What HubSpot and Hulu Know About Knowledge Bases (That You Should Too)

What do HubSpot and Hulu have in common when it comes to supporting their customers?

An easy-to-use and thoughtfully structured knowledge base!

Last week, I shared how a streamlined knowledge base can slash onboarding time and boost customer satisfaction. But a great knowledge base isn’t just a library of articles; instead, it’s a map that guides users straight to the answers they need.

Here’s how to make yours both powerful and user-friendly:

1. Start with Your Users’ Questions

Begin by identifying the most common questions your customers ask. Review support tickets, talk to your support and sales teams, and look for recurring issues. Build your knowledge base to support your customers from day one, which means fewer repetitive support tickets and more time for your team to focus on high-value work.

2. Organize by Themes

Group content into logical categories like “Getting Started,” “Billing,” or “Product Features.” Use bold graphics and clear section descriptions to help users navigate quickly.

Pro tip: Hulu and HubSpot put FAQs and popular topics front and center, always with a prominent search bar.

3. Use Consistent, Clear Language

Keep it simple! Write in plain, jargon-free language. Titles like “How to…” make articles easy to find and understand. Use a style guide to keep everything consistent.

4. Mix Up Your Content Formats

Don’t just stick to text format; add screenshots, videos, and infographics to make instructions clear. Tools like Loom can help you create quick, helpful visuals.

5. Keep Improving

Track which articles get the most views, which questions remain unanswered, and update content regularly. Your knowledge base should grow with your product and your users’ needs.

Public vs. Private Knowledge Bases: What’s Right for You?

Should your knowledge base be open to the world, or locked down for select users? 

Here’s how to decide:

• Public Knowledge Base: Great for FAQs, troubleshooting, and onboarding guides. It helps customers self-serve and can even boost your SEO. 

• Private Knowledge Base: Best for sensitive information, internal processes, or advanced troubleshooting. Access is restricted, often requiring login credentials.

• Hybrid Approach: Many companies use a mix of public for general help, and private for proprietary or advanced content. This balances accessibility with security and customization.

Tip: Decide who your audience is for each piece of content, and structure permissions accordingly.

Structuring The Knowledge Base in Healthcare

In healthcare, knowledge management is about more than efficiency, it’s about safety and outcomes.

• Organize content by clinical workflows, compliance, and patient safety.

• Encourage peer review and regular updates for accuracy.

• Balance accessibility: public guides for general use, private sections for clinical protocols or sensitive data. 

Standout Knowledge Bases for Inspiration

• Zendesk: Robust search and clean design.

• HubSpot: Prominent search, easy navigation, and consistent formatting.

• Hulu: Distinct categories and easy to reach the support team.

The Bottom Line

A well-structured, thoughtfully organized knowledge base is the secret to scaling support, empowering customers, and freeing up your team.

Done right, it saves money by reducing repetitive work! Whether public, private, or hybrid-clarity and consistency are the key.

Reply and share your biggest challenge or favorite example! I’d love to feature your story.

Until next week,
Manasi

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Have questions about onboarding or streamlining your training, or want to chat?
Email me at [email protected].