Guiding Style

As I’ve stated in previous blog posts, content is everywhere. From independent creators on social media platforms to businesses trying to sell a product or service, we are inundated with varied forms of content. Content is a highly valuable business asset as it reflects the content creator’s brand, or their employer’s brand if not an independent creator. As such, it’s very important to define exactly how content will appear to maintain consistency and adherence to the brand voice. Content style guides do just that.

This week I evaluated two different style guides to make a recommendation for which of the two best aligned with the core values and content goals for an organization. The process of evaluating the two guides was most definitely an experience. I’ve heard of style guides and seen references to their use but never really looked at one in detail. Let’s face it, to this point I really didn’t have a need to look at a style guide beyond citing sources in either APA or MLA format. That being said I’m glad that I had the opportunity to evaluate two out of the multitude of style guides out there to gain a better understanding of how to design consistent content that aligns with both my personal brand and with the brand of any organization that I work for in the future. Even for my own personal content, I’m considering using the style guide created by Mailchimp because it is designed to be adaptable.

Levelling Language

As I understand it, content style guides are meant to guide content creators in the effective use of language to make content much easier to digest and to align with brand voice; the combination of voice and tone applied to an organization or independent creator. A key part of style guides is defining at what level of language content creators should focus on. The style guides that I had the opportunity to review did this quite well. Yet they didn’t mention language level anywhere in their style guides. So how did the style guides communicate at which level of language to focus on?

There was no mention of language levels in either of the style guides that I had the opportunity to review. The way that each style guide accomplished communicating language levels was in the specific examples provided in the guide. The examples I observed demonstrated what and what not to do by showing example sentences of each. This communicated the language level without ever saying the words. To actually know what level of language each guide focused on, I had to review the examples in a class handout as well as watch the lecture. I admit I still have a basic grasp of the concept, but I’m willing to dive deeper into this topic because it serves to make me a stronger writer.

Understanding levels of language fosters strengthening critical thinking skills. Thinking critically about the lexical choices I make for my content helps me to convey my intended message to my intended audience. Words and sentences that are acceptable in one context may be taboo or downright unacceptable in another. I wouldn’t structure a sentence meant for an engineer the same way I would for a mechanic or technician. I wouldn’t call a sweetened carbonate beverage a coke in the Midwest (pop country). Knowing which level of language to apply only serves to make communication clearer.

Looking Forward

I’m working toward a career focused on content from development to management to strategy. Understanding voice, tone, and style are key skills needed for this career field. Prior to starting my journey in technical communication, I knew nothing about voice and tone as a part of style in writing. Through this course and through prior coursework I’m starting to grasp the importance of voice and tone for content. I look forward to strengthening these skills and becoming a much better technical communicator and content creator.