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Puerto Rico - EN - Article Type - Quick Answer.md

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#Article Type: Quick Answer

Quick Answers provide concise answers to popular user questions. Less text, more specific answers.

Quick Answers address mainstream users’ needs. They assume prior knowledge and answer a popular – and specific – need (so you don’t need to explain terms or provide context).

For example, the answer for “Local Minimum Wage rate” should only give the rate, not information about what the Local Minimum Wage is, nor how to pay it, etc. (although we should be clearly linking to related content that does).

Stick exclusively to the answer – don’t be tempted to include extra information, however useful this might appear to be.

Questions to Ask Yourself When Writing a Quick Answer

I. What’s the general answer to the question?

Not the specific details, but the over-arching high-level answer. For example, if someone asked you how to transfer ownership of your car to someone else, you’d probably say,

“You find the title and fill it out. Then you give it to the new owner, who fills out their information. Then they take it to the DMV to register the car in their name.”

The general answer to the question, or the most common answer to the question, may be a good introductory paragraph to the Quick Answer you’re writing. Here’s an example first sentence that answers the question,

“How do I register a new motor vehicle?”:
“If you purchased the vehicle from an Oahu dealer, the dealer will probably have it registered and licensed for you. So you won't need to do anything further.”

II. Is this a process?

Does a person follow a series of steps to achieve a specific goal? If so, try presenting this as a numbered list of short “You do X” sentences. Here’s an example:

“Requirements at the DMV:

  1. Bring your current license
  2. Bring your proof of legal presence
  3. Fill out an application form
  4. Take an eye test
  5. Pay with personal check or cash”

III. Is the content similar or related, but not a series of steps?

Try presenting these items as a bulleted list. Here’s an example:

“If you are completing registration on your own:

  • Fill out the Application for Registration
  • Obtain a State of California Vehicle Inspection Certificate
  • Obtain proof of insurance
  • Look up your registration fee online
  • Submit the forms, proof of insurance, and payment by mail to the DMV”

How to Organize a Quick Answer

First, the Quick Question:

  • Keep the question title short. Roughly 8 words will appear in search results, so think about which 8 words are going to best convey your question.

  • A Quick Answer can have 3 sections if needed. The top section is the only one that is required; for instance, you might have a Quick Answer that can be answered in the first paragraph without any additional content. Great, don’t add extra content to “fill out the page.”

I. Top section:

Use this to provide an answer for the most common users in the most common situations. Here’s the format:

One – or a couple of sentences – in Bold can go in this area. They either get the basic information out quickly, or they might be lead-in sentences to the answer:

  • These are bulleted or numbered list items that support or explain the introductory area
  • You can add as many as you need
  • But if you get to 7, stop for a minute and reconsider your answer
  • 7 or more items may mean your topic is too complex for a Quick Answer
  • Grab another Content Writer at the City to discuss

II. “What You Need To Know” section

Use this section to flesh out some of the details for the summary in the top section. For example, you could explain a fee structure, or dates to be aware of, or a location the user needs to know about. You may also convey alternatives to an online transaction in this section.

Stay focused on the most common situations – if you start collecting a bunch of specific “If you are X” and “If you are Y” sentences here, you might want to create a Guide for the “If” content instead.

Be strict with information you include even if this means compromising caveats. Don’t stray off topic; stick to the question title.

Separate your main points (not one long paragraph). If you use subheads, title the subheading as similar to the Search Keywords as possible, and avoid questions for subheads.

There are also 3 invisible pieces of all article types (including Quick Answers) that need to be filled out:

III. Preview text:

  • Consider how the Preview text will appear in search results
  • It should be specific (so people can differentiate one title from other titles), cover the scope of the content, make sense in isolation, and inspire the viewer
  • The Preview text is a description that can get rid of ambiguity if there are some similar titles
  • The optimal length for Preview descriptions is around 150 characters

IV. Search keywords:

Consider all possible search keywords that people might use for the same Quick Answer. They could be synonyms or different phrasing of the question title. The “Search keywords” section should be filled out for words or phrases that aren't in the article text but might describe what the article is about.

For example, someone might search for “Business Tax” when looking for a “business license” related article. Since the term “Business Tax” doesn't appear in the article, you should include it in the “Search keywords” field.

Search keywords are separated by a space. Also, search queries are the same with or without the use of quotation marks.

V. Category:

Categories are logical citizen-focused topics that group articles around a common theme. See if there is an existing category this Quick Answer falls into. Or do you need to create a new category for it and other related articles?

Category names must be penned from the perspective of a citizen, and must not be department names.

Things to Keep in Mind When Writing a Quick Answer

Useful tips:

  • Group logically related content. Organize the content first, then work on the language.

  • Use common sense when deciding what information is primary and what is secondary (or tertiary). We want the main focus to be on the most common situations for the maximum numbers of people. It’s perfectly fine to provide links to other pages or phone numbers for people who have special situations.

  • Use everyday conversational language. Answer the question as if you were explaining the answer to a friend.

  • Imagine that every Quick Answer is the page you land on after you do a Google search. What happens when you search for something, click a link, and then don’t see what you’re looking for in the first paragraph? You leave. The first paragraph of your Quick Answer should deliver the answer right away.

When Does a Quick Answer Become a Guide?

When the Quick Answer:

  • can’t be simplified – e.g., too many variables – such as “What hours your child can work”
  • depends on too many things, such as the age of your child and the type of job
  • can’t be summed up
  • is a low popularity search – it can form part of a longer Guide so it doesn’t clog up the results page