Writing Style Guide

Writing for Our Audience

Writing for the web is different than writing for print.

Many visitors tend to scan online. Others may read word for word. Think about writing information in chunks in the most clear, concise and consistent way possible.

Universal Design for All

For the web, Universal Design means designing and deploying a website, including written information,  so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people—regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.

Still, at Foothill College, we recognize our website serves both broad and specific audiences.

Who is our Audience?

A web page audience may fit into a broader cateogory or one that is very specific. As your department web content contributor, you know your audience best!  Always consider the most important information that an audience both needs and wants.

Broad Audience Categories

• Prospective students
• Current students
• International students
• Faculty and/or Staff
• Alumni and donors
• Community members

Some Targeted Audiences

• 
  Dual-enrolled high school students
• Graduating high school seniors
• Adult learners
• Older returning adult students
• English as a second language learners
• Military veterans
• Learners with disabiities

Create a Clear Pathway to Information

Consider what you’re trying to convey to the specific audience for a particular website or page.

Are you introducing a program or event? What's the next step? Is the next action clear and visible? Is a program available to all high school graduating seniors or to a specific cohort of learners?

Make the introdutory information visible on the page at first glance and then link to more details  on a subsequent page with clear actions and steps.

It's ok to point your audience to multiple pages, as long as the path is clear and relevant. And if the information already exists on another page, don't rewrite it. Link to it! If you see that information may be incorrect or outdated, contact the department responsible so that it can be updated.

Remember. We're all in this together!

 

Ways to Frame Content

• Ask why do people visit your page? What information do they want?
• Write short, concise sentences
• Keep paragraphs short
• Put the important information up front. In journalism, this is called the “inverted pyramid.”
• Use active voice
• Use common language.  No “academic-speak.”
• Use headers, bulleted lists and tables for easy scanning.
  IMPORTANT: Be sure to use those tools within OmniUpdate rather than simply enlarging text for headers or creating your own lists and tables from scratch.
• Know your audience. See below.
• Spell out names and titles the first time you use them. Use acronyms after.

Editorial Style Guide for the Web

General Best Practices

Content creators should use Associated Press (AP) Style.  Here are some general guidelines.

• Academic subjects: Subjects are lowercase unless it is a proper name. Ex: Study biology at Foothill College; Laura studies English.
• Degrees: We offer associate degrees (no possessive) or A.A. and A.S. degrees. Also a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene or B.S. in dental hygiene.
• Titles: Lowercase and spell out when not used with an individual name. There are some specific guidelines when capitalization is needed.

AP Style Resources

• Consistency and clarity are key.
• Reference the AP Style (Associated Press) guide for general guidance.

Grammar & Editorial Style Guide

The Foothill College Marketing Office has created a grammar and editorial style guide specific for publishing content to the website.

If you use a different style, example PM instead of p.m., editors in the Marketing Office reserve the right to review and update with changes.

Foothill College Grammar & Style Guide

Best Practices for Writing for the Web

Think Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Use SEO strategies to make your page easier to find.

• Keep your content focused. If the page is about a specific program, keep to that topic. If the page becomes too long, reference all subtopics in an introductory overview or provide steps.
• Use related keywords in headers, content and links.

Tone

Our website should have a unified voice that is friendly and welcoming.

• Use the first and second-person POV to be personal, build trust and speak directly to website visitors.
• Generally, the college is “we” and users are "you." Also use "our" to build community.
• Be both inviting and professional.

Semantics

Use consistent naming conventions for buildings and conference rooms and classrooms to avoid confusion.

When necessary, use the following format for rooms.

• Name of Location and (Room #)
• Examples: Campus Center Dining Room (Room 2201); BSS Division Office (Room 3007)
• Always link to campus map
• Referring to Foothill College:  Use “Foothill College” first and then "Foothill" or "the college"  or "our college."

Links

• Links are one of the most important interactive elements on the website.
• Use descriptive terms so readers know where they’re going.
  Examples: “Read our mission and values statement.” or “Learn more about our degrees and certificates.”
• DO NOT use random links, such as  “click here.”
• Describe link text consistently throughout your webpages. If you say, “Read our refund policy” in one section, do not say “Info on refunds and reimbursements” later on while linking to the same page.
• Avoid too many links! Again, clarity is key.

Images

• Images are great for visually presenting information on the website.
• Optimize your images for the website, meaning reduce the size of the image file and resize the dimensions to fit specifications for placement in a page section.
• Make sure all images are accessible with descriptive Alt Tags.

Documents

• All documents added to the website must be accessible in PDF or Word format.

Accessibility Guidelines

Use our accessibility checklist when creating web content.