Knowledge Base Update
A procedure for creating, reviewing, and updating knowledge base articles to ensure customers and staff have access to accurate, current, and useful self-service information.
Purpose
To maintain a high-quality knowledge base that empowers customers to find answers independently, reduces support ticket volume, and ensures staff have reliable reference material.
Scope
Covers the full lifecycle of knowledge base content including creation, review, update, and retirement of articles across customer-facing and internal knowledge bases.
Prerequisites
- Knowledge base platform configured and accessible to content authors and reviewers
- Content style guide and formatting standards documented
- Content review schedule and ownership assignments established
- Analytics configured to track article usage, search terms, and feedback
Step-by-Step Procedure
Identify Content Needs
Analyse support data, customer searches, and team feedback to identify gaps in the knowledge base that need new or updated content.
- 1.1Review frequently asked support questions that are not addressed in the knowledge base
- 1.2Analyse knowledge base search terms that return no results or low-relevance results
- 1.3Collect content requests and suggestions from customer service agents
- Articles addressing the most common support queries have the highest deflection impact
Plan the Content Update
Prioritise the identified content needs and create an update plan with assignments and timelines.
- 2.1Rank content needs by potential impact on support volume and customer experience
- 2.2Assign content creation or update tasks to subject-matter experts
- 2.3Set deadlines aligned with the content review schedule
Draft or Revise the Content
Write new articles or revise existing ones following the content style guide and formatting standards.
- 3.1Write clear, step-by-step instructions using plain language
- 3.2Include screenshots, diagrams, or videos where they add clarity
- 3.3Follow the style guide for formatting, headings, and metadata
- 3.4Ensure the article is optimised for search with relevant keywords and tags
- Write for the customer reading level and avoid internal jargon
Review the Content
Have the draft reviewed for accuracy, clarity, completeness, and compliance with the style guide before publication.
- 4.1Submit the draft to a peer or subject-matter expert for accuracy review
- 4.2Submit to the knowledge base manager for style and formatting review
- 4.3Incorporate feedback and make necessary revisions
Publish the Article
Publish the reviewed and approved article to the knowledge base, ensuring it is correctly categorised and discoverable.
- 5.1Set the article status to published and assign the appropriate category and tags
- 5.2Verify the article appears correctly in the knowledge base and is searchable
- 5.3Notify relevant teams that a new or updated article is available
Monitor Article Performance
Track how the article is performing in terms of views, search rankings, feedback ratings, and support ticket deflection.
- 6.1Review article analytics including page views, time on page, and search position
- 6.2Monitor customer feedback ratings and comments on the article
- 6.3Track whether support ticket volume for the topic decreases after publication
Conduct Scheduled Content Reviews
Review existing knowledge base articles on a regular schedule to ensure they remain accurate and up to date.
- 7.1Review all articles assigned for the current review cycle
- 7.2Check for outdated information, broken links, and accuracy against current products and processes
- 7.3Update or retire articles as needed and record the review in the article metadata
Retire Obsolete Content
Remove or archive articles that are no longer relevant to prevent customers from encountering outdated information.
- 8.1Identify articles that cover discontinued products, outdated processes, or irrelevant topics
- 8.2Archive the article if it may have historical value or delete it if it does not
- 8.3Set up redirects to relevant current articles where appropriate
Quality Checkpoints
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Expected Outcomes
Percentage of customers who find their answer in the knowledge base without needing to contact support.
Average customer rating of knowledge base articles, indicating content quality and usefulness.
Percentage of common support topics that are covered by at least one published knowledge base article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for writing knowledge base content?
Content is typically authored by subject-matter experts with guidance from the knowledge base manager. The knowledge base manager is responsible for overall quality, consistency, and the review schedule.
Can customers contribute to the knowledge base?
Customer contributions such as comments, ratings, and suggestions are encouraged and used to improve content. However, all published content is authored and reviewed internally to ensure accuracy.
What format should knowledge base articles follow?
Articles should follow the content style guide, which specifies plain language, step-by-step formatting, use of headings and subheadings, inclusion of visuals where helpful, and proper tagging for search optimisation.
How often should knowledge base articles be reviewed?
Every article should be reviewed at least quarterly. Articles related to frequently changing products or processes should be reviewed monthly. Urgent updates should be made immediately.
How should article effectiveness be measured?
Article effectiveness is measured through page views, time on page, customer feedback ratings, search performance, and the correlation between article publication and support ticket volume for the related topic.
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