In-App Resource Centers: What to include to support users better

Turning everyday users into power users is essential for creating engaged customers who stick around. The key? Providing in-the-moment support that helps users quickly find value in your product. And one of the best ways to achieve this is with resource centers that deliver personalized guidance and education. 

That’s why we’re so excited about Launchpads, our no-code, in-app resource centers.

But how do you create a resource center from scratch—and what should you include in it? It can feel overwhelming to get started, so we’re breaking down our favorite use cases to inspire you to start building. 

What Are Launchpads?

Launchpads are customizable, self-service content centers that provide users with on-demand, in-app support. Think of them as floating help desks that users can access anytime. With Launchpads, you can offer a wide range of resources tailored to your users’ needs, ensuring they’ll get the help they need right when they need it.

Why Launchpads?

Your users (especially your most seasoned ones) don’t want to interrupt their workflow to find answers to their questions. They want immediate guidance and answers so they can stay in the zone. If you don't answer them, you risk losing them. 

Vivek Bedi, Chief Product Officer at Sortly, describes a common user experience:

"Humans are impatient people. We are selfish by nature and our time and attention is valuable. If you don’t have something to say that we care about you will lose us instantly."

That's why Launchpads are so handy—they deliver just-in-time, relevant support and a heck ton of other benefits:

• Empower users: Self-service Launchpads let customers solve their own problems. Most users would rather find answers themselves than wait for help, and Launchpads make it easy to access the information they need. This fosters independence and confidence as users navigate your product. 
• Lighten your support team’s load: When users can easily find solutions to their basic questions, your support team can focus on more complex issues. Launchpads reduce the volume of routine inquiries, improving the efficiency of your support operations.
• Boost satisfaction: With Launchpads, users don’t have to wait for support tickets to be addressed—they can find answers instantly. This immediacy improves the overall user experience, which makes for happier and more satisfied customers.

Resource Center

Now that you understand the benefits, let’s dive into the different types of Launchpads you can build. Whether you separate these out or combine elements from each, these examples will help you create a resource center that meets your users' needs.

1. Tutorials: How to get things done

Provide tutorials that guide users through various tasks and features of your product. Include step-by-step Flows to help users learn how to use your product effectively.

2. Resources: Guides and education

Fill your resource center with educational content and guides, like articles, whitepapers, eBooks, and webinars that provide in-depth knowledge and insights about your product and industry. This helps users become experts while maximizing the value they get from your product.

Pro Tip: Think through what your different audiences will need at various stages of their journey with your product. For example, share important reminders and easy-to-take actions for your new users and focus on deeper content like advanced feature tours for expert users.

3. Help: Support, FAQs, and contact information

Identify areas where users regularly stumble and provide support-based guides, answers to FAQs, troubleshooting tips, and links to support articles. This helps users quickly resolve issues without contacting support.

4. Notifications: Key actions and new features

Keep users informed about new features, updates, and announcements. Include Flows or links that include detailed descriptions, release notes, and even sneak peeks of upcoming features so users can stay up-to-date and take full advantage of your product’s latest enhancements.

5. Feedback: Always-on request and sentiment

Keep a survey flow or feedback link available at all times for users to submit feature requests and feedback. This makes it easy to gather valuable insights and continuously improve your product.

Making the resource center hyper-relevant

The best part about Launchpads is that they're dynamic—so content is surfaced automatically to whoever it’s targeted at. That means you can build one resource center that will look completely different to multiple users based on who they are, what actions they’ve taken, and where they are in the product. 

If you want to see IRL examples of in-app resource centers in the wild, check out our post: SaaS examples of in-app resource centers.

Start building today

Launchpads are a powerful tool to enhance user support, improve satisfaction, and drive retention. Whether you choose to build separate resource centers for each use case or combine elements into one comprehensive Launchpad, the possibilities are endless. 

Ready to get started? Head over to Appcues Studio and create your first Launchpad today!

And stay tuned for more tips and updates on making the most of Appcues’ features. Happy building!