There are several main reasons why software documentation should be online. This makes your website attractive to search engine crawlers and brings in targeted traffic from Google, Yahoo!, MSN and other search engines. A good online manual enhances your product's reputation and credibility. Also, if a user has a problem using the software and requests technical support, the problem can be easily resolved by directing the user to a specific page of her online help. Just enter the URL of the page. With one click, users can see screenshots and descriptions that help clarify the case.
Many software vendors, from large corporations to independent developers, understand these reasons well. They made the help system part of their website in hopes of attracting more leads and generating more sales. But even a cursory analysis of the many manuals available online reveals many common mistakes that can reduce the impact of this very powerful tool. The main source of error is that the online manual is misunderstood as a standalone document that users can download or view on her website. The correct approach is to make the help part of your website. If you follow these rules, this is a very easy task:
Create Pages! No File
The most common mistakes I've noticed on many software vendor websites are: Providing the manual in a single file, such as RTF. Indeed, it is very convenient for users to download product manuals. Use it on your desktop, especially if there are too many manuals to include in your software setup package. However, using the online documentation is not the same as using the online documentation. Feel the difference!
It is very wise to allow users to download the complete manual as a single file. However, even if search engine crawlers were able to index a PDF or RTF, the file is unlikely to attract new visitors from search engines. Also, this file is of little use to technical support. For example, you cannot direct users to a specific section of your help system by simply providing a direct URL link. So to get the most out of your help system, make it part of your website. Split the manual into multiple pages and convert to HTML. Most reputable help authoring software can export help files in HTML format. Each page should contain a specific section or chapter of the manual. Many of the relatively small pages are easy to read, navigate, and bookmark. Still, you have to keep a balance. Don't create lots of cute little pages that people have to wander around to find the solution they need. Each page should cover a specific topic completely enough to solve a specific task. Additionally, pages with up-to-date content are perfect lures for search engine crawlers.
Follow the general style
The help file is now ready to be exported to a series of HTML pages and uploaded to the server. Stop! Check how the page looks. The set should follow a common style that is characterized by the corporate identity.
Modern help authoring tools allow you to customize the appearance of your pages using CSS or visual template collections. Your online manual should match the style of your website. Use the same color theme, fonts, and corporate graphics. Otherwise the whole project will look like a patchwork quilt. This is not good; it is much better to be stable, perform well, and appear consistent.
