Creating Your Content

How Do I Write a Copy Doc for Web?

Voice, Tone, and Brand Standards

Reading Level and Accessibility Best Practices

The “Is it Ready?” Checklist

Style and Usage Quick-Check

Every new page must start with the standardized template to ensure all technical data is captured.

Writers must create a copy of the The Master Template

This section, placed near the top of the draft, captures “hidden” data required by search engines, including the Slug, Parent page, SEO title (60 characters max), and Meta description (160 characters max).

Slug: the specific, human-readable part at the end of a web address that identifies a distinct page.

Parent page: a top-level hierarchical page in content management and web systems

SEO Title (60 character max): The clickable headline that appears on search engine results pages and browser tabs.

• Formatting the SEO Title: Page Title – Unit – University of Michigan (U-M is also acceptable if it exceeds ideal character counts)
• Example: Home – Dean of Students – University of Michigan

Meta Description (160 character max): a short HTML tag that summarizes a webpage’s content for search engine results pages.

Before writing final sentences, define the structure of the page.

The H1: Define the main page title that users will see first.

Establishing Headings: Create a clear hierarchy of subheadings. Because web users scan rather than read word-for-word, short and engaging headings improve both scanability and accessibility.

Outline Audit: Review the structure to ensure every heading fits the page’s core topic and doesn’t veer into unrelated territory .

Once the structure is set, shift focus to writing web-optimized copy.

The “One Breath Rule”: Keep sentences digestible—short enough to read in a single breath. Split or shorten any sentence that feels too long.

Component Usage: Reference component entries via the left-hand navigation to determine which visual “LEGO blocks” (like Cards or Accordions) should be used to present the information. Each component has a “Component Cheat Sheet” section—copy and paste these blank fields into your draft.

Visual Content: Plan for images and include descriptive Alternative (Alt) Text for accessibility (e.g., “Students laughing at a Center for Campus Involvement event” instead of “Photo of students”).

For detailed guidance while writing: Refer to the Voice, Tone, and Brand Standards; Reading Level and Accessibility Best Practices; Style and Usage Quick-Check sections below.

U-M Brand Voice Guidelines

Our voice is our permanent personality. Because our services are deeply personal, we should sound like a trusted, knowledgeable peer or mentor—always helpful, direct, encouraging, and non-judgmental.

We are warm and authentic, using conversational language to meet students where they are. The Student Life voice is:

Knowledgeable & Inspiring: “We want to share resources that will help you move toward your goals and interests. We also want to help you connect with the U-M community.”

Approachable & Accessible: “You can feel comfortable asking us anything. We’re here to share resources and help you find what you need. And we won’t speak in jargon or write in overly complicated language.”

Accepting & Affirming: “We see and celebrate your individuality.”

While our voice remains constant, our tone shifts based on topic.

Informal: Use for fun and informative programs, events, and general Student Life offerings.

Formal: Use for serious topics (health challenges, addiction, or crisis) to respect the reader’s emotional state.

Brand alignment isn’t just about logos; it’s about making sure the user feels like they are in the right place.

Visuals: Stick to brand colors and standard fonts. Use familiar, high-quality imagery.

Consistency: Maintain the same tone across the entire site to avoid confusing your reader.

On the web, we don’t read; we scan. Good readability creates a path of least resistance, ensuring our programs and services are accessible to all.

Review U-M Best Practices and Understanding WCAG Reading Level Guidelines to keep copy clear and accessible.

The Grade Level Rule: Aim for a 9th to 10th grade reading level. Check copy with the Hemingway Editor. (Only complex scientific or technical terms should skew this higher).

Quality Over Quantity: Be concise. If you can say it in ten words instead of twenty, do it.

Active & Human-Centric: Address the reader as “you” instead of “students”. Focus on what they need to know rather than what we want to say about ourselves.

• No: Students must show their MCard to enter the event.
• Yes: You will need your MCard to enter the event.
• Yes: Remember your MCard! You’ll need it to enter the event.

Scannability assists all users, including those using screen readers or managing cognitive disabilities. We achieve this through:

• Page Titles: Keep them descriptive, accurate, and under 60 characters.
• Headings: Use real H1, H2, and H3 tags as a roadmap (do not just bold regular text).
• Bullet Points: Convert lists of 3+ items into vertical bullet points to reduce visual fatigue.
• Chunked Content: Keep paragraphs to 1 main idea (3–4 sentences max).
• Meta Descriptions: Keep near 160 characters to act as a clear search preview.
• Imagery and Alt Text: Add descriptive Alternative (Alt) Text to all non-decorative media. Follow Harvard Alt Text Guidelines.
• Call to Action (CTA): Use direct action verbs (e.g., “Register for Orientation” rather than “Click Here”).
• Wayfinding: Ensure proper navigation placement and internal cross-linking for easy discovery.

✓ Short sentences

✓ Active phrasing

✓ User-centric phrasing

✓ Minimal buzzwords or jargon

✓ Proofread and spell-checked

✓ No unnecessary words

✓ No filler, ambiguous, or repetitive phrasing

✓ Bulleted lists and tables where helpful

✓ Front-loaded headings and links

✓ Key information placed in the first two paragraphs

✓ Clear section headers establish visual hierarchy

Refer to the VP for Communications Brand Office Editorial Resources for full brand guidelines. Use these quick standards to keep Student Life web copy consistent.

Alumni

• Use alum/alums for gender-neutral or informal contents (like social media)
• Use formal terms when appropriate for tone.

Buildings & Places

• Capitalize full, official names (Central Campus, Michigan Stadium, Duderstadt Center)
• Lowercase general references (Ann Arbor campus, the Diag)

Departments & Colleges

• Capitalize only full, official names (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Office of the Provost)
• Lowercase shortened or informal versions (the college, the provost’s office)

United States

• Use US as a noun
• Use U.S. as an adjective

University of Michigan

• Always hyphenate U-M
• Lowercase university unless part of a proper title

Unit Names & Ampersands

• Avoid & in body copy unless part of an official unit name (check the unit logo)

Check U-M’s acronym decoder for official building and program abbreviations.

Dashes

• Em Dash (—): Use with no spaces to emphasize a phrase
• En Dash (–): Use for date/time spans (2025–2026 academic year) and compound adjectives

Punctuation

• Use single spaces after end punctuation

Numbers

• Spell out zero through nine
• Use numerals for 10+
• Always spell out numbers that start a sentence (Forty students attended)
• Use commas for 1,000+ (4,500 applicants)

Percentages

• Spell out numbers under 10 and the word percent (five percent)
• Use numerals and % for 10+ (55%)
• Spell out any percentage starting a sentence (Fifty-five percent)

Dates & Times

• Spell out full months in running test (March 2026)
• Use lowercase a.m. and p.m. (7 a.m.)

Ordinals

• -th/-rd are acceptable with dates and percentiles

Active Voice

• Write in active voice for maximum clarity (The department will review requirements” instead of “Requirements will be reviewed by department”)

Seasons & Semesters

• Always lowercase (fall 2026, winter term, spring semester)

Students

• Lowercase class standings (first-year, sophomore, senior) unless starting a sentence or headline

• Campuswide (one word, no hyphen)
• Childcare (one word, no hyphen)
• Healthcare (one word, no hyphen)
• Well-being (always hyphenated)