The Modern Knowledge Base Alternative
Why Your Knowledge Base Isn't Working (And What To Do Instead)
You've invested thousands in documentation. You've hired technical writers. You've organized everything into neat categories. So why do customers still flood your support inbox with questions that are clearly answered in your knowledge base?
The problem isn't your content. It's the format.
The Hidden Cost of Traditional Knowledge Bases
Every SaaS company, every e-commerce store, every service business eventually builds a knowledge base. It seems like the obvious solution: write helpful articles, organize them logically, and let customers help themselves.
But here's what the data actually shows:
Article Completion Rate
Only 27% finish reading
Nearly 3 out of 4 users abandon your carefully crafted articles before reaching the end.
Average Time on Page
45 seconds per article
Most users skim for keywords rather than reading comprehensively. They're looking for quick answers, not walls of text.
Support Tickets After KB Visit
67% still contact support
Two-thirds of users who visit your knowledge base end up contacting support anyway. Your self-service isn't serving.
The Real Problem: Format, Not Content
Traditional knowledge bases were designed for a different era of the internet. They're essentially digital manuals—long-form documents that assume users will read linearly from top to bottom.
But that's not how people consume information online anymore:
Attention spans have shrunk
The average online attention span is now 8 seconds. Your 2,000-word article doesn't stand a chance.
Users are multitasking
People read your docs while also checking Slack, answering emails, and handling other tasks. They lose their place constantly.
Skimming is the default behavior
Eye-tracking studies show users read in an F-pattern, scanning headings and first sentences while ignoring everything else.
No accountability for comprehension
Users can scroll to the bottom without absorbing anything. There's no mechanism to ensure they actually understood each step.
Case Study
How CloudSync Reduced Support Tickets by 52%
CloudSync, a file synchronization SaaS with 15,000 customers, was drowning in support tickets. Their knowledge base had over 200 articles covering every feature and edge case. The content was comprehensive and well-written.
Yet their support team was handling 400+ tickets per week—and 60% of those tickets were about topics already covered in the knowledge base.
Before: Traditional KB
After: Interactive Guides
Support Ticket Volume Over 12 Weeks
"We didn't change the content—we changed how people consume it. Breaking our setup documentation into interactive steps meant users actually followed each instruction instead of skimming and missing critical details."
The Alternative: Interactive Step-by-Step Guides
What if instead of presenting users with a wall of text, you guided them through one focused step at a time? What if they couldn't skip ahead without acknowledging each instruction? What if you could see exactly where they got confused?
That's the core idea behind interactive guides—and it's why they outperform traditional knowledge bases by 3-4x on every engagement metric.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Traditional Knowledge Base
- Long articles that users scroll through without reading
- No way to verify if users actually understood the content
- Users skip steps, miss critical details, then contact support
- Basic pageview analytics tell you nothing about comprehension
- Static format feels outdated compared to modern apps
Interactive Guides with Stepsies
- One focused step at a time—impossible to skip ahead
- Users actively click to progress, ensuring engagement
- Step-by-step analytics show exactly where users drop off
- Completion tracking proves users finished the guide
- Modern, app-like experience users actually enjoy
What Can You Replace With Interactive Guides?
Any content that requires users to follow a sequence of steps is a candidate for conversion.
Customer Onboarding
Guide new customers through account setup, first-time configuration, and initial workflows with step-by-step precision.
Product Documentation
Transform feature documentation from reference material into guided tutorials that drive adoption.
Employee Training
Create internal training materials that track completion and ensure every team member follows the same process.
Troubleshooting Guides
Replace FAQ pages with guided troubleshooting flows that walk users through diagnostics step by step.
Sales Enablement
Create product demos and walkthroughs that prospects can explore on their own, with built-in lead capture.
Release Notes & Updates
Announce new features with interactive walkthroughs instead of blog posts that nobody reads.
How Stepsies Works
Creating interactive guides is as easy as writing a document—but the result is 10x more engaging.
Write your content
Use our simple editor to create each step. Add text, images, videos, or code snippets. No technical skills required.
Customize the experience
Add your branding, choose where to gate content, and configure analytics. Make it yours.
Share or embed anywhere
Get a shareable link, embed it in your website, or add it to your help center. Works everywhere.
Track and optimize
See exactly which steps cause drop-offs. Identify confusing content. Continuously improve based on real data.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Across thousands of guides, interactive content consistently outperforms traditional documentation.
Higher Completion
vs. traditional KB articles
Fewer Support Tickets
on documented topics
Longer Engagement
time spent with content
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import my existing knowledge base content?
Yes. You can copy and paste content from your existing articles, or use our AI import feature to automatically convert documents, PDFs, and web pages into interactive guides.
How long does it take to create a guide?
Most guides can be created in 10-15 minutes. If you're converting existing content, it's even faster. Our editor is designed for speed without sacrificing quality.
Can I embed guides in my existing help center?
Absolutely. Stepsies provides embed codes that work with any website, including Zendesk, Intercom, HelpScout, and custom help centers. Your guides will feel native to your site.
What kind of analytics do I get?
You'll see completion rates, drop-off points by step, time spent per step, and user progress. This data helps you identify which steps need improvement and which content resonates.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. Our free plan lets you create unlimited guides with core features. Paid plans add advanced analytics, custom branding, lead capture, and team collaboration.
Ready to replace your knowledge base with something people actually read?
Join thousands of companies using interactive guides to reduce support tickets, improve onboarding, and increase customer success.
No credit card required. Create your first guide in minutes.