| There are several main reasons why
| |
| | structure, will load the menu pages in
|
| putting
| |
| | the
|
| your software manual on-line is
| |
| | corresponding frames and will finally
|
| necessary.
| |
| | reload the current page in the
|
| It makes your web-site attractive for
| |
| | appropriate
|
| search engine
| |
| | frame. So the user will see the target
|
| crawlers and therefore brings you
| |
| | page
|
| targeted
| |
| | along with other elements of the web
|
| traffic from Google, Yahoo!, MSN,
| |
| | site.
|
| and other search engines. A good online
| |
| | Such dynamic redirection works for real
|
| manual makes your product serious and
| |
| | visitors but doesn't work for web
|
| credible. Moreover, if a user faces
| |
| | spiders
|
| difficulty
| |
| | that will crawl your online help pages.
|
| using your software and asks for
| |
| | Most of them cannot parse JavaScript
|
| technical support, you may easily
| |
| | code and therefore cannot access menus
|
| resolve
| |
| | to jump to other pages of your manual.
|
| the issue by referring that user to a
| |
| | For search engines your online manual's
|
| certain
| |
| | pages will look like separate files that
|
| page of your online help. Simply give
| |
| | are
|
| the
| |
| | not linked to each other, or to the
|
| page's URL. With just one click the user
| |
| | corporate
|
| will see screenshots and explanations
| |
| | web site. As a result, your help
|
| which will help them to settle the case.
| |
| | pages will receive lowest page rank and
|
|
| |
| | will be shown in the end of the list
|
| Many software vendors, from large
| |
| | when
|
| companies to independent developers,
| |
| | someone is looking for related info on a
|
| clearly understand these reasons. They
| |
| | search engine. Almost all SEO and web
|
| made their help systems a part of their
| |
| | design gurus recommend avoiding frames
|
| web sites by aiming to attract more
| |
| | and put both menu and content into a
|
| prospects
| |
| | single HTML file.
|
| and to generate more sales. But
| |
| |
|
| even a sketchy analysis of a dozen
| |
| | Use direct links, not redirect scripts
|
| manuals
| |
| |
|
| available online discloses a bunch of
| |
| | Like frames, using JavaScript in menu is
|
| common mistakes which may reduce the
| |
| | another no-no for creating an online
|
| effect of this very powerful tool. The
| |
| | manual for your software. Using regular
|
| main reason of the mistakes is
| |
| | URLs in menu links instead of JavaScript
|
| incorrectly
| |
| | redirecting helps web crawlers properly
|
| considering an online manual as a
| |
| | index your online manual and rank its
|
| standalone document that user can
| |
| | pages higher.
|
| download
| |
| |
|
| or read on the web site. The right
| |
| | Assign unique addresses to help pages
|
| approach is to make your help a part of
| |
| |
|
| your web site. This is a pretty simple
| |
| | And the third important technical aspect
|
| task
| |
| | of online help authoring is page address
|
| if you follow these rules:
| |
| | format. One of key rules of search
|
|
| |
| | engine
|
| Make pages! Not a file
| |
| | optimization (SEO) implies to use static
|
|
| |
| | pages with unique permanent addresses
|
| The most common mistake I noticed on
| |
| | without parameters in them. A page with
|
| many software vendors' web sites is that
| |
| | address installation.htm is usually
|
| they offer their manual in a single
| |
| | ranked
|
| file:
| |
| | higher than the same page with address
|
| PDF, CHM, RTF, etc. Certainly it may be
| |
| | page.php?id=348. Take this fact into
|
| very convenient for users to download a
| |
| | account.
|
| product manual file and use it on the
| |
| |
|
| desktop, especially if the manual is too
| |
| | Give screenshots
|
| large to be included in the software
| |
| |
|
| setup
| |
| | Although one of your aims is to attract
|
| package. But having an online manual is
| |
| | search engine's web robots that like
|
| not the same as having a manual online.
| |
| | words you should not forget about real
|
| Feel the difference!
| |
| | visitors who like pictures. A picture is
|
|
| |
| | worth a thousand words. Give as many
|
| It's very smart to allow users to
| |
| | juicy screenshots of your software as
|
| download a complete manual as a single
| |
| | possible. This will help current users
|
| file. However a file may attract just a
| |
| | understand better how your software
|
| few
| |
| | works and will help prospects to see how
|
| new visitors from search engines, even
| |
| | it looks before downloading a trial or
|
| if
| |
| | demo copy. Make your screenshots clear.
|
| their crawlers are able to index your
| |
| | Explain what each window does and how
|
| PDF
| |
| | its controls and elements work. Use
|
| or RTF. Also the file is almost useless
| |
| | callouts, balloons, and special marks.
|
| for
| |
| | Try
|
| your technical support needs. For
| |
| | to stuff as much info into the
|
| instance,
| |
| | screenshots
|
| you may not point users to certain
| |
| | as possible. A reader must look at them
|
| sections of your help system by simply
| |
| | and say "Great! Now I know how it
|
| giving them direct URL links.
| |
| | works."
|
| Hence to get the maximum effect out
| |
| |
|
| of your help system you should make it a
| |
| | Make pages printable
|
| part of your web site. Split the manual
| |
| |
|
| into many pages and convert them into
| |
| | Most likely users would like to print
|
| HTML. Almost all serious help authoring
| |
| | out
|
| software allows exporting your help file
| |
| | a certain part of your online help.
|
| into HTML format. Each page must
| |
| | Sometimes
|
| contain a certain section or a chapter
| |
| | design that looks great on the display
|
| of
| |
| | is awful when printed even on a
|
| your manual. Many pages which are
| |
| | good printer. Make sure that your
|
| relatively small are easier for reading,
| |
| | manual's
|
| navigation, and bookmarking. You
| |
| | pages are printable in black and
|
| nevertheless
| |
| | white at least on the two most popular
|
| must keep the balance. Don't
| |
| | paper sizes: A4 and Letter. Check if
|
| make a lot of little dinky pages that
| |
| | there
|
| people
| |
| | are no big pictures, no color
|
| must roam through to make up a
| |
| | background,
|
| required solution. Each page should
| |
| | the fonts are easy to read, all the
|
| completely cover a certain topic enough
| |
| | content
|
| to solve a certain task. Furthermore, a
| |
| | fits the page width, and so on.
|
| page with topical content is perfect
| |
| |
|
| bait
| |
| | Make your help easily reachable
|
| for search engine crawlers.
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| | So you have your help pages completed
|
| Follow common style
| |
| | and even uploaded to the web server.
|
|
| |
| | How to make them visible to web spiders
|
| Well, you have exported your help file
| |
| | and to live visitors of your web site?
|
| into a set of HTML pages and are ready
| |
| | Most of the software vendors make the
|
| to upload them to your server. Stop!
| |
| | same mistake. They thought that the
|
| Check the look of the pages. The set
| |
| | manual is something unimportant that
|
| must
| |
| | nobody needs. They hide the help section
|
| follow the common style identified by
| |
| | so deep in the website that a visitor
|
| the
| |
| | has to
|
| corporate identity.
| |
| | make a dozen clicks to reach the help
|
|
| |
| | index page. This is wrong! Your manual
|
| The modern help authoring tools
| |
| | is important and must be reachable in
|
| allow customizing appearance of pages
| |
| | two
|
| by means of CSS or visual template
| |
| | to three clicks. The best approach is to
|
| collections.
| |
| | place several links to your manual in
|
| The online manual must correspond
| |
| | different sections of your web site: on
|
| to your web site style. Use the
| |
| | product description page, on support
|
| same color themes, fonts, and corporate
| |
| | page, and on download page. These are
|
| graphics. Otherwise, the whole project
| |
| | the pages where users expect to find an
|
| will look like a patchwork quilt. This
| |
| | online help most of all. Show them your
|
| is
| |
| | help-authoring masterpiece.
|
| not good; it's far better to look
| |
| |
|
| steady,
| |
| | Make your online manual searchable
|
| well-managed, and consistent.
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| | If your software is complicated and its
|
| "Where am I?" or don't ignore navigation
| |
| | help includes hundreds or even thousands
|
|
| |
| | of pages then you must add search
|
|
| |
| | capabilities
|
| Following common style is not just using
| |
| | to your online manual. From a
|
| the same colors and fonts. To plug
| |
| | user's point of view it's more
|
| manual's
| |
| | convenient
|
| pages into the web site structure you
| |
| | to search a required topic by keywords
|
| must add the top level navigation into
| |
| | rather than to look through the endless
|
| them. Use the same top level menu that
| |
| | list
|
| you use on all pages of the site.
| |
| | of topics in menu. The easiest way is
|
|
| |
| | adding a third-party search script to
|
| There are two key benefits of this
| |
| | your
|
| technique. First, this also makes your
| |
| | online manual. For instance, Google
|
| web
| |
| | offers Free WebSearch script that you
|
| site appear solid, consistent, and
| |
| | can
|
| well-thought-out and therefore works for
| |
| | copy-paste into your HTML code to
|
| your business credibility. Secondly, the
| |
| | allow people searching within your site.
|
| top level navigation menu will bring new
| |
| | However you won't have full control over
|
| targeted leads from your manual pages to
| |
| | the third-party scripts and their search
|
| your product main pages. The prospects
| |
| | results may confuse you and your users.
|
| that have come from search engines are
| |
| | It's better to write your own search
|
| likely looking for specific task
| |
| | script
|
| solutions
| |
| | on which you will have total control.
|
| that probably are described in your
| |
| | You
|
| online
| |
| | can customize it according to your needs
|
| help. Then they will want to know more
| |
| | at any moment. This top-notch technique
|
| about the product that offers that
| |
| | requires significant efforts and may
|
| solution.
| |
| | cost
|
| Put under their nose direct links to the
| |
| | some money if you decide to outsource
|
| software description page, to the trial
| |
| | it.
|
| download area, to the pricing and
| |
| | But the result is that you will have a
|
| ordering
| |
| | powerful information resource that will
|
| info, and to the main page of your
| |
| | effectively work for you and for your
|
| web site. Let them know more about your
| |
| | business.
|
| company. Let them know about your
| |
| |
|
| software. Let them download it. Let them
| |
| | Create a word map of your help
|
| buy it.
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| | Make a special Index page that contains
|
| Besides offering prospects a toplevel
| |
| | all the significant words with direct
|
| menu, you must provide them with
| |
| | links
|
| an easy way to navigate among sections
| |
| | to the pages where these words are
|
| of the manual itself. People feel more
| |
| | encountered.
|
| secure if they see the table of contents
| |
| | The Index page has two main
|
| along with the page content. Through
| |
| | functions. Firstly, it simplifies the
|
| this
| |
| | topic
|
| internal menu they may easily realize
| |
| | search by keyword for users. Secondly,
|
| where they are and what related topics
| |
| | the Index page will serve as a map of
|
| exist, and easily jump there.
| |
| | your online help for web spiders and
|
|
| |
| | will
|
| Avoid frames
| |
| | assist them to crawl all the pages of
|
|
| |
| | your
|
| At first glance, using frames seems the
| |
| | manual.
|
| perfect way to organize the internal
| |
| |
|
| menu
| |
| | Make your help extendable
|
| of the help. Certainly frames are
| |
| |
|
| convenient
| |
| | You may be surprised but the online help
|
| for web site programming and
| |
| | may be live. You can make it a center of
|
| maintenance because you may keep your
| |
| | an online community. Just allow your
|
| menu in a single file and show it in a
| |
| | software users to extend your help pages
|
| separate frame. Nevertheless, there are
| |
| | themselves. A good example is PHP
|
| several disadvantages to using frames in
| |
| | online documentation. It allows users to
|
| your online help. When a visitor comes
| |
| | post their comments, code samples, and
|
| from a search engine to one of your help
| |
| | recommendations. Each page contains
|
| pages, they will see only that page's
| |
| | tons of valuable information contributed
|
| content but will see neither top-level
| |
| | by users. This is a perfect example of
|
| navigation nor online manual menus
| |
| | how boring documentation may form a
|
| because they were intended to be shown
| |
| | live community and promote the product
|
| in other frame windows. So the people
| |
| | accordingly.
|
| who come from external pages will fail
| |
| |
|
| to
| |
| | To summarize the above tips: You
|
| easily jump to other sections of your
| |
| | must consider your manual as an
|
| web
| |
| | important
|
| site and to read about your products and
| |
| | part of your business model. This is
|
| related services.
| |
| | just a set of general recommendations
|
|
| |
| | how to get the maximum effect out of
|
| If you still prefer to use frames then
| |
| | your online help. Most of the techniques
|
| you must use a workaround. One of the
| |
| | are pretty easy to implement if you use
|
| approaches is to plug a special
| |
| | good help authoring software. Apply this
|
| JavaScript
| |
| | advice and make your customers feel
|
| code into every page of your web site.
| |
| | happy, increase your web site
|
| The script will determine if the page is
| |
| | visibility,
|
| showing in the frame or in the browser's
| |
| | attract new prospects, and generate new
|
| main window. If there is no frame
| |
| | sales.Dennis Crane, the author of Dr.
|
| detected
| |
| | Explain software, specializes in vertical
|
| then the script will build the frame
| |
| | markets software development.
|
