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- Getting Answers Online: Making the Most of Quora, Focus, and LinkedIn Answers
- Quora: Tightly Targeted Business and Technology Questions
- Focus: Research Reports, Events, and Well-Connected Experts
- Querying the Largest Community: LinkedIn Answers
- Getting the Best Answers on Q&A Sites
- Promoting Yourself and Your Business on Q&A Sites
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Getting the Best Answers on Q&A Sites
Asking a question seems like a pretty straightforward task, but how and where you ask can lead to dramatically different results. Here are three tips for asking questions that get the answers you want:
- Ask your question on the right site. Every Q&A site has a unique personality, focus, and audience. Review existing questions on a site to get a feel for whether it's the best choice for your question. Looking for a variety of responses? Asking similar questions on different sites can provide a greater assortment of opinions.
- Ask a specific question. The more specific you are about the information you seek, the more likely you are to get meaningful responses. For example, rather than asking which social media site is best for small business, ask which social media tactics are best for a life coach seeking new clients and speaking opportunities.
- Select the right categories. Assigning your question to the right category or topic makes it easier for others to find it (many people browse rather than search). Review the available categories thoroughly before choosing the most appropriate place for your question. You should also look at how active a category is; active categories with lots of participation get better responses.