Building a Smarter Self-Service Knowledge Base? Explore All In-Demand Features

I’ve seen countless knowledge bases make big promises but fall short in execution—leaving customers frustrated, questions unanswered, and support tickets piling up. It’s a recipe for disaster.

But over the years, I’ve learned that the key to successful user experience lies in choosing the right self-service knowledge base software features.  

With 61% of customers preferring self-service, it’s crucial to provide a knowledge base that truly empowers them to find answers quickly and efficiently. 

However, not all knowledge bases are created equal. A poorly designed system with limited functionality can hinder self-service. In contrast, the right one can ensure a seamless experience where information is easy to find, accessible, and relevant to user needs.

In this blog, I’ll share my experience on the must-have features of self-service knowledge base software and my top 5 self-service knowledge base software.

What Is Self-Service Knowledge Base Software?

For the ones new to the concept, let’s first explore what a knowledge base is and how it works with this insightful video:

Self-service knowledge base software is a powerful tool that allows businesses to create and manage a centralized repository of information that customers can access to find answers to their questions and solve problems independently. It’s like having 24/7 online help desk software that empowers customers to find solutions without needing to contact your support team.  

This type of software typically offers features like content authoring tools, customization options, search functionality, and analytics to help you create, manage, and optimize your knowledge base content. It allows you to organize information in a clear and structured manner, making it easy for customers to navigate and find what they need.  

For example, an e-commerce company might use self-service knowledge base software to create a help center where customers can find answers to frequently asked questions about shipping, returns, and product information. They can also include troubleshooting guides, video tutorials, and other resources to help customers resolve common issues on their own. 

What Are the Top Features to Look for in Self-Service Knowledge Base Software?

A robust self-service knowledge base platform helps enhance content creation, user experience, and knowledge management. 

Let me walk you through the most in-demand knowledge base software features. Also, rather than just listing these features, I will explain how you can make the most of them using ProProfs Knowledge Base as an example:

AI-Powered Content Authoring

An AI-powered knowledge base writer can significantly simplify and accelerate content creation. Look for features that leverage AI to generate content ideas, suggest improvements to language and style, and even translate articles into multiple languages. 

This ensures your knowledge base articles are well-written, engaging, and accessible to a wider audience. Imagine being able to create a first draft of an article with a few clicks or having AI suggest more concise and impactful ways to phrase your instructions. 

Using self-service knowledge base software, you can have generative AI knowledge base content creation to enhance the quality of your internal knowledge base. It can also help you generate content ideas, improve writing quality, and even summarize lengthy articles. Here’s how you can create it:

• Step 1: Create a new article by picking a template, import existing content, or create a blank page to start with
• Step 2: Get your article content by telling AI to summarize the current article, or improve it/adjust the length with AI
• Step 3: Customize and publish your article by adding a table of contents and fine-tuning styling with custom fonts/colors or CSS.

Explore AI Writer

Multi-Branding

If your company has multiple brands or products, managing separate knowledge bases for each can be a challenge. Look for a platform that supports multi-branding, allowing you to create and manage separate knowledge bases for each brand, all from a single platform. 

This is how you can create multi-branded help sites:

• On the dashboard, go to Sites > Multi-Branded Site and select ‘Multi-Branded Site’
• Add the details and create
• Customize as per your requirements.

See how features like Multibranding help companies create differently branded knowledge bases in this insightful video:

Customization & Branding

Your knowledge base should seamlessly integrate with your brand identity. Look for software that allows you to customize the look and feel of your knowledge base with your logo, colors, fonts, and custom domain. 

This creates a consistent brand experience and reinforces your brand image, making your knowledge base feel like a natural extension of your website or product. 

Here’s how you can customize your knowledge base:

• Step 1: Go to Settings > Branding
• Step 2: Choose a color scheme from the given options
• Step 3: Use favicon to appear in your browser’s address bar
• Step 4: Upload your logo.

Robust Search Functionality

A powerful knowledge base search function is essential for users to quickly find the information they need within your knowledge base. 

Look for features like auto-complete, which suggests relevant articles as users type, search suggestions, which offer alternative search terms or related topics, and advanced filters, which allow users to narrow down their search results by category, date, or other criteria. 

Here’s how you can use knowledge base search to its full potential:

• Step 1: Simply enter the search text into the search bar, click the search icon, or hit Enter
• Step 2: The searched keyword will appear in bold throughout the page
• Step 3: Use search keywords to provide additional searchable text and targeted keywords for a page
• Step 4: Click on the gear icon to go to the page settings
• Step 5: Check the box next to “Show page in search result,” and click Save.

User Management & Access Control

For external knowledge bases, you might need to control access to certain content or provide different levels of access to different user groups. This could be useful for providing premium content to paid subscribers or restricting access to internal documentation. 

Look for features that allow you to manage users, set permissions, and create private knowledge bases for specific audiences. Here’s how you can add/edit users and assign roles:

• Step 1: In the dashboard, navigate to Settings > Users & Roles
• Step 2: Click + New User on the right side of your screen
• Step 3: Enter the new user’s details, select the sites they can access, and click Create
• Step 4: When adding/editing users, you can select which sites they can access.

Analytics & Reporting

Track the performance of your knowledge base with analytics and reporting features. Monitor key metrics like article views, search queries, user feedback, and popular content to identify areas for improvement and measure the effectiveness of your knowledge base. 

This data can help you understand user behavior, identify knowledge gaps, and optimize your content to better meet your audience’s needs. Watch this insightful video to see how it works:

Integrations with Other Tools

Integrate your knowledge base with other business tools, such as your CRM or help desk system, to streamline workflows and provide a unified customer experience. This will allow for seamless data exchange and ensure that your knowledge base is an integral part of your support ecosystem. 

For example, integrating with your CRM can allow support agents to access and share knowledge base articles directly within customer conversations, improving efficiency and consistency in support delivery. See all the integrations ProProfs Knowledge Base supports. 

What Are the Best Practices for Enhancing Customer Service with Self-Service Knowledge Base Software?

Simply having a knowledge base isn’t enough; it needs to be implemented and managed effectively to truly enhance the customer experience. Here are five best practices to consider:

Create High-Quality, User-Focused Content

Your knowledge base is only as good as its content. Invest time and effort in creating high-quality articles that are clear, concise, and easy to understand. 

Use visuals, such as images, videos, and screenshots, to break up text and improve comprehension.  Most importantly, ensure your content is user-focused, addressing common customer questions and pain points.

Organize Your Knowledge Base Effectively

A well-organized knowledge base is crucial for easy navigation and quick information retrieval. Categorize your articles logically, use clear and descriptive titles, and implement a robust search function that allows users to easily find what they need. 

Consider using tags and filters to further refine search results and improve user experience.

Promote Your Knowledge Base

Don’t just create a knowledge base and expect customers to find it. Actively promote it through various channels, such as your website, social media, email newsletters, and even within your product or app.

Make it easy for customers to access your knowledge base and encourage them to use it as their first line of support.

Gather & Implement Feedback

Regularly solicit feedback from your customers on their experience with your knowledge base. This can be done through surveys, feedback forms, or even by monitoring comments and discussions within the knowledge base itself. 

Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement, such as content gaps, usability issues, or outdated information.

Continuously Optimize & Improve

A knowledge base is not a static entity; it needs to be continuously optimized and improved. Review and update your content regularly to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Track key metrics, such as article views, search queries, and customer satisfaction ratings, to identify areas where you can enhance your knowledge base and better meet your customers’ needs.

Which Are the Top 5 Self-Service Knowledge Base Software? 

Our team has been using self-service knowledge base software to enable our customers and employees to find answers to their questions instantly. Here’s a list I’ve compiled over the years of my top 5 tools. 

1. ProProfs Knowledge Base – Best for Easily Creating Help Sites, Manuals & Private Knowledge Bases

We’ve been using ProProfs Knowledge Base for its intuitive content authoring tools. Its AI-powered WYSIWYG editor, customizable templates, and multimedia support make it easy to craft engaging and informative articles. It enables features like version control and co-authoring to facilitate collaboration and ensure accuracy.

The platform also excels in customization and branding. Businesses can tailor the look and feel of their knowledge base to match their brand identity, creating a seamless and professional user experience. This includes adding custom domains, logos, color schemes, and even CSS customization for a truly unique and on-brand knowledge base.

What You Will Like:

• 100+ knowledge base templates for error-free knowledge base articles
• Access controls, user authentication, and encryption capabilities safeguard your knowledge base content and maintain user trust
• Allows you to track key metrics, understand user behavior, and continuously improve your knowledge base content
• Lets you control the layout, format, and presentation of your knowledge base with the help of CSS.

What You May Not Like:

• No downloadable or on-premise version
• A dark user interface option is not available.

Pricing:

Forever Free Plan with all the premium features for small teams. Paid plan starts at $49/author/month.

2. HelpCrunch – Best for Creating a Structured Help Center

HelpCrunch’s intuitive WYSIWYG editor makes creating and formatting articles a breeze. I like how easy is it to easily add images, videos, and tables to your content, making it engaging and easy to understand. It also allows you to organize your articles into categories and sections, creating a structured and easily navigable help center for your customers.   

The platform allows you to optimize your articles for search engines with customizable SEO settings, including title tags and meta descriptions. The platform also offers a smart search feature with personalized, relevant, real-time suggestions, helping users quickly find the content they need.   

What You Will Like:

• Allows you to integrate the knowledge base directly into your website widget
• Lets you hide the chat option altogether, encouraging users to try to find answers on their own first
• Provides actionable metrics to help you track the performance of your knowledge base. 

What You May Not Like:

• Lacks multilingual capabilities
• Cannot edit the message after it has been sent on the app.

Pricing:

Paid plan starts at $12/member/month.

3. Nuclino – Best for Fast Collaboration to Bring Knowledge, Docs, and Projects Together in One Place

Nuclino helps collaboratively create, organize, and share information in a visually appealing and easily accessible manner. Its clean interface, intuitive editor, and powerful linking capabilities make it a breeze to build comprehensive and user-friendly documentation.

The platform’s unique graph visualization allows you to visually link related documents and create a network of interconnected knowledge. Users can quickly jump from a basic setup guide to a troubleshooting section or a more in-depth technical specification document with just a few clicks.

What You Will Like:

• Real-time collaborative editor
• Supports various content formats, including text, images, videos, and even embedded interactive elements
• Markdown support and a WYSIWYG editor help streamline the writing and formatting process.

What You May Not Like: 

• Lacks customization options around the visual appearance of documents
• Can pose a bit of a learning curve to new users.

Pricing:

Paid plan starts at $6/user/month.

4. GetGuru – Best for Connecting Company’s Collective Language

GetGuru leverages artificial intelligence to analyze the user’s context and proactively suggest relevant knowledge cards, providing just-in-time guidance and support. It integrates seamlessly with various communication and collaboration tools, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Salesforce. 

The platform’s verification engine automatically notifies subject matter experts to review and update knowledge, ensuring that information remains current and reliable. This is crucial for self-service knowledge bases, as outdated or inaccurate information can lead to frustration and errors.

What You Will Like:

• Lets you create visually appealing knowledge cards with rich text editing, images, and videos
• Seamlessly integrates with your CRM, help desk, and other business tools
• Delivers personalized knowledge to specific user segments based on their roles, locations, or interests.

What You May Not Like: 

• Adding videos to Cards can be a bit time-consuming
• Limited UI customization options.

Pricing: 

Paid plan starts from $10/month.

5. Document360 –  Best for Creating Online Documentation

With Document360, you can create dynamic and engaging knowledge bases that are easy to navigate and search. Its intuitive editor, powered with customizable templates and a variety of formatting options, allows you to present information in a clear and visually appealing manner. 

The platform’s real-time collaboration features allow multiple team members to work on the same document simultaneously, ensuring accuracy and consistency. The platform’s version control system tracks changes and allows you to revert to previous versions if necessary, providing peace of mind and facilitating seamless updates.

What You Will Like:

• Enables a dedicated space for content creators to manage articles, categories, and settings
• Enables an embeddable widget that allows users to search your knowledge base directly from your website or application
• Lets you effectively categorize content for easy navigation.

What You May Not Like:

• You have to manually save changes if you modify the custom code
• Sometimes, it becomes hard to find where a broken link is on a page.

Pricing:

Available on request.

How to Choose the Best Self-Service Knowledge Base Software

Choosing the best self-service knowledge base software requires careful consideration of various factors beyond just the features offered. Here are some strategic tips to guide your selection process:

Consider Your Primary Objectives & Target Audience

Outline your objectives for creating a self-service knowledge base.

• What are you hoping to achieve?
• Are you primarily focused on reducing support tickets, improving customer satisfaction, or driving product adoption?
• Are they technical users, beginners, or a mix?

Understanding your objectives and audience will help you choose a platform that aligns with your goals and provides the right features and functionalities.

Consider Your Content Strategy

Think about your overall content strategy and how the knowledge base software fits into it. Will you create different types of content, such as FAQs, troubleshooting guides, tutorials, or interactive walkthroughs?  

Ensure the platform supports your content strategy and allows you to create, manage, and publish various types of content effectively.

Prioritize User Experience

The user experience is paramount for a self-service knowledge base. Choose a platform that is intuitive, easy to navigate, and offers a seamless experience for your customers.

Consider features like mobile responsiveness, which ensures the knowledge base is accessible on various devices, and accessibility compliance, which makes it usable for people with disabilities.

Evaluate Integration Capabilities

Seamless integration with your existing business tools and workflows is crucial for maximizing efficiency and providing a unified customer experience.

Ensure the knowledge base software integrates with tools like your CRM, help desk system, and live chat platform. This allows for a smooth flow of information between different systems and ensures that your knowledge base is an integral part of your support ecosystem.

Assess Security & Compliance

Protecting your knowledge base content and user data is crucial, especially when dealing with sensitive information.

Choose a platform that offers robust security features, such as access controls, user authentication, encryption, and compliance with industry regulations like GDPR or HIPAA.

Consider Scalability & Pricing

Choose a platform that can scale with your business needs as your knowledge base grows and your user base expands.

Consider factors like storage capacity, user limits, and the ability to add new features or integrations as needed.

Evaluate different pricing plans and consider the total cost of ownership, including licensing fees, implementation costs, and ongoing maintenance expenses.

Evaluate Vendor Reputation & Support

Choose a vendor with a proven track record and a strong reputation for customer support. Look for vendors that offer comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and responsive support channels.

Consider the availability of training resources and whether the vendor offers ongoing support and product updates. A reliable vendor can be a valuable partner in your self-service journey.

Enable 24×7 Self-Service with AI-Powered Knowledge Base Software

A well-equipped self-service knowledge base software empowers businesses to streamline customer support, improve team collaboration, and enhance knowledge accessibility. 

Choosing the right software depends on ease of use, customization, integrations, and AI-driven capabilities. Robust self-service knowledge base platforms offer diverse solutions catering to different business needs, making implementing an efficient knowledge management system easier.

ProProfs Knowledge Base stands out with its AI-powered features, enabling automated content suggestions, intelligent search, and seamless article organization. Explore the tool more or request a demo today to enable effortless self-service!