Writing
Voice and tone
When writing content be consistent, professional and effective to emotionally engage users in the Barnardo’s brand.
To make content easy to find, use and understand you should:
- write in plain English
- write in an active voice
- choose words your audience would use
- write short, clear sentences
- use titles that are unique to the product
- have the most important information first
- check you can quickly tell what it’s about
- check spelling, links and citations are correct
- define acronyms and abbreviations the first time they’re used
- explain technical and professional terms
- optimise for search
You should avoid:
- duplicating content
- a passive voice
- business or marketing speak
When writing for young people you should:
- use an informal tone
- be practical and actionable
- lead with positive content
- avoid being authoritarian, for example provide ‘tips’ not ‘rules’
View voice and tone research on GitHub.