> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.userlane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.userlane.com/assistance/content-operations/authoring/userlane-content-types.md).

# Userlane content types

Every content type available in Userlane, what each is for, and how to choose between them.

Userlane has several content types, each built for a different job. Some walk users through a process, some explain something on screen, some deliver messages, some collect feedback, and some measure what users do without showing anything at all. You create content in one of two places: the Editor[^1], which opens as an overlay on your application, or the portal.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FrT2Nye56pIfG1ELQsCjl%2Feditor.png?alt=media&#x26;token=66c97d26-f8b1-48bc-a189-ef0a8b28a8c8" alt="The Editor open as an overlay on an application"><figcaption><p>The Editor, where most content types are built.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## All content types

<table><thead><tr><th width="156.77734375">Content type</th><th width="323.765625">What it does</th><th width="115.28125">Created in</th><th>Visible to end users</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-guides.md">Guide</a></td><td>Walks someone through a process step by step, on the live screen</td><td>Editor</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-tooltips.md">Tooltip (hint)</a></td><td>Explains one element on the page, shown on hover</td><td>Editor</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-tooltips.md">Tooltip (beacon)</a></td><td>Draws attention to an element with an animated marker, shown on click</td><td>Editor</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/assistance/in-app-guidance/validators.md">Validator</a></td><td>Checks what someone types into a form field and records whether the entry matched</td><td>Editor</td><td>Depends on mode</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/intelligence/tasks/create-a-task-in-the-editor.md">Task</a></td><td>Defines a multi-step workflow and measures whether users complete it</td><td>Editor</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/intelligence/tags/create-a-tag-in-the-editor.md">Tag</a></td><td>Tracks clicks on one element</td><td>Editor</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-contextual-actions.md">Contextual Action</a></td><td>Links a condition to a response: when something is true, trigger content automatically</td><td>Editor</td><td>Whatever it triggers</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/assistance/change-communication/announcements.md">Announcement</a></td><td>Pushes an in-app message to a targeted audience</td><td>Portal</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/intelligence/surveys.md">Survey (standard)</a></td><td>Collects in-app feedback with custom questions</td><td>Portal</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/intelligence/surveys.md">NPS survey</a></td><td>Measures loyalty with the standard Net Promoter Score (NPS) question</td><td>Portal</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/intelligence/heart/happiness.md">CSAT survey</a></td><td>Measures customer satisfaction (CSAT) on a standardized quarterly cycle</td><td>Managed by Userlane</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Welcome slide</td><td>An onboarding screen shown once to new users</td><td>Portal</td><td>Yes</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
**The Editor and the portal serve different purposes.** The Editor is where content is built against the live application. The portal is where content is targeted, translated, scheduled, and measured, and where announcements and surveys are created. For an orientation to the Editor layout, see [A tour of the Editor](/assistance/a-tour-of-the-editor.md).
{% endhint %}

## How to choose

The table below matches a goal to the content type that fits it best. Tasks, validators, and the CSAT survey also feed HEART[^2]; tags do not.

<table><thead><tr><th width="213.1484375">If you want to…</th><th width="162.55078125">Use</th><th>Why</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Walk someone through a process</td><td>Guide</td><td>Each step highlights the element and waits for the action, so the person learns by doing.</td></tr><tr><td>Explain one element on the page</td><td>Tooltip (hint)</td><td>A hint shows its text on hover, right next to the element, and reappears every time.</td></tr><tr><td>Draw attention to something new or changed</td><td>Tooltip (beacon)</td><td>A beacon pulses until someone clicks it, then disappears for that person.</td></tr><tr><td>Check that a form entry is correct before it is submitted</td><td>Validator</td><td>Catches the mistake at the field, in one of three modes: silent measurement, inline hint, or warning at submit.</td></tr><tr><td>Measure whether users complete a multi-step workflow</td><td>Task</td><td>Tracks start-to-finish completion and time, invisibly. Feeds the Task Success dimension of HEART.</td></tr><tr><td>Measure whether a specific button or feature gets clicked</td><td>Tag</td><td>Counts clicks on one element, invisibly. Answers narrow adoption questions.</td></tr><tr><td>Make content appear automatically when a condition is met</td><td>Contextual Action</td><td>Pairs a situation (page load, element state, user attribute) with a response (start a guide, load a tooltip, fire a tag).</td></tr><tr><td>Push a message about a change, update, or reminder</td><td>Announcement</td><td>Delivered through the Assistant, targeted to an audience, with reach analytics.</td></tr><tr><td>Ask users a question about the application</td><td>Survey (standard)</td><td>Custom questions with response analytics.</td></tr><tr><td>Measure loyalty over time</td><td>NPS survey</td><td>The standard 0 to 10 recommendation question.</td></tr><tr><td>Measure satisfaction on a regular cycle</td><td>CSAT survey</td><td>A standardized quarterly survey that feeds the Happiness dimension of HEART.</td></tr><tr><td>Introduce end users to the Assistant at first visit</td><td>Welcome slide</td><td>Shows once per user at launch or onboarding, then disappears. Use an announcement for recurring messages.</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
**Content types work together.** A Contextual Action can trigger a guide, tooltip, validator, announcement, tag, or task automatically. You can create a task from an existing guide in one step, and a tooltip can link to a guide. Build measurement alongside content so you can show results.
{% endhint %}

## Relevant articles

{% content-ref url="/pages/VZqRoAJSjPm9ZGD2jNVG" %}
[Create and manage content](/assistance/content-operations/authoring/create-and-manage-content.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/brm1JWKM3yHqhKU1n5G2" %}
[A tour of the Editor](/assistance/a-tour-of-the-editor.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/PxdAhHlmuv43rj3RxGij" %}
[In-app guidance](/assistance/in-app-guidance.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/xrl3g8ZSEVCM0qRA7ZCH" %}
[Content planning: how to structure a content set that scales](/best-practices/content-planning-how-to-structure-a-content-set-that-scales.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>What content types does Userlane have?</summary>

Guides, tooltips (hints and beacons), validators, tasks, tags, Contextual Actions, announcements, standard surveys, NPS surveys, CSAT surveys, and the welcome slide. Each links to its own article from the table above.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Where is content created?</summary>

Guides, tooltips, validators, tags, tasks, and Contextual Actions are created in the Editor, which opens as an overlay on your application. Announcements, standard surveys, NPS surveys, and the welcome slide are created in the portal. The CSAT survey is managed by Userlane.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Are tasks and tags visible to end users?</summary>

No. Both measure without showing anything in the application. A task tracks a multi-step workflow and a tag tracks clicks on one element.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can content be triggered automatically?</summary>

Yes. A Contextual Action links one or more conditions to one or more responses. When the conditions are met, the content appears on its own, without the user searching for it.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the difference between a task and a tag?</summary>

A task measures a multi-step workflow: it has a start, optional middle actions, and a completion, and reports completion rate and time to complete. A tag measures clicks on one element and reports how often they happen.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Are goals a content type?</summary>

No. A goal is a time-bound, measurable target tracked against Userlane data, set in the portal. Goals sit alongside HEART and do not affect it. See [Goals](/intelligence/goals.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the welcome slide?</summary>

A full-screen overlay shown once per end user to introduce the Assistant. It can include a branded avatar, a description, an image, and a button that starts the first available guide. Configure it in the portal under **Customize** > **Welcome Slide**.

</details>

[^1]: The Editor is the workspace where Userlane content is built, separate from the portal where content is targeted and analytics are viewed.

[^2]: HEART is Userlane's five-dimension model for scoring how well an application works for the people using it, on a scale of 0 to 100.


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