Create help documentation for your users
Zapier-hosted help documentation
The Zapier team provide frontline support for your integration, and in order to provide the best experience for your users, help documentation about using your integration in Zaps is hosted in the Zapier Help Center.
Ensure the Zapier Technical Writing team can create accurate documentation by filling out this form. Once submitted, it takes roughly 2 weeks to get help docs published in the Help Center. Optionally include links out to documentation on your app’s site to help customers find the information they are looking for.
As you maintain and add functionality to your integration, use the same form to submit updates at any time to the Technical Writing team. When adding Zapier logos on any help documentation or pages in your app, access the up-to-date branding assets here.
Self-hosted help documentation
Step-up your documentation game. Implementing these essential strategies and tips can ensure that your audience gets the assistance they need, seamlessly.
Speak your user’s language
- Identify your integration’s target audience and tailor your help docs to their level of technical expertise
- Consider the common questions, pain points, and use cases your users might have
Organize content effectively
- Structure your help docs in a logical manner, with categories, subcategories, and search functionality for easy navigation
- Use descriptive headings and bullet points to break down complex topics into bite-sized pieces
- Create a table of contents for quick reference
Check Buffer’s simple yet effective way of breaking down topics.
Keep help docs clear and concise
- Use plain language and avoid technical jargon whenever possible
- Break down complex concepts into simple steps and provide examples or screenshots to illustrate key points
- Write in an active voice to keep the content engaging and easy to understand
Leverage your user Community
- Encourage community engagement from users who have successfully resolved similar issues
- Community-contributed answers help leverage social proof. When users see that their peers have found solutions helpful, this adds authenticity and credibility to your help docs
- Highlighting real user experiences demonstrates that your documentation isn’t just theoretical— bolstering users’ confidence in its effectiveness.
Anticipate user needs
- Include troubleshooting guides, FAQs, and best practices to address common issues and optimize user experience
- Link related articles together to provide a seamless learning experience
Offer multiple formats
- Formats such as text-based articles, video tutorials, and interactive demos will help cater to different learning preferences and experiences
- Ensure that all formats are easily accessible and mobile-friendly for users on the go
See how Notion offers a variety of tutorials and documentation in different formats.
Empower user feedback
- Allow users to rate the helpfulness of your articles and provide comments or suggestions for improvement
- Monitor user feedback regularly and use it to prioritize updates and improvements to your help docs (and integration)
Integrate help docs with support channels
- Integrate your help docs with your customer support channels such as live chat or ticketing systems to provide seamless assistance to users
- Optionally, link out your documentation to our Zapier-hosted help docs to create a more robust experience
Measure and analyze usage
- Use analytics tools to track user engagement with your help docs, including page views, search queries, and time spent on each article
- Use this data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your help docs for a better user experience
Embed Zapier within your help docs
- Give users the ability to easily and securely discover what they can accomplish with your integration through one of our embed tools
- Partners often publish articles detailing workflows with a Zap template for that specific workflow embedded using our Zap template element
- Learn more about other embed benefits
Remember to regularly review and refine your content to ensure it remains accurate, relevant, and helpful to your users.