How to Optimize a Knowledge-Base Article
Knowledge base articles are one of the most valuable tools for empowering customers, reducing support requests, and improving product satisfaction. Yet writing an effective article isn’t as simple as documenting a process. To be truly effective, your articles must be structured in a way that’s easy to find, easy to follow, and easy to expand on.
Table of Contents
This guide defines each critical section of a knowledge base article and explains how to implement it with best practices.
Choose a Title Your Customers Can Find
Your title is the most important part of the article—it determines whether a customer can find your content in search or within your site’s knowledge base. A good title is short, descriptive, and written in the language of the customer rather than internal jargon.
For example:
- Poor: Authentication Error Resolution
- Better: How to Fix Login Errors in Your Account
When brainstorming titles, imagine the exact phrase a customer might type into Google or your site’s search bar. Tools like Google Search Console or your support ticket logs can reveal the phrasing customers use.
Start With the Problem
The opening paragraph should clearly define the problem the article is solving. This assures the reader they’re in the right place before they invest time in reading further.
A strong problem statement:
If you’re seeing an error message when trying to log into your account, this guide will help you reset your password and regain access.
This section sets context and aligns the customer’s intent with your solution.
Add a Table of Contents for Long Articles
When your article exceeds several sections or involves multiple troubleshooting paths, a table of contents becomes essential. It allows readers to skip directly to the relevant section without scanning the entire article.
For example, a guide titled How to Configure Email Settings might include a table of contents with links for Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.
In a knowledge base system, this can often be automated with anchor links or a sidebar navigation.
Interlink Articles
Rarely is one article enough to resolve a customer’s journey. Interlinking related articles provides additional context, encourages deeper learning, and reduces repeat support tickets.
For instance, an article about Resetting Your Password could link to:
- Updating Your Account Email
- Enabling Two-Factor Authentication
- Recovering a Locked Account
This creates a web of knowledge rather than isolated documents, improving both user experience and SEO.
Use Step-by-Step Instructions
Breaking down processes into clear, numbered steps makes it easy for customers to follow along. Avoid merging multiple actions into a single step, and start each step with an actionable verb.
Example:
- Go to the login page.
- Click Forgot Password.
- Enter your account email address.
- Check your inbox for the reset link.
- Create a new password and confirm.
Step-by-step clarity reduces confusion and ensures consistency in customer outcomes.
Break Up Content With Headings
Headings improve readability and scannability. Customers should be able to skim your article and find the relevant section quickly.
For example, use headings such as:
- Resetting Your Password
- Troubleshooting Reset Email Issues
- Setting a Strong New Password
Breaking content into sections also makes articles easier to maintain, since you can update a subsection without rewriting the entire article.
Use High-Resolution Images to Illustrate a Task
Visuals accelerate understanding. A well-placed screenshot or short video can save a customer from reading multiple paragraphs of text.
Best practices include:
- Use up-to-date images that reflect your current interface.
- Highlight or circle the exact buttons or areas referenced in your instructions.
- Consider short GIFs or videos for multi-step processes.
For example, a screenshot of the Forgot Password button ensures customers click the right element immediately.
Provide Extra Information With Asides and Info Boxes
Sometimes, extra details, tips, or warnings are needed without cluttering the main steps. Info boxes or callouts are perfect for this.
Examples include:
- Note: Resetting your password will log you out of all active sessions.
- Tip: Use a password manager to generate and store a strong password.
- Warning: Do not share your password reset link with anyone.
These ensure essential information is noticed while keeping the flow of the article clean.
Give a Jump-Off Point With Related Articles
At the end of your article, provide a list of related resources. This prevents dead ends and encourages customers to continue self-service learning.
For example, an article on How to Reset Your Password might end with links to:
- Managing Your Security Questions
- Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication
- Recovering an Account Locked by Multiple Failed Attempts
This also helps customers resolve future issues proactively.
Bonus: Adding Rich Snippets
To improve visibility in search engines, you can structure your knowledge base content with schema markup. A HowTo rich snippet is especially effective for step-by-step guides. Here’s an example:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "How to Reset Your Password",
"description": "Step-by-step instructions to reset your account password.",
"step": [
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Go to the login page",
"text": "Navigate to the login page and click 'Forgot Password'."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Enter your email",
"text": "Type the email address associated with your account and submit."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Check your inbox",
"text": "Look for a password reset email and click the link provided."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Create a new password",
"text": "Enter a strong new password and confirm to complete the process."
}
]
}
Implementing this JSON-LD markup ensures your article has the chance to appear in Google search results as an interactive how-to snippet, driving more traffic and improving user engagement.
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