Write a good FAQ – then let a chatbot answer it
How to write an FAQ page that actually answers questions, and how an FAQ chatbot uses the same content in your website chat – with source links, and Golden answers the assistant is instructed to use word for word where the wording matters.
A good FAQ doesn’t start with a blank page. It starts with the questions your customers actually ask. Collect them, write each one as its own entry in your customers’ words, and answer it so that the first sentence is enough. Group the entries by topic, link to the page with the full details, and decide who keeps each answer up to date.
How to write an FAQ in six steps
- Collect real questions. Go through your emails, notes from phone calls and the search terms people type into your site search. Anything asked three times belongs in the FAQ.
- One question per entry, in your customers’ words. “How long does shipping take?” rather than “Delivery terms.” People skimming the page recognize their own wording.
- Answer first, details after. The first sentence answers the question (“Two to three business days.”); exceptions and conditions come next.
- Group by topic. For example ordering, shipping, payment, account. Once you have ten or so entries, subheadings help.
- Give every answer an owner. Prices, deadlines and opening hours change, and an outdated answer does more harm than none. Write down who maintains which entry, and review the entries regularly.
- Link to the detail page. The FAQ summarizes; the detail page explains. A link at the end of the answer takes readers further, say to your shipping terms or the returns form.
Why an FAQ page alone falls short
Even a well-kept FAQ has a limit: visitors first have to find it, then recognize their question in the way you phrased it. Someone asking “Can I pick up on Saturday?” won’t look for “Opening hours.” Many people won’t scroll through thirty entries; they send an email or pick up the phone instead. That’s where an FAQ chatbot comes in. It takes the question in the visitor’s own words and answers from the same content that’s already on your FAQ page.
FAQ chatbot: your FAQ, answered in chat
An FAQ bot for your website that answers from the pages you list and from answers you write yourself.
Answers from your FAQ and help pages
You paste the URLs of your FAQ and help pages, one per line. The assistant answers from them and lists numbered source links under the answer (“Further Links”).
Golden answers where every word counts
For deadlines, prices or warranties, store a Golden answer with a title, question and answer. The assistant is instructed to use it word for word.
Upfront about gaps
If the answer isn’t in your content, the assistant is instructed to say so rather than make something up.
Chatlogs show the real questions
Chatlogs show what visitors actually ask and how they rate the answers, including the questions your FAQ doesn’t cover yet.
Revise weak answers
Fix a weak answer right in Chatlogs with “Revise.” The correction is saved as a Golden answer, and it’s also a ready candidate for your FAQ page.
Pages stay current
When you update your FAQ page, Kyros can re-read it automatically: every 6, 12 or 24 hours, or weekly.
Example: three FAQ entries as Golden answers
An invented example for an invented business, the bike repair shop “Sommerfeld Cycle Works.” Each entry follows the rules above and would be stored in Kyros as a Golden answer with a title, question and answer.
| Title | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs without an appointment | Do I need an appointment for a repair? | Not for small repairs: we usually replace an inner tube while you wait. For a full service, please book an appointment using our online form. |
| Returning online orders | Can I return a part I ordered online? | Yes, within 30 days if it’s unused and in its original packaging. You’ll find the return label in your customer account under “Orders.” Full details are in our return policy. |
| Saturday pickup | Can I pick up my bike on Saturday? | Yes, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Once your bike is ready, you’ll get an email with your pickup code. |
If someone types “you open saturday? want to grab my bike,” the third Golden answer fits, and the assistant is instructed to use it word for word.
Not an FAQ generator
From FAQ page to FAQ bot on your website
- Create a free account and add an assistant; its chat widget is set up automatically.
- In the knowledge base, paste the URLs of your FAQ and help pages, one per line, and turn on automatic re-sync if you like.
- Store the questions where every word matters as Golden answers.
- Test the draft in Studio, click Publish, and embed the widget with a snippet, for example in HTML, WordPress or TYPO3.
- Check Chatlogs regularly, revise weak answers and add missing questions to your FAQ page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a good FAQ?
Start by collecting the questions people actually ask: from emails, phone calls and the search terms on your website. Write each question as its own entry, in your customers’ words. Answer it in the first sentence and add details after. Group the entries by topic, link to the page with the full details, and decide who keeps each answer up to date.
What is an FAQ chatbot?
An FAQ chatbot answers common questions in a chat window on your website instead of making visitors scroll through a long list. In Kyros it answers from the pages you list, such as your FAQ and help pages, and from Golden answers you write yourself. Answers that draw on your pages show numbered source links so visitors can read more.
Does Kyros have an FAQ generator?
No. Kyros doesn’t create an FAQ page from a URL, and it doesn’t write a list of questions for you. You write the FAQ yourself, for example following the six steps on this page. Kyros helps elsewhere: Chatlogs show which questions visitors really ask, including ones your FAQ misses, and “Revise” saves a better answer as a Golden answer you can then add to your FAQ page.
What happens when the answer isn’t in my FAQ?
The assistant is instructed to say so openly when your content has no answer, rather than make something up. That isn’t a guarantee, which is why every widget notes that answers are AI-generated and may be inaccurate. There is no handoff to staff in a live chat. Instead, an Interactive Card (Beta) can collect a callback request with name, phone number and topic, and you can export the submissions as CSV.
Do I still need to maintain my FAQ page if I have an FAQ chatbot?
Yes. The chatbot answers from your FAQ and help pages, so if they’re out of date, so are its answers. Upkeep does get easier: Kyros can re-read each page automatically every 6, 12 or 24 hours or weekly, and Chatlogs show where answers are missing or rated poorly. The FAQ page itself also still matters for search engines and for visitors who would rather read than chat.
When is a Golden answer better than an FAQ page?
When the wording has to reach the visitor exactly as written, for example deadlines, prices, warranties or text your legal team has approved. A Golden answer has a title, a question and an answer; when a visitor’s question matches, the assistant is instructed to use the answer word for word. For anything that needs a longer explanation, a web page is the better source, because the assistant links to it under its answer.
How much does an FAQ chatbot with Kyros cost?
The Starter plan costs €0, permanently, with no credit card. It includes one assistant with a chat widget and a monthly allowance of credits. Every message uses credits, and each model shows its credits per message before you choose it. Pricing for the Pro and Business plans is available on request.
Turn your FAQ into a chatbot that answers with sources.
Starter plan €0, permanently, no credit card. Hosted in Germany.