From Fluff to Function: Revamping Your Support Articles

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This is the first of three posts in a series called Knowledge is Power and today I’m talking about revamping your support articles, transitioning from fluff to function. I’ll cover three key areas: site structure, article structure, and writing for a global audience.

If you’re planning to introduce AI into your customer support workflow, this post will provide tips on making your articles clear and concise for your future customers.

Site Structure: Focus on the Customer’s Workflow

If you’re starting on support content for a new product, or you want to overhaul your public-facing knowledge base, start with the structure of the knowledge base.
The default structure most support sites still use reflects how the product was built. But for your new year’s resolution, I suggest changing your site structure to match the customer’s workflow.

Match your knowledge base site structure to the customer’s workflow with your product/services.

This shift might not feel drastically different from your current setup, but look at it through the eyes of someone familiar with the industry but not your software’s jargon. Name your top-level folders or categories based on industry terms and not product-specific language. The moment a customer is confused by the structure, they’re more likely to contact support and stop using your articles altogether.

Use article titles as the bridge, guiding customers from workflow-oriented categories to your product’s terminology.

Look at your knowledge base structure through the perspective of a new customer.

Article Structure: Build Tools, Not Essays

This year, AI will be a normalized part of customer support, and knowledge base articles are the foundation for training AI bots to reduce human interaction. The quality of your articles will directly impact the success of AI support.

A pivot we’ve seen is the way customers use the search in help article sections. Customers previously typed 1 or 2 words, expecting to scan through 10 article titles and hopefully find something that resonates. Now, customers type the entire question into the search bar. So what does that mean for your articles? You should restate questions in the answer.
If the question is, “how do I use this feature on this function?” Make sure it’s in the answer like, “In order to use the feature on this function, you need to do these steps.”

Another thing is to think about how a customer reads a support article. Here’s a structure I recommend when rewriting your articles:

• Start by writing the bare necessities as bullet points, outlining the key information the article needs to cover.
• Expand on those points with clear, concise explanations.
• Last, work on formatting. Headers help AI bots find the information, short paragraphs to explain what customers need to know, and bullet points to give clear and concise details or instructions. 

The top of the article should have two things: an attention-grabbing sentence and a summary sentence.

• An attention sentence might say: ‘Are you experiencing this issue?’ This validates that the reader is on the right page and makes it easier for AI to surface this article in search results.
• The summary sentence, or TL;DR, is a one-line answer to their question which is perfect for customers who skim.

Finally, add supporting visuals. Use screenshots or short videos, and make sure to name the files for SEO, like ‘Company Name – Feature.’ This ensures your content is both user-friendly and discoverable.

Translated Content: Write for a Global Audience

If your customers need to rely on Google Translate for your articles, it’s important to adjust your writing style. At a previous startup, we had customers in 180 countries but only offered English support articles. When you write, ask yourself: “Am I using any slang or ambiguous language?”

Here are some examples.

• ‘Hit the button.’ Instead, say ‘tap’ or ‘click’ the button.
• ‘Right-hand side.’ Try ‘top right’ or ‘bottom right’ instead.

Literal translations can trip up readers, so simplify your phrasing. If you’re unsure, ask a bilingual friend to review a few articles for feedback. Writing with translation in mind will make your content more clear and concise for everyone.

Rush to Resolution

My goal with this podcast is to give you a starting point for improving your customer experience. Subscribe with your favorite platform so new ideas can be cultivated in just a few minutes.

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Rush To Resolution is a CX implementation and consulting company.
Have a great day and a productive week.