Knowledge bases have evolved from simple repositories of internal information to critical strategic assets for SaaS and tech companies.
With the shift towards digital-first interactions and self-service support, companies are investing heavily in building scalable,. accessible documentation. Customers increasingly prefer self-service options over traditional support channels. According to a Zendesk report, 91% of customers said they would use a knowledge base if it met their needs.
However, making the shift from internal wikis to external knowledge bases is not an easy move. In this article, we’ll show you how you can expand your documentation strategy effectively and without breaking the bank.
Why teams make the shift to external knowledge bases
Reducing support load
A key argument for transitioning to external knowledge bases is the significant reduction in support ticket volume. When customers and developers can resolve issues independently through self-service documentation, it alleviates pressure on customer support teams.
Digitail, an all-in-one software for veterinary clinics, chose Archbee for its API documentation and successfully offered a better user experience. “Our support time has reduced a lot, most simple questions can be answered by the assistant and what reaches our team in the end is more relevant and targeted problems.”
Improving developer experience
For API-first companies or those providing complex SaaS products, high-quality developer documentation is critical. Developers expect clear, structured, and accurate information to build, integrate, and troubleshoot effectively. According to Stack Overflow's annual survey, 63% of developers spend more than 30 minutes daily searching for answers to their questions.
Increasing collaboration and easy scaling
For companies with third-party partners, resellers, or developers building integrations, external knowledge bases are invaluable tools. By making resources openly available, companies encourage broader ecosystem participation and innovation.
Also, a well-structured external knowledge base can adapt to the expanding needs of a growing user base. It makes it easier for new information to be integrated and users can easily find relevant content.
Key considerations before going public
There are many benefits to expanding your documentation strategy. However, there are also a few things you need to keep in mind before making the switch to an external knowledge base.
Privacy and security
Privacy and security are top priorities when shifting from an internal wiki to an external knowledge base, especially for BSFI and other SaaS businesses. A report shows that 60% of C-suite executives note security as their main priority.
Internal documentation often includes sensitive or proprietary information that must be safeguarded. Ensuring data anonymization is essential before making content public; proprietary algorithms, internal processes, or customer data should be removed or anonymized. Implementing robust access controls is another critical step, with permission settings ensuring that only the right people can edit or view certain documents. Compliance requirements are also a major concern, especially for industries governed by stringent regulations such as GDPR or PCI-DSS.
Content restructuring
Content restructuring is essential because internal wikis are often developed with a specific audience in mind: employees who understand company jargon, processes, and shorthand.
Making this content public requires restructuring to be more accessible and user-friendly. Before making the transition, companies should clearly define their audience. External knowledge bases may be intended for customers seeking product usage guides and troubleshooting steps, developers looking for API documentation and integration guides, or partners requiring partnership policies and integration resources.
Simplifying technical language is necessary to ensure it’s understandable to a broader audience. Internal jargon should be replaced with user-friendly explanations and examples. The overall content hierarchy and navigation must be improved for intuitive categorization, tagging, and search functionality to enhance discoverability.
Branding and user experience
Branding and user experience are critical aspects to consider when building an external knowledge base. An external knowledge base serves as a public-facing resource and must reflect the company's brand identity and quality standards.
For example, Visualogyx created a knowledge base that follows its brand identity and is filled with visual examples which makes it easier for end-users to understand.
Source: Visualogyx
Visual consistency is essential; the knowledge base’s appearance should align with the overall branding, including logos, colors, and typography. The tone of voice should be consistent with the company’s branding guidelines. Accessibility is another significant concern. Documentation should be compatible with screen readers, provide alternative text for images, and include accessible navigation structures.
Best practices for transitioning to an external knowledge base
To ensure a smooth and effective transition, here are some best practices that will help you clean up internal documentation, define a clear content structure, and prepare the content for an external audience.
1. Audit and clean up internal documentation
Begin by conducting a thorough audit of your existing internal documentation. Identify and remove outdated, redundant, or irrelevant content. This process not only streamlines your documentation but also ensures that only accurate and useful information is made public.
2. Define a clear and intuitive content structure
Organize your knowledge base with a logical hierarchy that facilitates easy navigation. Categorize content into sections and subsections that align with user needs and common queries. For example, structuring content by user roles or specific tasks makes it easier for end-users to find what they are looking for.
Here’s an example of an organized knowledge base from Maestro:
Source: Maestro
A well-structured knowledge base improves user experience and can lead to higher engagement rates. Companies offering effective self-service options experience a 25% increase in customer satisfaction.
3. Adapt content for an external audience
Internal documentation often contains jargon or references that may not be familiar to external users. Rewrite content in clear, concise language, avoiding internal acronyms and technical terms without explanations. Providing step-by-step instructions with visual aids, such as images and videos, can significantly enhance comprehension.
4. Implement robust search functionality
Ensure that your knowledge base platform offers powerful search capabilities. Users should be able to find information quickly using keywords and phrases. Effective search functionality reduces frustration and enhances the self-service experience.
5. Regularly update and maintain content
Establish a routine for reviewing and updating knowledge base articles to keep them accurate and relevant. Encourage user feedback to identify areas where information may be lacking or unclear. Regular maintenance ensures that the knowledge base remains a reliable resource for users. Actually, 70% of customers prefer using a company's website to get answers rather than contacting customer service.
Tools and features you shouldn’t miss
Once you decide to make this switch, you will need the right tools and features that can help you during the process.
Search functionality
By far the most important feature is the search functionality. It is vital for users to quickly locate information within your knowledge base. More than 90% of customers use internal searches on a website, but only 50% find what they are looking for. Implementing advanced search capabilities, such as keyword recognition, filtering options, and predictive text, enhances user experience by reducing the time spent searching for information. This improvement leads to increased productivity and user satisfaction. Archbee, for instance, provides search analytics so you can see what your end-users are looking for and create content to answer their questions.
Version control
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date documentation is crucial, making version control systems indispensable. These systems track changes, manage document histories, and facilitate collaboration among team members. Best practices for version control include establishing clear naming conventions, implementing access controls, and maintaining comprehensive audit logs to monitor document revisions. Archbee’s version control helps you have a clear overview of who made changes and see if somebody is working on a document.
Source: Archbee
Integrations supporting internal and external documentation
Expanding your document strategy doesn’t mean you are quitting your internal knowledge base as it is an essential tool for your business. Internal knowledge bases improve employee onboarding. According to research by Brandon Hall Group, organizations with a robust onboarding process can improve new hire retention by 82%.
Seamless integration between your knowledge base and other organizational tools enhances both internal workflows and external user experiences. You need to find a documentation platform that integrates with your existing tool stack.
Companies successfully expanding their documentation strategy: Real-world examples
The following case studies demonstrate how various companies across different industries successfully transitioned their documentation from internal systems, Git repositories, or CMS to a documentation platform.
Title21
Title21, a healthcare software company specializing in cell and gene therapy, faced challenges in maintaining and updating their documentation, which was previously hosted as bulky PDF manuals. The outdated system made content management labor-intensive, with customers often struggling to locate relevant information within large documents.
After transitioning to Archbee, Title21 created a public knowledge base that allowed for daily updates and significantly improved user accessibility.
The enhanced search functionality also contributed to a noticeable reduction in customer support tickets, freeing their support team to focus on high-value, complex inquiries.
“This also helped in reducing day-to-day customer support questions as tickets and the customer support can focus on real problems and roadblocks.”
UneeQ
UneeQ, a company specializing in creating interactive digital humans, previously maintained documentation in markdown files stored within a Git repository. This system posed significant usability challenges, particularly for non-developer stakeholders who lacked the technical expertise to interact with Git effectively. Deploying the documentation was another hurdle, as it required developer involvement, diverting resources away from feature development.
Switching to Archbee provided UneeQ with a more intuitive platform that non-developers could easily access and update. This change reduced the workload on developers, allowing them to focus on their core responsibilities.
“Our customers are saying that our documentation is helpful, professional, and visually appealing. Basically we wanted a low-maintenance solution to offer public documentation to our customers - Archbee is providing that.”
GetFocus
GetFocus, a platform providing technology forecasting solutions, struggled to make complex documentation accessible and understandable for users. Their original documentation process required developers to create and maintain documentation manually, which was both inefficient and resource-intensive.
“It was a struggle to get all that documentation together and then you start looking at tools and there are ways to build your own documentation center. That was all headaches and we didn't really feel like we needed that given all the other stuff that we need to work on. That's what led us to Archbee.”
By adopting Archbee, GetFocus streamlined its documentation processes, allowing it to organize complex information into structured articles and step-by-step guides. The integration of Archbee’s AI-powered ‘Ask’ feature improved user experience by providing quick answers, allowing users to navigate the knowledge base more efficiently.
This transition freed up development resources that could now be dedicated to innovation rather than documentation maintenance.
Expanding your documentation strategy
Switching from internal wikis to external knowledge bases is a game-changer. It boosts customer satisfaction, cuts support tickets, and delivers a polished, accessible experience for users and developers alike. As seen with Title21, UneeQ, and GetFocuse, a well-structured knowledge base empowers users to find answers fast and helps companies scale effortlessly.
Great knowledge bases evolve through regular updates, user feedback, and optimized content. Investing in a user-centric platform it’s essential. Ready to elevate your documentation strategy? Start your free trial with Archbee or book a demo today!
