How to create a knowledge base in Confluence

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In our previous blog post, we talked about why Confluence is the ideal platform for a knowledge base. Now you know the benefits, here comes the exciting part - it's time to start building!

But before you rush ahead, it's essential to get the foundation of your knowledge base right. Whether you're creating a customer support hub, a training portal, or something else entirely, our six-step guide will help you build a knowledge base that saves time and keeps users engaged.

🚨 Using Confluence Server or Data Server? Check out this article for more information on how to build a knowledge base. 🚨

 

Step 1: Create a new space 

Sign in to Confluence. Click Spaces in the top navigation bar, then scroll down and select Create a space.

In the ‘Create new space' overlay, add your space name, choose an icon, and select ‘Knowledge base’ (you can also choose 'Custom’ to start from scratch).

You can also assign a specific space key (a unique code used in the space's URL) and choose user permissions (optional).

Click ‘Next’. 

Toggle any features you might want to include/exclude in your space. Then click ‘Create space’.

Step 2: Edit your knowledge base homepage

Confluence will redirect you to your new space homepage. Now, you're ready to get building.

Click the pencil icon in the top right corner (or press 'E' on your keyboard) to enter edit mode and start filling the homepage with your content. 

What you have on your homepage depends on the purpose of your knowledge base, but here are some ideas:

• Welcome banner

• Search bar

• Links to documentation and support articles

• News

• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

• Team profiles

👉 Top tip: Want to set up your homepage quicker? Apps like Mosaic for Confluence include engaging, branded templates that help you create a professional-looking knowledge base in minutes.

Step 3: Add some articles

The best way to keep your users in the loop is by creating articles. In Confluence, all you have to do is click ‘Create’ at the top of the page.

You can start from scratch or select ‘All templates’ at the bottom of the page to browse templates. We recommend using the Troubleshooting and How-to article templates.

Once you've finished your article, press ‘Publish’.

👉 Top tip: Keep a consistent feel across your knowledge base. You can standardise templates by adding your company's branding, prompts, and standard information.

Step 4: Structure and style your pages

You've added your pages, so now you need to make them look professional and easy to follow, helping users quickly find what they're looking for.

To make your pages user-friendly and engaging, combine built-in features (such as headers, tables, and dividers) with advanced formatting macros from a third-party app. Here, we've used Backgrounds, Advanced Cards, Tabs, and Buttons from Mosaic for Confluence alongside Confluence's core features.

Here's how each macro can make your knowledge base stand out:

• Buttons: Make your links more interactive and engaging while improving the user journey.

• Background: Segment information and create standout sections in your brand's colours.

• Advanced Cards: Highlight important information, boost navigation, and make sections of content more visually appealing.

• Tabs: Break up large chunks of text into clearly labelled sections, keeping your page tidy but interactive. Tabs are perfect for FAQs or onboarding guides.

Advanced macros can unlock new possibilities for your knowledge base, including better ways to organise FAQs, more engaging links to other pages, and consistent company branding.

👉 Top tip: Want a better way of guiding users through a sequence of articles? Apps like Guided Pathways let you organise pages into branching, multi-step guides, so you can keep steps digestible and easy to understand.

Step 5: Label your content

Make navigating your knowledge base easier by categorising your content with page labels. You can add a label to any pages you have permission to edit. To do this:

1. Select the pencil icon (or press E on your keyboard) to edit your page.

2. Select "more options" (...) in the top right corner, then choose Add labels or Edit labels.

3. Choose from the list of suggested labels or create a new label.

                                                 

Struggling to keep on top of your labels? Tools like Panorama for Confluence can help you view labels and edit them in bulk, saving you time and keeping pages organised. 

👉 Top tip: Don't let page labels spiral out of control. Set up a guide on when to add and use labels, and consider restricting how many labels can be added to your knowledge base.

Step 6: Maintain and monitor your knowledge base

Your knowledge base may be live, but there's still work to be done. After all, how do you know that users are able to find what they need without the data to back it up?

Fortunately, Confluence Analytics tracks how many people have visited your pages and engaged with your content. This can help you understand where your knowledge base may need improvement.

If you need more granular data, surveys are a useful way to understand specific pain points. Apps like Forms for Confluence let you embed forms and polls on your Confluence page, so users can rate specific content on helpfulness, clarity, or whatever you'd like to measure.

👉 Top tip: If users don’t know your knowledge base exists, they won't be using it! Increase awareness through the right channels. For example, you could share an announcement post in Slack, send out a company-wide email, or demo the knowledge base in video meetings.

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Confluence makes it easy to build a knowledge base that users will love. If you're ready to make your knowledge base even more engaging, you can try Mosaic for free.

Do you have any tips for building a Confluence knowledge base? Comment below to share with us! 👇