Stellar customer support is a foundational part of any small business that customers love. And customer love almost always translates into revenue.

Nailing your customer support is a way to gain and retain loyal customers. Studies show that as little as a 5% increase in your loyal customer base can increase revenue and profits up to 95%.

In other words, investing time in a defined customer support strategy pays off. And there are many components to delivering ideal customer service. Aside from a rockstar support team, another key element is having a comprehensive knowledge base that customers can reference for a quick fix or when your team is unavailable. Putting one together may be a little time-intensive right off the bat, but the long-term returns (and time saved for your team) will be worth the work.

Here’s how you build it.

  1. Pick a Topic

The best source of topic ideas is your customers. Any time you notice you’re getting an influx of inquiries about a particular topic, you should write knowledge base article about it.

You should even consider actively seeking feedback, to find out where your customers struggle the most.

  1. Take a Systematic Approach

The big picture should be on your mind from the start when you begin to write your first article. As the number of your articles start to grow, so will the complexity of your knowledge base.

A good knowledge base is well-organized and follows the user’s workflow. Poorly organized knowledge base leads to customers getting frustrated and reaching out for human support.

That’s why you need to follow a well-defined system when creating new articles. There should be a hierarchy that follows a logic your customers are most likely to use when looking for help. Think about your user flow and organize your knowledge based according to the customer journey through your product or service.

  1. Choose Simple and Straightforward Titles

Clarity is key. Your customers are looking for help, not storytelling. So make their journey from A to B as seamless and factual as possible.

Make sure your title is directly relevant and clearly defines the article’s purpose. Always stick with simplicity over creativity. No matter what your standard brand tone and voice are, your knowledge base should be utilitarian.

  1. Short, Concise and Precise

That’s the mantra of the writing the body of an article. The more one article contains, the more confusing it’s going to be. Confusion directly minimizes the chances of a customer resolving the issue at hand.

Sometimes you may feel like adding some extra information that’s related. Instead, create another article answering that the related question and link to it.

Each of your articles in the knowledge base should one question and one answer. Nothing more (and obviously nothing less).

  1. Use Visuals

Often, a diagram, screenshot or a video can explain a solution much more effectively than words. Most people are more inclined to understand visuals than large blocks of text.

When you use screenshots, make sure to use accurate text to accompany it. You always want to explain the key point on the screenshot to make the customer understanding deeper.

  1. Add Tags

To improve the navigation and simplify the workflow, use relevant tags for each article. As stated earlier, organization and a systematic approach are paramount. It shouldn’t need mentioning, but alongside relevant tags, the ability to search through articles should be readily available.

  1. Edit and Request Feedback

As with anything you publish online, be sure to have your knowledge base articles proofread beforehand. Errors can prevent accurate searching and confuse your already-confused customers.

At the end of each article, be sure to find out if you solved the user’s issue with a quick poll. This will help you continue to improve current and future knowledge base articles.

If done correctly, your knowledge base can become a go-to resource for your customers. If not, your customer support line could be ringing off the hook. Make sure you have processes in place that really address your customer needs. Your customers (and your support team) will thank you.