Style Guides: They Aren’t Set in Stone
As we’ve said before, Content Runner is a platform where talented Writers and those who need content can come together to create something great. Whether you need blog posts, blurbs, press releases, or product descriptions, our team of Writers is here to produce the best content possible.
This guy knows style.
Why Write Your Own?
In an effort to make sure you’re getting exactly the content that you need, Content Runner encourages Users to make use of Style Guides for communicating with their Writers. A Style Guide provides the Writers with a template for the type of content (e.g. press release, article, journal entry, etc.), the style of the piece (e.g. informational, persuasive sales pitch, social media post, etc.), and other information that’s too subtle to be included in the Writing Instructions.
When you write your own Style Guide, you’re communicating to the Writer exactly what you want, ensuring that you receive stellar content every time. And that’s really what it’s all about. The more details you provide in the Style Guide, the more effectively you communicate with the Writer. And the more effectively you communicate your needs, the better the content is going to be. It’s just that simple.
Write Your Own Style Guide
While we have a few general Style Guides preloaded with every new User’s account, we encourage Users to create their own custom Style Guides as well. There’s no limit to how many Style Guides you can have saved in the system, so feel free to get as specific as you like. Do you want your content in the first person perspective? Need it to sound informative rather than a sales pitch? Just add it to your custom Style Guide.
From the Dashboard (the portal of productivity on Content Runner) click on the Settings Tab, located on the right side of the screen. From there, click on the “Style Guides” tab on the left side of the page. We’ve included examples of a weak guide and stronger guide. As you can see, you can select and specify if it’s a guest post, an “onsite” posting, or choose from the bevy of other options available to you.
Once you’ve selected the type of content you’re looking for, you can craft and tailor a Style Guide that suits your needs exactly. Let the prospective Writer know a little about what your website does and the products and services it sells. Tell them if you want your content in first person—”I,” “we,” and “our”—or third person—”he/she,” “it,” or “they.” Do you want the content to be professional and serious, or more humorous and casual? How about a no-nonsense informational article? Do you need to include a specific link, anchor text, or key words? Put it in the guide. Remember, more information is better than not enough.
If you’ve used Content Runner before, you’re familiar with some of the site’s functionality. But you might not have explored all of the features available to you, the User. Next time you have an extremely detailed project, try writing your own Style Guide. If you clearly communicate your needs, our Writers will fulfill them, and that’s really the goal. Right? Right!
About Zach WestallZach, like so many in Seattle, is a transplant, originally hailing from sunny/stormy Miami, FL. When he’s not ruthlessly correcting content with his big red pen—a gift from Thor himself—he enjoys outdoor pursuits, live music, craft beer, and Fantasy literature.
Fabulous!