Why are help centers important?
Having a help center on your website shows your customers that you value their time, and are committed to providing them with the support they need. When customers know they can easily find answers to their questions through a help center, they are less likely to turn to outside sources for help or become frustrated with your business. Additionally, help centers can help reduce customer support costs by allowing customers to self-serve rather than having to rely on phone or email support.
What should be included in a help center?
The content of a help center should be tailored to the specific needs of your customers, but generally, it can include:
- A searchable database of articles, tutorials, and FAQs
- Video tutorials and other visual aids
- Community forums where customers can connect with each other and share tips
- Live chat support with customer service representatives
How to ensure your help center is effective
It is not enough to simply have a help center on your website; it must also be effective in order to benefit your customers and your business. To ensure the effectiveness of your help center, consider the following:
Organize your content in a logical, easy-to-navigate manner
Based on Landingi.com, the help center can be presented in the form of blog posts, which are categorized thematically and can be found using a search engine.
Keep articles up-to-date and relevant to your customers’ needs
Maintaining up-to-date articles designed to help users is an undeniable asset of the help center and the company as a whole, committed to providing content at the highest possible level.
Landingi.com is a great example of maintaining up-to-date content.
Monitor customer feedback and adjust content accordingly
With the ability to rate articles, there is real feedback on the usefulness of the help center, which is meant to be for users with users in mind. Tracking this feedback allows to manage and adjust the content to meet expectations.
Customer feedback module in every article in Landingi.com
Provide multiple ways for customers to access the help center, including searchable keywords, clearly labeled links, and a search bar
At Landingi.com, the Help Center is accessed via an extensive Mega Menu, and all articles are linked via landingi.com/help/article-title. This makes it much easier to find your way around the site and find interesting articles.
Understanding Help Centers vs. Knowledge Bases
Help Centers and Knowledge Bases share common ground in providing information. However, Help Centers stand out as dynamic, interactive hubs offering comprehensive assistance, troubleshooting guides, FAQs, and direct support channels. Unlike Knowledge Bases that primarily focus on information dissemination, Help Centers offer a more personalized, interactive experience, catering to diverse user needs with a range of support options.
Benefits of a Help Center
Enhanced Customer Experience
Help Centers empower users to find solutions independently, fostering a sense of autonomy and satisfaction.
Trust and Credibility
A well-structured Help Center demonstrates expertise and commitment, building trust among users and potential customers.
Conversion Catalyst
Leveraging Help Centers strategically can significantly impact conversion rates. Clear, informative content can guide potential leads through the buyer’s journey, addressing concerns and objections along the way.
Better SEO
Incorporating a help center directly into your website, rather than relying on a third-party tool like Intercom, can significantly improve your website’s SEO capabilities. Additionally, it increases traffic and facilitates content creation.
By hosting a help center on your own website, you can optimize your search engine visibility and improve your website’s ranking. This approach eliminates the need for users to leave your domain, allowing search engines to more effectively recognize and index your valuable content. As a result, your website becomes easier to find for potential visitors, resulting in increased organic traffic.
Leveraging Help Centers to Drive Conversions
Targeted Content Creation
Craft content within the Help Center that aligns with different stages of the customer journey. Address common pain points, provide solutions, and showcase the value proposition of your products or services.
Strategic Placement and Accessibility
Ensure easy navigation and prominent placement of the Help Center on your website. Integrate it seamlessly within the user interface to encourage exploration and usage.
Data-Driven Optimization
Use analytics to track user interactions within the Help Center. Identify areas where users might face hurdles or seek more information. Tailor content and structure based on these insights to continually enhance its effectiveness.
Conclusion
By providing customers with a functional and informative help center, companies can effectively reduce support costs, increase customer satisfaction, and demonstrate their commitment to providing excellent service.
To ensure the effectiveness of your help center, it is important to adjust your content to your customers’ needs, organize it in a logical manner, keep it up-to-date, and promote it through various channels. Invest the time and resources necessary to create a robust help center on your website, and watch your business thrive as a result.
Natalia Barańska
Marketing Specialist
