What to include
| Section | Example rule |
|---|---|
| Voice and tone | Friendly and direct, never sarcastic |
| Words | Say "estimate," not "quote request form" |
| Visuals | Real photos, brand colors, logo bottom right |
| Hashtags and emoji | Up to three specific tags, emoji sparingly |
| Accessibility | Captions on every video, alt text on images |
| Replies | Answer within hours, move private issues to DMs |
Accessibility is part of style
Captions help people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people watching without sound. W3C accessibility guidance calls for captions on video with speech. Add alt text to images that carry meaning, and avoid putting key details only inside images.
Keep it short
People read and follow a two-page guide. Add three good and bad examples for captions and replies, since examples teach faster than rules. Update it when your offers, team or platforms change.
Who needs it
- Staff who post or reply on the business's behalf
- Agencies and freelancers working on your accounts
- New hires who take over social duties
- Anyone who approves posts
Good example. A credit union's style guide shows how to reply to complaints without sharing account details. New staff reply confidently on day one.
Bad example. A credit union has no guide. One employee uses slang, another uses legal language, and followers notice.
Read what brand voice is. Our social media marketing writes the guide with you.