One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is how many companies still don’t have their product instructions online. Some take the halfway route with downloadable PDFs—but PDFs are the sweatpants of documentation – they may be comfortable, but they are neither elegant or efficient.
Let’s explore the many advantages of giving your product instructions the digital makeover they deserve.
1. Search & AI Discoverable
If your customer can’t find the product instructions that were supposed to be in the box. What do they do? More than ever companies need to do what they can to make sure every touch point of their customers is well indexed in Google and discoverable in AI engines search as ChatGPT, so that the official, high quality information is available
Yes, PDFs can technically be indexed by search engines, but they’re not SEO’s best friend. By putting instructions online in a structured, native digital format, you make it easier for search engines—and your customers—to find them.
2. They’re Accessible, Compliant, and be made available in different formats
Online instructions can easily be optimized for accessibility. That means they can work seamlessly with assistive technologies like screen readers or devices for the blind and deaf, ensuring more people can use your products successfully.
Compliance & Regulations. 2 key EU directives effect product instructions, one has already come into law in 2024, the other in June 2025
- The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), came into effect at the end of 2024 and requires product instructions to meet stricter standards for accuracy, accessibility, and retrievability.
- BY June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act will require your instructions to be accessible in the most complete sense of the word.
Moving your instructions online makes it easier to stay compliant with these evolving regulations and avoid potential penalties, but more importantly they make it easier for customers to understand your instructions.
3. Customers Can Choose How They Access Them
The beauty of online instructions? They’re omni-format. Whether your customer prefers to view them on their phone, their laptop, or printed out on paper, you’ve got them covered.
Think of it like omni-channel marketing, but for instructions. Everyone gets to choose their preferred way of accessing your guidance, and no one feels left out.
StepAlong allows you to generate great looking, usable and compliant PDFs for your customers with easy to read text and large image size. Our clients think the ability to generate a PDF when needed is key to taking instructions online.
Say goodbye to printing hefty manuals in 12 languages. Instead, pop a simple QR code in the box, and you’re done.
4. Less Paper, No Replace & Reprinting Nightmares
Say goodbye to printing hefty manuals in 12 languages. Instead, pop a simple QR code in the box, and you’re done.
Online instructions let you update content instantly. Got a typo? Fix it in a snap. Found an improvement? Add it immediately. No more cringing at the thought of outdated instructions sitting in warehouses around the world.
5. They Speak Your Customers’ Languages
So many “global” companies only offer product instructions in one or two languages. Search for your product in another language, and what do you find? Maybe a YouTuber’s improvised demo, or an outdated distributor’s guide.
Online instructions make it infinitely easier to provide translations and improve your product information footprint across ALL your market
StepAlong’s AI-powered translations mean you can expand your language offerings without breaking the bank. Include languages you never thought you could afford to support!
6. Easy to Reference Anytime
Need to figure out how to attach the doodad to the whatchamacallit? Online instructions are just a search away, and if they’re well-optimized, your customers can even find specific steps directly from Google or AI search. No more flipping through pages or squinting at diagrams.
7. Seamless Integration with your Customer Support Services
Online instructions can integrated directly into customer support processes and tools such as chatbots and call centers to make it easy for your customer to support you if you need to.
8. Boost Brand Consistency and Build Relationships
The digital world is changing fast. With AI search reshaping how people find information, companies need to be creative to ensure their brand stands out and take every opportunity they can to make a digital relationship with their clients. Paper manuals can’t do that.
Online instructions give you another way to establish your brand identity and build relationships with your customers—helping you stay relevant in an increasingly competitive digital space.
