Content Style Guide

Welcome to the official InkWell Content Style Guide. This document establishes the standards, voice, and formatting rules for all published articles, newsletters, and platform content. Consistency builds trust, clarity drives engagement, and quality separates us from the noise.

💡

Who is this for? All contributors, editorial staff, marketing writers, and guest authors publishing on the InkWell platform. Review this guide before drafting or submitting content.

Core Principles

✓ Prioritize clarity over cleverness
✓ Write for skimmers, but reward deep readers
✓ Maintain factual accuracy and cite sources
✓ Optimize for both human readers and search engines

Tone & Voice

InkWell's voice is expert yet approachable. We speak as a knowledgeable peer, not a lecturing authority. Our tone adapts slightly to the category but always remains respectful, inclusive, and forward-thinking.

Pillar	Guideline	Example
Conversational	Use active voice, contractions, and direct address ("you", "we"). Avoid jargon unless defined.	"Let's break down how this works..."
Authoritative	Back claims with data, links, or real-world examples. Avoid absolute statements without proof.	"Research shows a 40% increase in..."
Inclusive	Use gender-neutral language. Avoid idioms that don't translate well across cultures.	"Users, creators, and teams..."
Action-Oriented	End sections with clear takeaways or next steps. Readers should leave with value.	"Start by auditing your current workflow..."

⚠️

Avoid: Sarcasm, overly promotional language, unverified hype, and passive constructions like "mistakes were made."

Headlines & Titles

Headlines are your first impression. They must be scannable, keyword-optimized, and accurately reflect the content.

Rules

Length: Keep under 60 characters for SEO, max 80 for readability.
Case: Use Sentence case for article titles. Title Case for section headers.
Structure: Lead with the benefit or core topic. Avoid clickbait.
Numbers: Use digits for counts ("5 Steps" not "Five Steps").

✅ DO

How to Optimize Your Content Workflow in 2025

❌ DON'T

You Won't Believe This Amazing Secret to Workflow Optimization!

Typography & Formatting

Consistent formatting reduces cognitive load. Follow these structural rules for body content:

Element	Usage	Notes
`H2`	Main article sections	Max 3–5 per article. Keep under 10 words.
`H3`	Subsections	Nest under H2. Never stand alone.
Paragraphs	Body text	2–4 sentences max. Use line breaks for readability.
Lists	Bullet or numbered	Start with strong verbs. Keep items parallel.
Blockquotes	Expert quotes or key takeaways	Keep under 3 lines. Always attribute.
`<code>`	Inline technical terms/commands	Use for single words/phrases only.

✨

Pro Tip: Use bold sparingly to highlight key terms or actionable steps. Never italicize for emphasis in body text.

Images & Media

Visuals break up text and increase retention. All media must meet accessibility and performance standards.

Image Guidelines

Dimensions: 1200×630px (16:9 ratio) for featured images. 800×600px for inline.
Format: WebP or optimized JPG. Max file size: 200KB.
Alt Text: Required for all images. Describe content, not decoration. Max 125 characters.
Licensing: Use original, Unsplash, or properly licensed assets. Credit in caption if required.

✅ Good Alt Text

alt="Team reviewing analytics dashboard on laptop"

❌ Bad Alt Text

alt="Image123" or alt="Click here"

SEO & Metadata

Discoverability is non-negotiable. Every piece of content must be optimized before publishing.

Field	Requirement	Best Practice
Focus Keyword	1 primary + 2 secondary	Place in first 100 words, H2, and meta description.
Meta Description	150–160 characters	Include keyword + clear value proposition + CTA.
URL Slug	Short, lowercase, hyphenated	`/guide/content-optimization-2025`
Internal Links	3–5 relevant articles	Use descriptive anchor text. No "click here".

Publishing Workflow

Follow this checklist before submitting to editorial review or scheduling.

✓ Run spell/grammar check & verify facts/links
✓ Confirm H2/H3 structure matches outline
✓ Add optimized featured image & alt text
✓ Set focus keywords, meta description, and slug
✓ Insert 3–5 internal links with descriptive anchors
✓ Assign category, tags, and reading time estimate
✓ Review against tone & accessibility standards
✓ Submit for editorial approval or schedule

📤

Submission: Upload drafts to the InkWell CMS → Drafts tab. Tag editor with @review in comments.

Quick Reference

🔗

Resources: Grammar Style Sheet · Image Compression Tool · SEO Plugin Guide · Contact Editorial Team

This guide is living and will be updated quarterly. Report inconsistencies or suggest improvements via the Documentation Feedback form.