10 Essential FAQ to Add to Your Cleaning Service Website

If you’re in the service industry, you know the value of delivering above and beyond people’s expectations. Today, that has become the standard of consumer demand. People want personalized, dedicated service that delivers the instant answers and solutions that they need. And why shouldn’t they, after all? The Internet has created the perfect space for people who love instant gratification and having access to all the world’s knowledge from a micro-computer in their pockets. 

Keeping up with that technology and the evolving consumerism surrounding it, of course, is where the challenge lies. You’ve got to make sure that you create the most effective resources and deliver the solutions that people need and expect. One of those is the FAQ page. 

According to research, the FAQ page is the most-used resource online today, in terms of self-service options. Therefore, it makes sense that yours is so incremental that it could make or break your branding and customer service. 89% of people expect you to offer some type of self-service portal. 

64% of them want real-time assistance, regardless of the support channel. And most people expect responses within minutes, and sometimes even seconds. That’s a lot to deliver, but it IS possible. And, it won’t be as difficult as you think. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss all of the tips and insights to help you set your FAQ page up properly, along with the questions that you absolutely need to be answering. Of course, you might find that you have a lot more on your list of Q&A, and you can certainly add those. This is just a starting point and a source of inspiration for those who need it. 

As the demand for instant answers continues to grow, you’ll find your business in a position to deliver them in as many ways as possible. The Internet is making it increasingly simpler for people to find answers and if you’re keeping pace, you’ll be rewarded with more leads, a bigger audience, and success in marketing through your FAQ page and other informational resources. 

That’s the great thing about these online tools. Not only are they informational, but they can also be useful for things like marketing. For example, when you create your FAQ page using questions that are phrased the way people would search for them, you’ll be more likely to appear in search results. This means that in addition to providing people with information, you’re also boosting your SEO rankings. It’s a win all around, so what are you waiting for?

Setting up your FAQ page for success

Before you do anything, you’ll want to take the time to strategize and set your FAQ page up properly. This includes choosing a structure and format that is easy to follow for your audience. Page navigation is a leading cause of poor SEO rankings, and it’s a major reason that people go elsewhere when they need information. There are two big factors to consider here. 

First is the choice between setting up a single FAQ page separated into categories or otherwise organized for easy consumption or creating a dynamic FAQ database that includes multiple pages with a page for each topic that needs to be covered. For those who are just starting, it’s often best to begin with a single page and then branch out from there. 

If you’ve already got dozens of FAQs and they’re just floating around on your website all disorganized and cluttered, then organizing them into a dynamic database with multiple pages might be the way to go. 

How many FAQs should I have per page or section?

Yes, we know. Everyone wants the magic number. The reality, though, is that there isn’t just one number that works for everyone. Some cleaning companies may have 10 or 12 FAQs. Others may have 35 or 40. It all depends on your business, the information that you want to provide, and the strategy that you choose for your FAQ page. The main goal here is to step back and assess where you stand so that you can make a plan for creating the FAQ page (or database) that will draw in your audience, boost your SEO rankings, and more.

Now, let’s talk about the second factor: the 10 questions every cleaning service website needs. 

The 10 FAQs every cleaning business needs

1. What types of cleaning services do you offer?

This is a big question for several consumers. And yes, you do have to answer it here in addition to listing everything on your services page. Don’t just use this question to link people to your services. Instead, explain all the cleaning that you offer in brief, as well as if you provide custom cleaning services or quotes. Only then will you invite them to check out your services page or contact you for additional information. 

Too often, brands use their FAQ to redirect people back to the other areas of their website without actually providing a lot of value on the FAQ page itself. That’s the wrong way to go about this. You can list services, explain them in sentences, or even just tell people that you handle all kinds of house cleaning and can fulfill their needs and invite them to contact you. 

2. Do you offer weekly (or ongoing) cleaning contracts?

Most people want more than a one-time cleaning service. Usually, clients want regular cleaning services, or they may hire a professional cleaner to handle yearly deep cleaning like windows, cleaning walls and fans, and so forth. Answering this question ensures that your audience knows what you have to offer so that they can decide what they need. If you offer different terms for your contracts, such as the option between weekly and monthly cleaning, list them all here. In the event you offer custom cleaning contracts, explain that as well. 

3. How long have you been in business?

Cleaning isn’t heart surgery, but it does involve letting strangers into your home to deliver a service. You can understand how people would want to know that they’re working with a reputable, professional cleaning service that has the necessary expertise to deliver the best results for their cleaning needs. 

People also want to be sure that you didn’t just start a business yesterday because while all new companies do deserve a chance, it can be difficult to work with cleaning services that are just getting started. In addition to explaining your background and expertise here, invite people to contact you for a consult or to discuss all the ways you can assist them with cleaning, regardless of your experience or years in the business. 

4. Do you have insurance?

Cleaning services go into people’s homes and touch their personal belongings. They work with chemicals, soap and water, and often ladders or stepladders to reach high spaces. There is a lot of potential for injury or other issues to arise on the job, even for the most experienced and reputable cleaning service. That’s why you buy (and maintain) insurance that protects your company and your clients from liability related to injuries or other incidents when you are in someone’s home or on their property. 

Pro Tip: Cleaners generally need Professional or Public Liability Coverage, which both fall under the general liability category, as well as Business Personal Property coverage (BPP). If you employ anyone, you’ll also need Workers’ Compensation insurance. 

5. What are your fees and rates like?

Yes, we know that you have a services and rates page on your website. Your audience probably knows, too. However, it’s much easier to ask the question and see what comes up in the search results for FAQs. You need to disclose rates here, or at least as much information as you can about them. Explain how you charge, what the cost range for your services typically is, and how you can customize quotes and provide estimates for people on a case-by-case basis. 

It will also benefit you to link to your pricing page here and invite people to contact you for more information. 

6. How much will it cost to clean my house?

In the same vein as the last question, people are always worried about cost. Remember how we talked about phrasing questions for SEO? We doubled up here on the money talk because we wanted to point out the importance of phrasing questions like someone would who is using a search engine. 

When someone asks this question, it leaves you a lot of room to give rates and estimates, explain the cleaning process, and make sure that people understand you can’t just randomly quote a price for house cleaning without more details or information. And of course, invite them to reach out to you for an estimate and more specific details. 

7. What’s the best way to get rid of stains?

Your audience is going to love asking questions like this. They want to know how to get their house back in shape when you aren’t there, and how to handle urgent needs when they can’t wait for an appointment. They also might just want some general education on cleaning and caring for their home. You should always answer these questions like this for people by offering a DIY solution with caution against potential issues or dangers. For example, in the case of stain removal, certain cleaners may damage or discolor fabrics or stone materials, so be sure to explain that and then advise on your best suggestions for cleaning. 

Don’t forget to close this one by inviting people to contact your team of cleaning specialists if they need help with pesky stains or deep cleaning solutions that are difficult to DIY. 

8. Do you provide evening and weekend cleaning services?

People have busy lives. Some like having cleaners come in during the day while they’re at work. Others believe that’s the only time cleaners are available. However, if you’re able to provide evening and weekend services for people, you could expand your audience. Some people might want to be home for a certain type of cleaning, or maybe they work the second shift and want someone to come in when they aren’t home. Make sure that you explain your hours in detail and if you offer case-by-case time considerations, put that here, too. 

9. Why do I need a professional cleaning service?

Several benefits come from hiring professional cleaners. There are also several specific situations where a cleaning service could come in handy. You could share all of these with your audience, but the point is all in the phrasing of the question. Notice we don’t ask “if” people need cleaning services, but why they need them. It takes away the option to not need your services and just explains why they obviously cannot go on without using your cleaning services. It also gives you a chance to sell yourself and share valuable expertise. 

10. Do you charge extra for heavy-duty cleaning, pets, or other services?

This is an important one to cover. Some people will have needs beyond “typical” cleaning that require more time, work, and supplies to get the job done properly. Sometimes, there’s pet damage that needs to be cleaned up after a rental move-out, for example, or perhaps someone needs help cleaning out a house that was near hoarding status. Make sure that you spell out anything that’s going to cost extra, as well as any services that you do not provide. That way, people will know what to expect. 

Speaking of service, deliver even more when you partner with Smith.ai 

When it comes down to numbers, the numbers say people want expedient, reliable service from real people, in real time. They also say that customer service is the leading reason they abandon a business or leave a negative review. When you hire the dedicated virtual receptionists at Smith.ai as the face of your brand, you’ll never have to worry about these things. 

We can field all of your phone calls, live website chat requests, SMS messages, and so much more. Plus, we’ll help you create a strategy to manage all of it, ensuring that your cleaning service always delivers top-rate service, even if you’re not fielding the clients yourself. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to discuss what the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can do for your cleaning business by cleaning up your communications and more. You will also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.