Beacon-only docs site behind login
Keep the docs archive off a public site until logged-in users can reach it through Beacon, so onboarding and support answers stay usable without turning unfinished docs into public scenery.
Why this can grow a startup
A lot of product docs are most useful to active customers, not to strangers. Help Scout gives teams a tighter middle ground than choosing between a fully public site and no self-serve help at all. You can keep Docs visible only through Beacon, require the customer to be signed in, and still let the product point users straight to the answer while they work. That keeps support content helpful without forcing every early or account-specific article onto the open web before it earns the right to be there.
Company example
Help Scout says teams can restrict Docs access to logged-in users and show the knowledge base only inside Beacon instead of on a public Docs site.
Source and metric
Source: Help Scout Docs · Browse Help Scout Docs tactics
Help Scout lets teams hide the Docs site entirely and expose articles only through Beacon for signed-in users
Source discovered: May 28, 2026
When to use it
Use this when Support, Product, Onboarding is relevant to customer education, self-serve support, access control and you can run a bounded test with a medium budget.
When not to use it
Do not use it as a substitute for customer evidence, a clear owner, or a measurable stop condition. Local platform rules and market behavior still need checking.
Founder checklist
- Read Help Scout Docs and identify what is directly supported.
- Choose one channel context: Support, Product, Onboarding.
- Define the test around Help Scout lets teams hide the Docs site entirely and expose articles only through Beacon for signed-in users.
- Set an owner, evidence window, and stop condition before launch.
Explore the context
Apply this with an operator
Choose product surfaces that compound distribution without hiding weak activation or retention.