Q&A, formerly the domain of Yahoo Answers, is now fueling cutting-edge sites and applications including Quora, Avvo, StackExchange and crowdsource applications like Loqli. It’s more than people just asking questions online – there is a deeper psychology behind how and why Q&A is successful. Leigh will use relevant examples to show how Q&A is changing the way consumers get information online, how it fits with social media and how companies and marketers can leverage it to drive engagement and build active communities online.

6. There are types of
questions:

8. What points does Romney
have to make in tonight’s
debate to win?
Do you have a nickname?
Does Justin Beiber look
better with long or short
hair??????

9. Conversational
• Yahoo answers
• Formspring (show)
• ChaCha

11. Can using gifted mortgage
interest on your taxes
impact an FHA loan?
What is
Schrodinger’s cat?
Is a verbal employment
contract enforceable?

12. Informational
• Avvo
• Stackexchange
• Or unknown
Archieve value

16. Social Network Site w/Q&A Search
Subjective Objective Objective
Public Anonymous Anonymous(?)
Personal Personal General
Migration to PERSONAL

20. 50% of
90% of

23. Content & SEO
• User generated
• Makes search better
• Avvo, Quora, stackoverflow

26. Conversational
• Yahoo answers
• Formspring (show)
• ChaCha

28. Sold to for $50MM

31. 1 Brand asks question
•
2 User responds
•
3 Friends see it & join in
•

37. This person needs an attorney!

42. = 97%
= 91%

46. So why does this matter?
• Stanford study about figuring out intent

51. 2001 - 2006 2008 - 2011 2010 - 2012
QUESTIONS

52. • Deep vs. broad
• Creative models
• Data driven
• Media & multi screen

54. • Q&A is a powerful tool
• Informational vs. Conversational
• Data, research & personal branding
• Can’t slap it together
• More power w/media, data & focus

55. @leighmcm
leigh@avvo.com
linkedin.com/in/lmcmillan