Elevating Brand Consistency: Developing a Comprehensive Writing Style Guide
Background / Challenge
When I joined the marketing team at People2.0, I was tasked with evolving our existing editorial style guide to meet the needs of our growing global organization. The original guide provided a solid foundation with valuable fundamentals for business writing and brand consistency. As our organization expanded across markets and we added more content creators to our ecosystem, we had an opportunity to build upon this foundation and create a more comprehensive framework.
The enhancement of our editorial style guide addressed a critical need created by People2.0's extraordinary global expansion. Between 2016-2022, the company had integrated 12+ different entities across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East—from TFI Resources in the US (2016) to Ayers Group in Australia and Brookson in the UK (2022). Each acquisition brought its own established communication styles, terminology preferences, and regional expressions. This diversity created significant challenges for consistent brand representation. The expansion of our style guide to an 80+ page strategic document wasn't simply about adding more rules—it was about creating a unified framework that could accommodate regional nuances while maintaining global brand consistency. By developing comprehensive guidelines with specific sections for different content types, we established a foundation for consistent communication across our rapidly expanded global organization while respecting the brand heritage of our acquired entities.
Our organization needed enhanced guidance in several areas:
Guidelines for different content types (blogs, emails, whitepapers)
Structured SEO best practices
Expanded brand voice principles
Inclusive language guidelines
Legal and compliance considerations
This evolution would help us maintain consistent brand representation across channels and markets, improve efficiency in the editing process, and ensure content quality as our ecosystem scaled.
Development Process
Rather than simply adding to the existing document, I approached this challenge strategically, conducting a thorough assessment of our content needs across all touchpoints. My process included:
Stakeholder Interviews: I conducted focused discussions with teams across marketing, sales, operations, and regional offices to understand their content challenges and needs.
Content Audit: I reviewed existing materials across channels, identifying inconsistencies and areas where additional guidance was needed.
Competitive Analysis: I examined style guides from industry leaders to identify best practices and innovative approaches to content governance.
Brand Voice Workshop: I facilitated collaborative sessions to articulate our brand attributes, voice characteristics, and tone principles across different content types.
Governance Planning: I designed a framework that would be comprehensive yet practical—providing clear guidance without overwhelming content creators.
The result was a complete reimagining of our style guide, expanded to a strategic 80+ page document with clear sections addressing every aspect of our written communications.
Framework Summary
The new style guide was structured around clear organizational principles:
Brand Identity Foundation: Mission, vision, brand attributes, and voice principles that guide all communications
Writing Guidelines: Clarity standards, target reading levels, and structural recommendations
Formatting & Style: Comprehensive case usage, formatting conventions, and visual presentation
Grammar & Punctuation: Company-specific standards that complement AP style
Brand-Specific Language: Key terms, industry terminology, and prohibited phrases
Content Type Guidelines: Tailored sections for blogs, emails, social media, whitepapers, and website copy
SEO Best Practices: Keyword usage, metadata recommendations, and content structure
Inclusive Language: Guidelines for gender-neutral terms, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility
Legal & Compliance: Trademark usage, copyright guidelines, and regulatory considerations
Templates & Examples: Before/after examples and structured templates for common content types
Each section was designed to progress logically from brand foundations to specific applications, making the guide both a learning resource for new team members and a practical reference for experienced content creators.
Implementation & Impact
After developing the enhanced style guide, I focused on ensuring its practical application:
Leadership Validation: I secured buy-in from key stakeholders by demonstrating how the guide would address specific pain points.
Training Sessions: I conducted focused workshops for different teams, highlighting the sections most relevant to their work.
Integration with Workflows: I incorporated style guide principles into our content review processes.
Implementation Tools: I incorporated practical elements from the original guide, such as AutoCorrect setting instructions, while adding new implementation resources to support adoption.
The impact of the style guide has been substantial in our day-to-day operations:
Improved Freelancer Guidance: The comprehensive guide has helped tremendously in directing our network of freelance writers, creating clearer expectations and more consistent deliverables.
Streamlined Editing Process: As the central editor for our content, having a robust reference document has improved my efficiency and consistency when reviewing materials.
Enhanced Content Consistency: The style guide has become an essential resource in our Claude projects, ensuring all AI-assisted content maintains our brand voice and standards.
Reduced Questions and Revisions: With clearer guidance available, there's been a noticeable reduction in basic style and formatting questions, allowing more focus on strategic content elements.
Reflection / Evolution
This project reinforced several key principles about effective content operations:
Balance Structure with Flexibility: The guide provided clear standards while acknowledging regional nuances and content-specific needs.
Prioritize User Experience: By designing both comprehensive documentation and quick-reference tools, we ensured the guide would be actually used rather than ignored.
Connect Standards to Outcomes: Framing style guidelines in terms of reader experience and business impact helped secure buy-in across departments.
Plan for Evolution: Establishing a regular review process ensured the guide would remain relevant as our brand and market evolved.
The guide continues to evolve, with quarterly updates addressing emerging content needs, new channels, and regional expansion. This established framework has proven invaluable in supporting our brand's consistent communication as we've grown and evolved in the marketplace.
This project exemplifies my approach to content leadership: developing strategic frameworks that balance brand consistency with practical usability, all while maintaining focus on measurable business outcomes.
