Search & discovery

Documentation, guides and tutorials

Good docs rank for the exact problems your users type into search.

Cost
Free

Free to use. No paid tier is needed to list or post.

Verdict
works

Slow burn: good docs rank for the exact problems users search for.

Difficulty
Medium

Needs preparation, a review, or a steady habit before results.

Effort
High

About 10 or more hours a month, mostly during launches or a regular posting habit.

First result
3 to 6 months

A rough range for one person working on it part-time.

Payoff
Compounds

keeps growing while you keep at it.

Best for

Developer and SaaS products with a learning curve.

Not for

Products with no setup steps to explain.

Pros

  • Ranks for exact problems users search
  • Helps conversion and retention

Cons

  • Slow to compound
  • Needs upkeep as the product changes

The full guide

Last verified 2026-10-30

Links checked 2026-10-30 · No website to check: this channel works by word of mouth or offline

01What it is and who is there

Documentation, guides and tutorials explain how to use your product and how to solve the problems around it. Good docs rank for the exact problems users type into search, and they help visitors decide to try the product. For developer tools especially, docs are often the main marketing.

02Cost and what you actually pay for

Hosting docs is often free or cheap. The cost is writing and keeping docs current as the product changes.

03Is it right for you?

It fits developer tools, SaaS and AI products with setup steps or a learning curve. It fits poorly for products with nothing to explain. If users ask the same questions repeatedly, those questions are your first docs pages.

04Before you start

  • A list of questions users ask in support and sales.
  • A docs site with search, linked from your homepage.
  • A simple template for each guide.

05Step-by-step: how to distribute here

  1. Write a quick-start guide that gets a new user to a first result fast.
  2. Write one guide per common task, titled with the words users search for.
  3. Add code samples or screenshots that work today.
  4. Link related guides to each other.
  5. Review docs with every release and fix outdated steps.
  6. Watch Search Console for docs queries and fill gaps.

06What to post or submit

Guide outline:

Title: How to [task] with [product]
What you'll need: [prerequisites]
Steps: 1. ... 2. ... 3. ...
Troubleshooting: [common errors]
Next: [related guide]

07Common mistakes and do-nots

  • Do not let docs drift from the product.
  • Do not hide docs behind sign-up.
  • Do not write marketing copy in docs.

08How to measure it

  • Track docs traffic and search queries.
  • Track support tickets per user over time.
  • Track sign-ups from docs pages.
  • A realistic test: three to six months.

09Time budget

  • Before: 10 to 20 hours for the first set of guides.
  • Ongoing: 2 to 4 hours a month.

10Pair it with

11Sources

Sources