In the digital era, customers expect instant answers. They prefer finding solutions on their own before contacting customer service. This is why a well-structured Zendesk Knowledge Base (Zendesk Guide) has become a critical tool for modern brands.
Most businesses use Zendesk Knowledge Base as their Help Center, allowing customers to search FAQs, troubleshoot issues, or learn processes without opening a support ticket. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also reduces the number of repetitive inquiries that agents must handle.
How Zendesk Knowledge Base Works
Zendesk Guide collects information from two sources:
Ā
- Articles created within Zendesk Guide
- External content gathered through Zendeskās crawler
When a customer searches for informationāwhether on your Help Center or through Messaging channelsāZendeskĀ retrieves or generates the best possible answer based on your content. The system intelligently shows the most relevant results, helping customers resolve their issues quickly.
Four Popular Approaches Businesses Use to Build Their Help Center
1. Using Free or Out-of-the-Box Templates
Zendesk provides beautifully designed templates at no cost. You only need to update your logo, color palette, and basic layout.
Pros: Fastest and cheapest way to launch.
Cons: Limited customization; cannot modify deep structure or UI.
2. Purchasing Premium Templates (USD 49ā599)
Zendesk Marketplace and partner websites offer premium themes with advanced customization options.
Pros:
More flexibility in layout and UI Easy to adapt to your brand identity
Lower cost than custom development
Cons:
Some structural limitations remain
3. Building Your Own Zendesk Guide Theme
Brands with strict Corporate Identity (CI) requirements often choose to build their own custom theme following the Zendesk Developer guidelines.
Pros:
Complete control over design, structure, and user experience
Perfect alignment with brand identity
Cons:
Requires design + development expertise
Higher cost than templates
4. Hosting Your Own Website & Using Zendesk Guide API
Some businesses build an entirely custom help site hosted on their own domain. They use Zendesk Search API and Guide API to fetch or generate content from Zendesk or external sources.
Pros:
Full ownership of UI/UX and structure Maximum flexibility
Cons:
Requires ongoing maintenance
Higher complexity
From a CX perspective, this approach is not always recommended unless the company has strong web management capabilities
Why Invest in a Strong Knowledge Base?
A powerful Knowledge Base can:
- Deflect a significant number of repetitive tickets
- Reduce agent workload
- Improve customer satisfaction
- Accelerate issue resolution
- Deliver consistent information across all channels
How DEMETER ICT Helps
Demeter ICT, a leading Zendesk Premier Partner, specializes in helping businesses build highly effective Zendesk Knowledge Bases.
We support you by:
ā Designing the best Help Center structure
ā Creating and optimizing content for self-service
ā Building custom Zendesk Guide themes
ā Integrating API-based search for external websites
ā Improving ticket deflection and reducing agent workload
A strong Knowledge Base can reduce repetitive tickets by up to 40ā60%, saving time and boosting overall service efficiency.
Contact Demeter ICT today to improve your Help Center and enhance your customer experience with Zendesk Knowledge Base.
About the author
Dr. Varanyu Suchivoraphanpong is currently the Founder & CEO of DEMETER ICT, a Premier Partner of Google and Zendesk in the APAC region. The company has the largest customer base for Google and Zendesk services in APAC including Greater China, with a combined total of more than 4,600 business customers. Dr. Varanyu has over 25 years of experience in information technology, having previously held senior executive positions in major organizations including banks, IT service providers, and business consulting firms.
