Content Style Guide
A reference document that defines writing standards for a brand — grammar preferences, formatting rules, terminology conventions, and editorial guidelines. Ensures every piece of content sounds like it came from the same company, regardless of who wrote it.
A Style Guide Makes Every Writer Sound Like Your Brand
When you have one writer, consistency is automatic. When you have five writers, two agencies, and a freelancer — consistency requires a system. That system is your content style guide. It is the difference between a blog that feels cohesive and one that reads like it was written by a committee with multiple personality disorder.
What to Standardize
Decide on the things writers argue about. Oxford comma or not. Title case or sentence case for headings. How you refer to your product — full name, abbreviation, or nickname. Whether you use contractions. How you format numbers. These seem trivial individually but collectively determine whether your content feels professional or chaotic.
The Terminology Section Is Critical
Every SaaS company has its own vocabulary. Do you say “users” or “customers”? “Platform” or “tool”? “Dashboard” or “control center”? Document every product-specific term with its correct usage. Include competitor names with approved and prohibited phrasing — you do not want a blog post accidentally promoting a competitor’s trademark.
Keeping the Guide Alive
A style guide that no one references is a document, not a tool. Put it where writers actually work — a Notion page, a pinned Slack doc, a shared Google Doc. Update it when new terminology emerges. Review it quarterly. When a writer submits copy that violates the guide, send them the relevant section rather than just editing silently. Teaching builds habits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a style guide and brand guidelines?
Brand guidelines cover the full brand identity — visual design, logo usage, color palette, typography, and voice direction. A content style guide focuses specifically on writing — grammar rules, word choices, formatting conventions, and editorial standards. Brand guidelines tell you how it looks. A style guide tells you how it reads.
What should a SaaS content style guide include?
Core sections: preferred terminology (what you call your product, features, customers), grammar preferences (Oxford comma, title case vs sentence case), formatting rules (how to write numbers, dates, lists), voice and tone recap, words to avoid, competitor naming conventions, and SEO writing standards. Include real examples from your published content.
