Marketing Conventions

Brand Voice Guidelines

Voice Attributes

Professional yet Approachable: Balance expertise with accessibility
Authentic and Transparent: Build trust through honesty
Empathetic and Understanding: Connect with audience needs
Confident but Humble: Show expertise without arrogance

Tone Spectrum

| Situation | Tone | |-----------|------| | Educational content | Informative, patient, clear | | Product announcements | Excited, confident, urgent | | Problem-solving | Empathetic, reassuring, solution-oriented | | Industry insights | Authoritative, analytical, forward-thinking | | Community engagement | Warm, appreciative, conversational |

Language Style

Use active voice for clarity and impact
Write in second person ("you") to address the reader directly
Avoid jargon unless explaining technical concepts
Use contractions for conversational feel (don't, can't, you'll)
Keep sentences relatively short (15-20 words average)
Use power words strategically to drive action

Style Guide

Formatting Standards

Headings: Use sentence case for H1, H2, H3
Lists: Use bullet points for non-sequential items, numbered for steps
Emphasis: Use bold sparingly for key points, italics for terms
Links: Use descriptive anchor text, not "click here"
Quotes: Use blockquotes for testimonials or important statements

Punctuation Rules

Oxford Comma: Use before "and" in lists of three or more
Em Dashes: Use with spaces on both sides for breaks — like this
En Dashes: Use for ranges (2020–2025)
Exclamation Points: Use sparingly, max one per paragraph
Question Marks: Use for rhetorical questions sparingly

Capitalization

Title Case: Use for blog post titles and page headings
Sentence Case: Use for subheadings and body content
Proper Nouns: Always capitalize brand names, product names, trademarks
Job Titles: Capitalize when preceding a name, lowercase otherwise

Tone and Messaging

Core Messages

Value Proposition: What makes your offering unique
Problem-Solution: How you address customer pain points
Social Proof: Evidence from customers and industry
Call-to-Action: Clear next steps for the audience

Messaging Framework

Hook: Grab attention with a compelling opening
Problem: Identify the audience's challenge
Solution: Present your offering as the answer
Proof: Support with evidence and examples
Action: Guide to the next step

Do's and Don'ts

| Do | Don't | |----|-------| | Focus on benefits, not features | List technical specs without context | | Use specific numbers and data | Make vague claims like "best in class" | | Tell stories and use examples | Use empty marketing buzzwords | | Address objections proactively | Ignore potential concerns | | Keep promises realistic | Overpromise and underdeliver |

Visual Identity

Color Usage

Primary Colors: Use for branding elements, CTAs, and key highlights
Secondary Colors: Use for supporting elements and variety
Neutral Colors: Use for backgrounds, text, and balance
Accessibility: Ensure 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text

Typography

Headings: Use bold, larger fonts for hierarchy
Body Text: Use readable, clean fonts at appropriate sizes (16px minimum)
Accent Text: Use italics or different color for emphasis
Consistency: Use same fonts across all content

Image Guidelines

Quality: Use high-resolution images (minimum 1200px wide)
Relevance: Ensure images directly support the content
Branding: Include subtle brand elements when appropriate
Alt Text: Always provide descriptive alt text for accessibility
Rights: Use only licensed or original imagery

Brand Elements

Logo: Use consistent logo placement and sizing
Tagline: Include tagline in key brand touchpoints
Patterns: Use brand patterns for visual interest
Spacing: Maintain consistent whitespace and margins