Optimize team management in minutes with ManageBetter. Start your free trial now and join Uber and Microsoft in boosting performance, gathering insights, and generating reviews—all AI-powered, no writing required.

Introduction

This document defines our writing style, whether we write for our product, marketing, or internal business communications.

Any guidelines that are specific to a medium will be indicated.

Writing Goals

When writing, our goal is to:

Educate. We tell our readers what they need to know. This includes the basics like the 5Ws and the H. We cut out the unnecessary opinions and clutter that take away from the main idea.
Take action. We always make clear what they should do next. We often refer to this as the call-to-action. Call-to-actions can include signing up for our product or replying to an email.

Voice and Tone

Plainspoken. We avoid jargon. We write in a straightforward way. Clarity is the #1 goal.
Respect. We avoid mindless cheerleading phrases like “Way to go!” or “You can do it!” Our audience is smart. They can tell when we’re saying a whole bunch of nothing. We don’t want to waste our audience’s time.

Writing Style

Make content easy-to-scan

Our content must be easy-to-scan. Our users can be busy and on the go. They may have only seconds to read our copy.

When making our writing scannable, here are the best techniques to do so:

Use headlines
Use bullets
Use short paragraphs
Use simple words

Use headlines

Headlines and summary headlines make content easy to scan, even if the reader doesn’t have time to read the content, word for word.

The legendary copywriter, David Ogilvy, once remarked that 80 percent of a writer’s effort should go toward crafting the headline.

Copyblogger is the best place to start when it comes to headline inspiration.

Use bullets

Readers love lists. They’re:

Short
Succinct
Easy-to-scan

Use bullet points and ordered lists as often as you can.

Use short paragraphs

A long paragraph may be fine for a novel.

But for everything else, long, dense run-on paragraphs are intimidating. It’s okay to have paragraphs that are 1 to 3 sentences long.

Use short sentences

Aim for less than 30 words per sentence.

Use simple words

Avoid fluff.

Some readers may be impressed by fancy-sounding words. But it’s not worth it. It can confuse those who aren’t familiar with the term such as those whose native language isn’t English. And it can be frustrating if the reader feels they have to define every third word in your narrative.

Be clear

Crafting a compelling set of words requires thought. It’s easy to forgo editing for clarity, just to get it done.

Here are some tips on how to write clear content.

Be specific

Skip the weasel words. Data and specifics are always superior substitutes.

Simplify, simplify, simplify

For example:

Instead of “for the purpose of,” just write “for.”
Rather than say it’s a “ballpoint pen,” consider the just as clear and more concise “pen.”

Be considerate and finish what you started

Copy feels unfinished and unsatisfying when there are gaps, holes, and other loose threads. So,

If you introduce a foreign term, explain what it is. Don’t assume the reader knows what you're talking about.
Rather than imply that something is beneficial, explicitly articulate why.
If the audience is skeptical of the stated benefits, explain how.
Don’t assume that they can infer why it’s relevant. Answer why they should care.

Formatting matters

There’s a reason why periods, commas, paragraphs, and bullet points were invented.

Formatting matters.

It’s exhausting to read text that isn’t formatted well. It’s unclear when there are no headlines or sub-headlines to indicate how text is grouped together.

Take the time to format your content. Break up long paragraphs, use bullets, and introduce summary headlines when appropriate.

Sharpen Your Leadership Edge: Join 3,000+ executives receiving weekly, actionable insights from industry experts. Subscribe free to The Thoughtful Leader and elevate your team's performance.

ManageBetter Content Style Guide