Writing your Start Guide

Introduction

Your "Start Guide" is the section of your listing in the Intercom App Store where customers learn how to set up and use your app after installing it. Use this space to help your app users get the most value out of your app.

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Customers will only see this section after installing your app, so the guide should focus on getting set up and getting started, not on installing the app.

The Basics

The most effective guides:

• Outline the 3-5 steps a user needs to take to start using your app after they have installed it. We suggest focusing on a specific use case and, if your app has additional use cases, listing the others at the bottom of your guide.
• Use concise, action-oriented headlines and number them clearly (e.g., "1. Sign into your Slack account," "2. Create new notification," etc.).
• Keep your description for each step short (2-3 lines max), and use bullet points when possible.
• Include images, GIFs, and screencasts where possible to better explain flows in a visual manner — but no more than one per step.
• Use a button if a step requires a user to navigate to your product or website.

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Your Start Guide should outline the key steps for getting started, and should not just be a link to an external help doc. Users find it much easier to get started when they have all of the information they need in the app listing and don't have to navigate to another page.

Further Examples

If you're looking for inspiration, check out our own Slack app's Start Guide.

Plus, use our Start Guide template to get start