of the video.
• Cut out long pauses or flubs to keep the video concise and engaging.

You can do all of these things with a simple online video editor like Wistia’s video trimmer. Split clips, delete unwanted parts, stitch in other clips, add bumpers or transitions, and more!

Examples of great FAQ videos

Looking for ideas? Here are a few examples to get you started:

“How to edit in Wistia” FAQ video

Let’s start with one of our own FAQ videos from our help center:

Our Marketing Design Manager, Erica, uses a screencast and a voice-over to walk users through the Wistia video editor. Although we don’t see her at all in the video, you’ll feel her presence as she introduces herself and shares her photo at the start.

Another neat thing about this FAQ video is that it ends with a Call to Action that prompts folks to learn more about our editor.

“How to start a business on Airbnb” FAQ video

One of the most common questions Airbnb gets is “How do I start a business on Airbnb?”

Instead of having their customer support team answer that question day in and day out, Airbnb rounded up two of their Superhosts and had them answer it thoroughly in a video with visual aids and easy-to-follow graphics. Check it out:

“What is Shopify?” FAQ video

Online sales are soaring, and Shopify’s name pops up everywhere on social media. Yet, the burning question remains: What is Shopify? To clear up the confusion, the Shopify team put together this FAQ video:

This video not only demystifies what Shopify does but also walks viewers through storefronts and checkout procedures with screen recordings. And there’s a call to action in the end!

Ready to make FAQ videos for your customers?

Grab this handy guide, hop in front of Wistia’s screen and webcam recorder, and start answering questions. Yep. It’s that easy!