Always put the user first

When you’re writing content, focus on what the user needs to know – not what we want to tell them. And always refer to the user as ‘you’. If you find that you’re using ‘we’ much more than ‘you’, then the content is probably not focused enough on the user. Instead of saying ‘We built the network to help businesses in Scotland find international contacts’, say something like ‘If your business is based in Scotland, you can use the network to find international contacts’.

Ask questions

Don’t be afraid to question why a piece of content is required and what format suits it best. Ask yourself ‘Does this really need to be a full article, or could it just be a social post?’ or ‘Is the user really interested in this, or just our stakeholders?’.

Write clearly

Always write in plain English and avoid jargon. Structure your sentences, paragraphs and pages logically.

Consider context

When writing a piece of content, consider the context around it. What are users trying to do? What do they know already? What will they see next?