Each content material crew has a unique thought of what ‘on model’ means — till you write it down. I’ve discovered that having a content material model information is significant to getting it proper with out a number of revisions or rewrites.
I’ve seen lengthy paperwork and cheat sheets, and each work so long as they clarify why you do issues the way in which you do.
That’s the true energy: understanding when one thing strengthens your message — and when it waters it down. Particularly now, with groups utilizing AI to write down sooner, it’s by no means been extra essential to train both your tools and your people to sound such as you.
So, what precisely goes right into a content material model information — and why does it matter a lot? Glad you requested. I’m going to indicate you.
Desk of Contents
What’s a content material model information?
A content material model information — typically referred to as a model voice information or editorial model information — is your crew’s go-to useful resource for the way your model communicates in writing. It covers every little thing from what to say, grammar, punctuation, formatting, and tone of voice throughout every little thing you publish.
Sure, even whether or not or not you employ em dashes or capitalize the phrase after a colon!
Why are content material model guides essential?
Debating the identical comma or tone alternative time and again?
Bored with giving your crew the very same suggestions time and again?
Getting pissed off with every editor requesting completely different stylistic adjustments — that every one battle with each other?
These are all issues I’ve skilled as a author and editor. And guess what? They’re all indicators you want a method information.
Whether or not you are working with freelancers, businesses, or in-house entrepreneurs, a strong content material model information helps you:
- Construct a constant model voice. Each author interprets “pleasant” or “authoritative” otherwise. A model voice information clears that up.
- Keep away from frequent errors. If your organization title has a tough spelling or formatting ( you, HubSpot), you may lock that down as soon as, as an alternative of correcting it each time.
- Make collaboration simpler. A well-documented information reduces nitpicky edits and helps you give constructive suggestions with out killing anybody’s confidence.
Type Information vs Model Information
A content material model information units the foundations for the way your model sounds in writing — masking tone, voice, grammar, punctuation, and formatting throughout every little thing you publish.
A model information can imply quite a lot of issues. It could deal with visible parts like logos, colours, and typography, or I’ve additionally seen them expanded to incorporate messaging, model values, and positioning.
Each play a key position in how individuals expertise your model. One shapes what they see, the opposite shapes what they hear.
Now that we have cleared that up, I’m going to indicate you how one can create a content material model information that truly works.
Tips on how to Create a Writing Type Information
- Use a method information template.
- Overview your model’s mission and values.
- Create purchaser personas in your audience.
- Outline your organization’s voice and tone.
- Resolve on a reference model guide.
- Record troublesome phrases and branded phrases
- Set up pointers for graphics.
- Share your formatting suggestions.
- Describe your search engine marketing necessities.
- Add beneficial strategies to supply dependable information.
- Define prohibited subjects.
- Give examples to finalize the writing model information.
There’s no one-size-fits-all method right here — however there is a framework that works.
Whether or not you’re ranging from scratch or fine-tuning what you’ve already obtained, I’m itemizing the 12 steps I like to recommend for creating a method information that clears issues up in your crew, brings consistency to your model, and sure, makes your AI instruments smarter, too.
1. Use a method information template.
A content material model information covers lots — from model values to grammar guidelines. You can begin from scratch, however I like to recommend kicking issues off with a strong template. It’ll assist get your concepts on the web page sooner— and be sure you’re not forgetting one thing apparent (like whether or not to make use of title case in H2s).
HubSpot’s free style guide template is a good start line. Or pull inspiration from one of many examples on the finish of this submit and make it your individual.
2. Overview your model’s mission and values.
Not each model has a proper mission statement or core values. And truly, I type of like it once they don’t as a result of it’s an awesome dialogue and results in a session that creates a ton of readability for each inner and exterior communications.
Questioning what that appears like? I’ve discovered it could be tough to say what you wish to do, however determining what you don’t wish to be normally creates a killer dialogue. Listed below are a few of my favourite inquiries to get this going:
- What drives you nuts concerning the business you’re in?
- How do you not wish to come throughout?
- What do you wish to be certain by no means to do?
- What do you by no means wish to sacrifice?
Just a few brief solutions to these questions will assist your content material model information come to life so your writers can rally behind why you do issues the way in which you do.
What else do you have to take into account?
In case your model stands for transparency, your content material ought to keep away from hype and lean into readability. If inclusivity is a core worth, your information ought to mirror that in each language and examples.
If what your model says and what it practices don’t match up, readers can (and they’re going to, belief me) see the disconnect — it’s like watching a TV present with dangerous lip-syncing.
Take it from Maddy Osman , founding father of The Blogsmith , who is aware of how significantly manufacturers ought to take conveying values like inclusivity by their content material.
“We needed our content material practices to mirror what The Blogsmith stands for, and wanted to discover a method to get a crew with various backgrounds on the identical web page,” says Osman.
To nurture these values, Maddy obtained the ball rolling by establishing clear-cut pointers in her model information.
“I sat down with crew members to brainstorm what inclusivity would appear to be on paper — the issues we usually don‘t account for in day-to-day speech. Whether or not it’s itemizing alternate options to outdated phrases like blacklist or manpower or examples of people-first language.”
The underside line right here is that your model information is the way you categorical your values.
3. Create purchaser personas in your audience.
Think about writing to a Gen Z purchaser vs. a Boomer. Identical product, completely completely different tone. That’s why I at all times embrace simplified personas in a method information — not full advertising and marketing profiles, however sufficient to floor content material creators in who they’re chatting with.
New to purchaser personas? I’ve executed every little thing from semi-fictional characters with names to high-level descriptions of ache factors and messaging. Each are implausible. However when you’re about to sort out this for the primary time, I like to recommend beginning with HubSpot’s persona generator.
Amanda Price , content material supervisor at Imagefix, can also be completely on board: “Understanding who we’re speaking with is simply as essential as understanding our model itself.”
Value provides that detailed purchaser personas be certain a method information “stops being about summary guidelines and begins being a correct and useful gizmo to construct an actual reference to our readers.”
She’s proper. And when personas are included, your information turns into much less about guidelines and extra about relationships.
At minimal, I like to recommend together with:
- A brief description of the viewers
- Key ache factors
- Communication preferences
- Options your model affords
- Most popular tone (formal, conversational, and many others.)
In the event you can go one step additional and embrace precise phrasing they use—or language that’s confirmed to win them over—you’ll assist your writers create content material that feels private, related, and normally converts properly
4. Outline your organization’s voice and tone.
Voice and tone get blended up and missed on a regular basis.
I’ve had quite a lot of animated discussions concerning the distinction with different copywriters. That may say lots about my character… but it surely additionally speaks to how essential this part is.
As a result of if you’d like your content material (or your AI output) to sound on-brand, you’ve obtained to spend a while right here.
Right here’s how I break it down:
- Voice is your model’s character. Your brand voice must be constant throughout all content material.
- Tone is how that voice adapts to completely different channels or conditions.
Consider it like this: Once I discuss to my shoppers, I sound like me. Once I discuss to my household, I nonetheless sound like me, however the tone is usually very completely different. Your model ought to work the identical approach.
To outline your tone, quite a lot of manufacturers reference Nielsen Norman Group’s four tone dimensions:
- Formal vs. informal
- Critical vs. humorous
- Respectful vs. irreverent
- Matter-of-fact vs. enthusiastic
That’s a strong start line. That mentioned, I normally wish to go deeper, taking my pal Justin Blackman’s method from Model Voice Academy. He begins with over 100 tone descriptors and distills a model’s voice into considered one of 9 types that fall into three classes:
- Authoritative
- Outlook-driven
- Accessible
It’s essentially the most complete (and efficient) method I’ve seen—and it really works fantastically, particularly if you wish to outline a voice that scales throughout channels, groups, and AI instruments.
No matter what method you’re taking, be certain to codify it with examples. Suppose “Say This, Not That.”
For instance, when you’re a training model that trades on humor, however by no means needs to return throughout as sarcastic or mean-spirited, you may need these:
✅ Messy begins rely. So do snack breaks.
✅ You don’t want one other planner. You want a plan that matches your life.
❌ This isn’t that arduous, .
❌ You’re nice at quitting — congrats.
If it’s useful, you can too encourage individuals to channel their internal [celebrity name here]. (For me, it’s at all times Robin Arzon from Peloton.)
Questioning what else to incorporate on this part?
- Most popular perspective: First-person, second-person, third-person?
- Writing model: Pleasant information? Trusted skilled? Straight-talking peer?
- Favourite phrases: Just a few go-to strains might help writers (and AI instruments) seize your model voice sooner.
Particularly when you’re utilizing generative AI, this part helps it study what “sounding such as you” truly means.
5. Resolve on a reference model guide.
Wish to cease arguing about em dashes and serial commas? Take into account selecting a reference model and keep it up — and simply notice any variations within the content material model information.
Plenty of manufacturers use the Associated Press Stylebook (AP) Chicago Manual of Style. Personally, I discover AP a greater match for on-line content material — much less formal, simpler to recollect, and extensively utilized by media shops.
Bernard Meyer, senior director of communications and artistic at Omnisend, shares that he prefers AP Type because it helps Omnisend come throughout as friendlier and fewer formal.
Professional tip: Get your crew a web based subscription. It’s simpler to look — and more likely for use — than a dusty print copy.
6. Record troublesome phrases and branded phrases.
This is likely one of the most sensible (and used!) sections of any information.
Embody:
- Correct formatting in your model title (HubSpot, not Hubspot or Hub spot)
- Product names, slogans, or phrases with most popular spelling and punctuation
- Generally miswritten phrases (ecommerce vs. e-commerce, and many others.)
- Job title formatting (Director of Advertising vs. director of selling)
- Diploma utilization (bachelor’s diploma vs. Bachelor of Arts)
Additionally remember to make notice of language preferences primarily based on regional utilization (coloration vs. color, condo vs. flat) and inclusive alternate options (blocklist vs. blacklist, “first-year scholar” vs. “freshman”).
This part saves editors a lot time — and helps AI instruments get extra correct, too.
7. Set up pointers for graphics.
You don’t have to rewrite your brand design manual right here, but when your writers are anticipated to supply, edit, or write for visible content material, you do want to provide them some path.
Deal with frequent questions like:
- The place ought to photographs come from, and the way ought to they be attributed?
- What number of photographs per submit?
- Ought to photographs embrace alt textual content?
- What are the popular picture sizes, file varieties, and alignment guidelines?
- Are screenshots allowed?
- Ought to textual content wrap round photographs?
- How do you deal with video embeds?
If in case you have a paid inventory picture account, listing it. If you’d like all graphics to have descriptive alt textual content (it’s best to), make that clear.
Additionally, when you anticipate writers to incorporate infographic content material for designers and you’ve got pointers round what must be included, I extremely advocate sharing that right here, too.
8. Share your formatting suggestions.
That is the place you forestall formatting chaos earlier than it occurs. At a minimal, cowl your pointers for
- Physique textual content: Most popular font, measurement, coloration (if relevant)
- Headers: What number of ranges? Use of title vs. sentence case?
- Hyperlinks: Ought to writers hyperlink entire phrases or simply key phrases?
- Lists: Bulleted or numbered? Punctuation on the finish?
- Styling: When to daring, italicize, or use citation marks
- Particular characters: When to make use of ampersands, em/en dashes, acronyms, and many others.
With constant formatting, your readers will have the ability to skim and digest your data extra simply.
9. Describe your search engine marketing necessities.
No want to incorporate your full SEO strategy right here, however a primary overview helps writers keep away from key phrase stuffing or construction points. I at all times advocate masking:
- Key phrase utilization: The place to incorporate goal key phrases (title, headers, alt textual content, and many others.)
- Content material construction: Tips on how to use headers and arrange concepts
- Linking technique: Inside and exterior hyperlinks, plus hyperlink density pointers
- Size expectations: Basic phrase rely ranges for key content material varieties
- Meta tags: If writers are anticipated to write down meta titles/descriptions, embrace steering
Along with these sections, I additionally embrace hyperlinks to exterior sources like HubSpot’s guide to SEO to make sure writers can discover solutions to their questions from respected sources.
10. Add beneficial strategies to supply dependable information.
You’ve in all probability seen that stat about people solely having an 8-second consideration span. BBC debunked it in 2017.
That’s the issue with counting on secondhand (or fifth-hand) information — as soon as it’s on the market, it spreads. So if you’d like your model to sound credible, it’s good to be choosy about your sources.
As a result of “Belief me, bro” doesn’t lower it.
Neither is that Medium submit that hyperlinks to a weblog that hyperlinks to a roundup from 2016. That’s lazy analysis and if you wish to be credible, it’s good to make it clear to your writers that it received’t fly.
In the event you’re critical about belief and transparency, your model information must spell out what “good” seems like.
If you wish to create reliable, authoritative content material, you’ve obtained to be choosy about what you cite and the place it comes from. And meaning instructing your crew — and your AI instruments — how one can inform the distinction between strong information and sketchy filler.
And AI is notoriously untrustworthy, each at following instructions and sourcing present information. Generally it makes issues up, too.
So remember to name out sources you need, what to keep away from, and pointers.
For instance:
Examples of nice sources:
- Major information and research: Surveys, interviews, buyer analytics, authentic analysis
- Urged business research: Deloitte, Gartner, McKinsey, BCG, Pew, HubSpot Analysis
- Authorities + nonprofit sources: Census Bureau, World Financial institution, WHO, NIH
- Respected information shops and commerce pubs: Suppose Harvard Enterprise Overview or AdWeek, not your cousin’s Substack
“Sources” to keep away from:
- Aggregator blogs with no clear quotation path
- Roundups that quote roundups (if it takes 3 clicks to get to the supply, cease)
- LinkedIn thought-leader posts that hyperlink to nothing
- Sketchy information with no date
- Something that appears like: “In response to a current research I as soon as noticed someplace…”
You might also wish to embrace an instance of the way you need information cited.
Whereas that helps tackle most data-sourcing questions, you’ll additionally wish to resolve if competitor statistics and information are allowed.
My normal rule is “sure!” if it’s dependable and reliable, however once more, you’ve obtained to make the decision for your corporation.
In the event you’re apprehensive about SEO (search engine marketing), Osman, who can also be ranked among the many top 100 content marketers by Semrush, shares that she’s not “in opposition to utilizing information from rivals. However it’s a must to watch out from an search engine marketing perspective if the info you’re referring to is a key phrase competitor.”
Past that, it additionally depends upon your model’s core values. Meyer prefers to incorporate “ useful information even when the info comes from our rivals” as a result of Omnisend needs to return throughout as a customer-centric model.
11. Define prohibited subjects.
Even when your crew has logic, it helps to spell issues out — particularly for freelance contributors.
Record any off-limits content material, together with:
- Politics or faith (except your model explicitly addresses them)
- Authorized recommendation (encourage linking to assets or consulting a lawyer)
- Controversial subjects with out skilled enter
Consider this as setting sensible boundaries — so writers know what not to the touch. And if there’s ever a chance of an exception to the rule, define the method for requesting that.
12. Give examples to solidify the writing model information.
That is the part most guides skip — and the one which makes the most important distinction.
Meyer agrees, “The extra particular you can also make [your style guide], the higher your crew will perceive how one can undertake it successfully.”
Osman additionally prefers including examples. In response to her, “model preferences make much more sense to writers once they see them executed really — very like a case research.”
Right here’s how I write content material model guides to indicate the crew what “good” seems like:
- Use do’s and don’ts. Add an incorrect instance after which mark it as much as present how a author may repair it.
- Embody visible examples. For formatting and graphics, I favor including visible examples to assist the contributors visualize what the model requires.
- Most popular textual content. I discover that writers are extra doubtless to achieve nailing down the model tone and voice when you present examples of it in follow.
- Editorial course of. What are the steps concerned from task to modifying to publishing? You don’t want an in depth SOP, however a high-level overview of the stream makes it simple for writers to know and ship on expectations.
Type guides live paperwork. The world isn’t static, buyer expectations aren’t static, so I really feel prefer it’s unrealistic to suppose you’ll by no means edit them.
What to Embody in Your Type Information [+ Checklist]
My favourite content material model guides are simple to comply with as a result of they’re hyper clear. WIth that mentioned, it’s not about creating guidelines for the sake of…properly, having guidelines.
It’s about making every little thing easier in your crew and your buyer base.
Professional tip: This shouldn’t simply go to writers. I’d advocate sharing this with any core customer-facing groups. It’s useful when advertising and marketing, gross sales, and customer support speak about issues the identical approach.
What To not Embody in Your Type Information
Don’t attempt to do too a lot. I’ve shared a ton of issues you may embrace and that I like to recommend together with on some degree. However you don’t have to enter element on all of them. Right here’s what I like to recommend leaving out — or at the very least linking to particular SOP documents.
Content material Operation Notes
Sure, content material ops are the spine of your course of. However issues like editorial calendars, request kinds, approval workflows, and publishing timelines don’t belong in your model information. Hold these reference hyperlinks in your mission playbooks. Your writers want writing steering, not a lesson in Airtable.
Visible Type Suggestions
That is a kind of “your name” issues. I personally like to incorporate a web page with the corporate brand, typography, and coloration palette. In any case, they’re vital for the model and it’s useful for onboarding new crew members.
However suppose high-level as an alternative of 6 pages on how one can use the emblem. As a substitute, embrace that element in a separate model and visible model information to convey the brand identity elements.
Coaching Supplies
Keep as high-level as you may. If there’s essential data writers have to check with, embrace hyperlinks to reference paperwork or how-to movies within the model information, however don’t go overboard.
Rule of thumb: If it seems like a textual content, skinny it out.
Tips on how to Get Others to Use Your Type Information
In the event you put in all that work, you need individuals to make use of it. Most will, however not everybody. I do know it feels private, particularly when individuals have paid me to seek the advice of on their stuff after which ignore it, however I promise it’s not private in any respect.
That is an space the place change administration ideas rule the roost — so right here’s what I’ve discovered works greatest:
1. Contain others early on.
Your freelancers received’t care, however if in case you have in-house writers, get their buy-in and make people feel like they’re part of the process. Even when you don’t take all of their ideas, they really feel some possession in it.
The place attainable, I wish to provide you with two equally superior choices for various classes after which let individuals weigh in on these choices. I’m at all times fantastic with no matter they select.
2. Make it simple.
Retailer it the place individuals already work. Hyperlink to it in onboarding docs, pin it in Slack, and reference it in briefs.
Personally, I like a dwelling doc with a desk of contents and quick-reference sections which are simple to skim.
3. Hold updating it.
It’s not a static set-and-forget doc.
Not everybody ought to have edit entry, however I do ask groups to flag questions or inconsistencies as they arrive up, and we evaluate and replace the doc often. It doesn’t should be good on day one. Simply hold it helpful — and make updates a part of your workflow.
Writing Type Information Examples
If you wish to see a writing model information in motion, listed below are a number of examples of writing model guides I’ve favored from well-known corporations like Google, Shopify, and Intuit.
1. Google
In Google’s model information, I observed that Google may be very express in its aim of making clear, constant content material. It’s damaged up into easy sections so that folks can simply navigate what would possibly appear to be an advanced doc
What I favored: My absolute favourite a part of this information is the assertion, “This information comprises pointers, not guidelines. Depart from it when doing so improves your content material.”
Any rule that claims “don’t comply with the foundations” is a HUGE win in my e book.
2. Intuit
I nerd out over these items, so when I discovered issues damaged down into classes that spotlight what’s most essential to Intuit, I obtained excited.
- Thesaurus — is sensible to start out with tax and cash phrases since that’s Intuit’s bread and butter.
- Anti-racist language — to make it simpler to deal with inclusivity and avoiding phrases that could be dangerous
- Formatting — no model information is full with out it
- Voice and tone — which is, after all, what I’ve targeted on right here. Whereas exploring Intuit’s model information, I discovered a prolonged thesaurus, which appears applicable since Intuit offers with monetary subjects. Plus, their pointers concerning anti-racist language and formatting are on level as properly.
What I favored: Not going to lie – I like this information. It’s fantastically laid out and really easy to comply with. Plus, for regulars, it features a what’s new part so individuals can simply see what could have modified.
3. Shopify
I discovered Shopify’s content material model information to be in depth. It walks the writers by voice and tone, inclusive language, grammar, and different style-related pointers.
In contrast to Intuit, I observed that Shopify was clearer about its voice and tone requirements — they even included dos and don’ts with examples to elucidate how one can match Shopify’s tone.
What I favored: Regardless of masking a spread of favor preferences, I appreciated that Shopify included an instance for every idea.
4. Microsoft
Like Shopify’s, Microsoft’s content material model information can also be in depth, masking every little thing from correct nouns to bias-free communications. I additionally favored the examples Microsoft included. That mentioned, Microsoft tried to remain minimalist and didn’t embrace examples for every little thing like Shopify.
What I favored: I discovered Microsoft’s model information simpler to navigate utilizing the sidebar. You may filter the listing of entries by title to search out stuff sooner. Plus, I like their headline, “Make each phrase matter.” I feel it speaks to the significance of phrase alternative and readability.
5. Apple
As a substitute of overwhelming writers with a laundry listing of do that, not that proper off the bat, it focuses the why behind every phrase. That mentioned, if individuals wish to dig deeper, notably on technical content material, they’ll actually dig into the A-Z of Apple’s model, beginning with AAC and wrapping with Zoom.
Moreover, it suggests customers comply with the Chicago Guide of Type and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
What I favored: Whereas many content material entrepreneurs won’t favor it, I favored Apple’s minimalist method since a method information is often for issues the place you deviate from a reference guide. Plus it echoes Apple’s “much less is extra” method.
6. Mailchimp
I’ve been curious to see how Mailchimp’s notoriously scrappy method would possibly change after its 2021 acquisition by Intuit. Whereas nonetheless playful and enjoyable, its language has turn out to be a lot clearer (at the very least in my view). I’m unsure if I’d attribute this to Intuit or extra following what I’m seeing as a pattern within the business.
Whereas I’m usually not a fan of together with media-specific pointers in a method information, Mailchimp does an awesome job. Since its model information isn’t primarily based on a single formal doc, it was in a position so as to add course of pointers with out overwhelming readers.
What I favored: I cherished Mailchimp’s thesaurus because it outlines precisely how one can deal with troublesome phrases in a minimalist approach.
7. Yokel Local
This instance comes from HubSpot Accomplice Yokel Native. I like its simplicity, which makes it simple for each in-house contributors and freelancers to comply with with out going into the weeds.
What I favored: Whereas Yokel Native remained minimalist, I cherished that it nonetheless included examples to assist writers get into the correct mindset.
Polish your editorial and content material model.
Type guides could appear to be an odd factor to obsess over, however they make it a lot simpler for writers to select up voice and run with it.
Every time I work with somebody who doesn’t have a content material model information, I create one — formally or informally — as a result of it saves everybody time, frustration, and back-and-forth edits down the road. I construct it proper into the method, whether or not it’s baked into a press release of labor or simply one thing I develop naturally throughout onboarding and early drafts.
It’s price it. Each time.
It saves a boatload of time and frustration for all events — together with the AI “members” of your crew (wink, wink). When everybody is aware of what the expectation is and why you employ the voice and tone you do, you could have a cohesive crew.
Bear in mind — hold it so simple as you may and deal with readability. The end result shall be content material that feels and sounds such as you.
Editor’s notice: This submit was initially printed in Might 2015 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
