Knowledge base categories are key for easy navigation. Learn to organize them for better readability and user experience.
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A knowledge base can't be established simply by installing a knowledge base software and slapping together some articles. It needs to make sense to the reader, and it needs to be user friendly.
One way to achieve that is by classifying your articles into categories. But how do you choose knowledge base categories to make it most useful?
What is a knowledge base?
A knowledge base is a centralized repository of information designed to help users find answers, solve problems, or learn about a product, service, or topic. It typically includes articles, FAQs, guides, and tutorials, making it a self-service tool for customers, employees, or other users. Knowledge bases like Document360 improve efficiency by providing quick access to relevant information.
Here are a few pointers:
1. Plan ahead and keep the number down
Like other things in your knowledge base, you need to plan ahead with your categories. Too many knowledge base categories are meaningless, and too few categories don't work.
The best way is to create something like a mind map or a list and divide your knowledge base articles (or potential headlines) into broad topics. They become your categories. If needed, you can create sub categories, but don't go crazy with the number.
2. Keep them self explanatory
Your categories can't be obscure. You have lost the battle when readers need to click on the articles associated with a category to find out what it is about.
A good tip here would be to do keyword research, and adapt the top keywords as categories. Don't make them too long, but use terms that your readers are familiar with.
3. Have one category per article
Most people make the mistake of assigning a number of categories to a single article. This defeats the purpose of categories and converts them into tags (which are also very important).
A rule of thumb is to have one category assigned to each article. This simplifies navigation and helps the reader get the central idea of the article. Besides, multiple categories per article means the same article will show up multiple times, which can make you look like you are padding the base.
4. Keep them consistent
Another symptom of an unplanned knowledge base is when your categories don't have the same depth. When you go about building your knowledge base on an ad hoc basis, some would be broad enough to describe a wide range of topics while others get so narrow that you can barely fit in 3 or 4 articles there.
For example, look at the category classification of the Opera Knowledge Base. You can see categories like Plug-ins and Security but you won't see anything that is about ultra specific issues or bugs. Steal that idea.
5. Don't freeze the list
As your knowledge base content grows and you add more articles, you might need to add more categories to the list. It's perfectly acceptable to do that, but you have to make sure that there are a sufficient number of articles before you can branch out into a new category.
Having only one or two articles per category makes it look like your knowledge base is not very helpful. You don't want readers to have that impression.
Conclusion
Properly categorizing your knowledge base makes easier to use and much more effective. How are you organizing your knowledge base?
Frequently asked questions
How many categories should a knowledge base have?
Enough to cover your broad topics, and no more. Too many categories become meaningless and too few do not work. Plan first with a mind map or a list, group your articles or planned headlines into broad topics, make those your categories, and add subcategories only when you really need them.
How do I name knowledge base categories so readers understand them?
Make each name self explanatory, so readers know what a category covers without opening its articles. Do keyword research and use the top keywords your readers already search for as category names. Keep the names short and use terms your readers are familiar with.
Can one knowledge base article belong to more than one category?
It is better not to. Assign one category per article. Several categories per article turn categories into tags, make the same article show up in several places, and can make the knowledge base look padded. One category keeps navigation simple and tells the reader the article's central idea.
When should I add a new knowledge base category?
Add one when your content has grown enough to fill it. The category list should not be frozen, but a category with only one or two articles makes the knowledge base look unhelpful. Wait until you have enough articles on a topic, and keep categories at a consistent depth.
