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How to Set Up Your First WordPress Knowledge Base

Last updated July 2, 2026 Reading time: 10 minutes

How to Set Up Your First WordPress Knowledge Base

After installing and activating SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base, the next step is to create the main knowledge base page, add your first category and publish your first article.

This guide walks through the complete setup process from an empty installation to a working WordPress knowledge base.

Before you begin

Make sure that:

  • SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base is installed
  • The plugin is activated in WordPress
  • Your Monthly or Yearly licence is active
  • You are signed in with a WordPress administrator account
  • WordPress permalinks are working correctly

You should also decide what your knowledge base will be used for.

For example, you may want to create:

  • Product documentation
  • Software help guides
  • Customer support articles
  • Troubleshooting instructions
  • Installation guides
  • Business procedures
  • Training resources

Having a simple structure in mind makes it easier to create useful categories and articles.

Step 1: Create the main knowledge base page

SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base uses a normal WordPress page to display the knowledge base homepage.

To create the page:

  1. Sign in to your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Open Pages > Add New Page.
  3. Enter a page title.

Common page titles include:

  • Knowledge Base
  • Help Centre
  • Documentation
  • Support
  • Help and Guides
  1. Add a Shortcode block to the page.
  2. Enter the following shortcode:
[srkb_knowledge_base]
  1. Publish the page.

Do not place the shortcode inside a Code block, Preformatted block or Paragraph block.

The WordPress Shortcode block is recommended.

Step 2: Select the knowledge base page

After publishing the page, tell SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base which page should be used as the main homepage.

To select the page:

  1. Open Knowledge Base > Settings.
  2. Find the main knowledge base page setting.
  3. Select the page you created.
  4. Save the settings.

The selected page is used for:

  • The main knowledge base homepage
  • Back to Knowledge Base links
  • Breadcrumb navigation
  • Article navigation
  • Category navigation

Selecting the correct page helps visitors return to the main knowledge base from articles and categories.

Step 3: Choose your knowledge base title and tagline

The plugin allows you to display a custom title and tagline above the knowledge base search area.

To change them:

  1. Open Knowledge Base > Settings.
  2. Select the General or Homepage settings area.
  3. Find the Knowledge Base Title field.
  4. Enter your preferred title.
  5. Enter a short tagline or description.
  6. Save the settings.

Example title:

How can we help?

Example tagline:

Search our guides, documentation and troubleshooting articles.

Keep the title short and easy to understand.

The tagline should briefly explain what visitors can find in the knowledge base.

You can display a logo or image within the knowledge base design.

To add a logo:

  1. Open Knowledge Base > Settings.
  2. Find the Knowledge Base Logo option.
  3. Select or upload an image from the WordPress Media Library.
  4. Save the settings.
  5. Preview the knowledge base page.

Use a clear image that remains readable at smaller sizes.

A transparent PNG or WebP image usually works well for logos.

Step 5: Create your first category

Categories organise your articles into clear groups.

For example, a software knowledge base might include:

  • Getting Started
  • Installation
  • Activation
  • Features
  • Troubleshooting
  • Frequently Asked Questions

To create a category:

  1. Open Knowledge Base > Categories.
  2. Enter a category name.
  3. Add a slug if required.
  4. Enter a short description.
  5. Select a parent category if this is a child category.
  6. Add an icon or custom image if required.
  7. Select Add New Category.

The category should now appear in the knowledge base category list.

Choosing a good category name

Use names that clearly describe the articles inside them.

Good examples include:

  • Getting Started
  • Account and Licence
  • Installation Help
  • Using the Plugin
  • Customisation
  • Troubleshooting

Avoid vague names such as:

  • General
  • Information
  • Other
  • Miscellaneous

Clear category names help visitors find the correct section more quickly.

Step 6: Add an icon or image to the category

Each category can display a Bootstrap icon or a custom uploaded image.

To add a Bootstrap icon:

  1. Open the category editing screen.
  2. Find the category icon field.
  3. Enter a supported Bootstrap icon class.
  4. Save the category.

Example icon classes include:

bi-book

bi-folder

bi-gear

bi-question-circle

You can also upload a custom image.

When a custom image is added, it takes priority over the Bootstrap icon.

Step 7: Create your first knowledge base article

To create an article:

  1. Open Knowledge Base > Add Article.
  2. Enter an article title.
  3. Write the article content using the WordPress editor.
  4. Select the correct knowledge base category.
  5. Add an excerpt.
  6. Add a featured image if required.
  7. Add an article icon or custom image if required.
  8. Select Publish.

Example article title:

How to Install Our WordPress Plugin

The article should now be available through its own knowledge base URL.

Write a useful article title

Article titles should describe the exact question or task covered by the guide.

Good examples include:

  • How to Install SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base
  • How to Activate Your Product Key
  • How to Create a Knowledge Base Article
  • Fix Licence Details Not Recognised
  • How to Change the Knowledge Base Colours

Avoid titles that are too general.

For example, Installation is less useful than How to Install SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base.

Clear titles help visitors and search engines understand the article.

Step 8: Add an article excerpt

The article excerpt is a short summary of the guide.

It may be shown in:

  • Search results
  • Category pages
  • Article lists
  • SEO descriptions

Keep the excerpt short and explain what the visitor will learn.

Example:

Learn how to upload, install and activate SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base through your WordPress dashboard.

Do not copy the entire first paragraph into the excerpt if a shorter summary would be clearer.

Step 9: Add headings to the article

Use clear headings to break longer articles into smaller sections.

SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base can use H2, H3 and H4 headings to build an automatic table of contents.

A simple article structure might include:

  • Before you begin
  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3
  • Troubleshooting
  • Frequently asked questions

Use Heading 2 for main sections.

Use Heading 3 for sections inside a main heading.

Avoid using Heading 1 inside the article content because the article title normally acts as the page’s main H1 heading.

Step 10: Preview the article

After publishing the article:

  1. Select View Article.
  2. Check the title.
  3. Check the category.
  4. Test the breadcrumbs.
  5. Test the back link.
  6. Check the table of contents if enabled.
  7. Check the article sidebar.
  8. Test the layout on mobile.
  9. Check that images display correctly.

Return to the WordPress editor if anything needs changing.

Step 11: Check the category page

Open the category that contains your new article.

Confirm that:

  • The category name is correct
  • The category description appears
  • The icon or image appears
  • The article is listed
  • The article title opens the correct page
  • The article excerpt is clear

If the article does not appear, check that it is published, assigned to the correct category and not marked as unlisted.

Step 12: Check the main knowledge base homepage

Visit the WordPress page containing:

[srkb_knowledge_base]

You should now see your first category and article.

Depending on your settings, the homepage may also show:

  • Knowledge base search
  • Popular searches
  • Category cards
  • Recently updated articles
  • Homepage highlights
  • Popular Articles
  • Related Articles
  • Sidebar help box

An empty section may not appear until enough content has been published.

For example, Popular Articles may use recently updated content until article views begin to build.

Use the search box on the main knowledge base page.

Enter part of your article title or a word used in the article content.

Check that:

  • Search results appear
  • The correct article is shown
  • The article excerpt is useful
  • Selecting the result opens the article
  • No-result searches display correctly

Search terms must contain at least two characters.

The plugin can display up to six matching results in the live search panel.

Step 14: Customise the homepage layout

Open Knowledge Base > Settings and review the homepage options.

You can choose whether to display:

  • Search
  • Popular searches
  • Categories
  • Recently updated articles
  • Homepage highlights
  • Popular Articles
  • Related Articles
  • Sidebar content
  • Help box

Only enable sections that are useful for your visitors.

A new knowledge base normally works best with a simple layout containing:

  • Title and tagline
  • Search
  • Categories
  • Recently updated articles
  • Help box

Additional sections can be enabled as more articles are published.

Step 15: Customise the colours and text sizes

Open the Design settings to adjust the appearance of the knowledge base.

Available options include:

  • Primary colour
  • Back link colour
  • Progress bar colour
  • Help box colours
  • Sidebar colours
  • Category icon size
  • Article icon size
  • Heading sizes
  • Article link sizes

Choose colours that match your existing WordPress website.

After changing the design, check the homepage, category page and article page on both desktop and mobile.

Step 16: Enable article features

Open the Articles and Features settings to review the available options.

You can enable features such as:

  • Article table of contents
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Back links
  • Reading time
  • Reading progress bar
  • Helpful voting
  • Social sharing
  • Recommended Articles
  • Automatic article links
  • Article sidebars

You do not need to enable every feature immediately.

Start with the options that make your articles easier to read and navigate.

Step 17: Review SEO and privacy settings

Open the Privacy & SEO settings.

You can configure:

  • Built-in SEO metadata
  • Article structured data
  • Category structured data
  • Privacy policy access gate
  • Anonymous search totals
  • Helpful voting totals
  • Article view tracking

If you enable the privacy gate, make sure a valid privacy policy page or URL has been entered.

Review your website privacy policy so it accurately explains the information collected through your knowledge base.

Step 18: Review your knowledge base analytics

Once visitors begin using the knowledge base, open:

Knowledge Base > Analytics

The dashboard can show:

  • Article views
  • Popular articles
  • Search terms
  • Searches with no results
  • Helpful votes
  • Not helpful votes
  • Helpful rate

These reports can help you decide which articles need improving and which new guides should be written.

For example, repeated searches that return no results may show that visitors are looking for an article you have not created yet.

Suggested structure for a new knowledge base

A simple first structure could include the following categories.

Getting Started

  • What is the product?
  • System requirements
  • How to install the product
  • How to activate the product
  • First-time setup

Using the Product

  • Understanding the interface
  • How to use the main features
  • How to change settings
  • How to update the product

Account and Licence

  • Where to find your product key
  • How to activate the licence
  • How to remove a licence
  • Fix licence errors
  • Monthly vs Yearly subscriptions

Troubleshooting

  • Common installation problems
  • Common activation problems
  • Features not working
  • Page not found errors
  • Contacting support

You can add more categories as your documentation grows.

Tips for creating a useful WordPress knowledge base

Keep each article focused on one question or task.

Use clear titles and short paragraphs.

Add screenshots where they help explain a setting or process.

Use numbered steps for instructions.

Use headings to divide longer articles.

Add excerpts to every article.

Link to other useful articles where appropriate.

Review search analytics regularly.

Update articles when the plugin or product changes.

Avoid placing too many unrelated instructions inside one article.

A focused article is easier to read, easier to update and more likely to appear for a relevant search.

First setup checklist

Before considering the initial setup complete, confirm that:

  • The main knowledge base page is published
  • The srkb_knowledge_base shortcode is present
  • The page is selected in the plugin settings
  • The knowledge base title and tagline are configured
  • At least one category has been created
  • At least one article has been published
  • The article is assigned to the correct category
  • The article has an excerpt
  • The homepage displays correctly
  • The category page displays correctly
  • The article page displays correctly
  • Search returns the article
  • Breadcrumbs and back links work
  • The layout works on mobile
  • The Monthly or Yearly licence remains active

Your first WordPress knowledge base is now ready to use.

Continue reading

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