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Advice

Establishing content standards across your organisation

Robert Mills

Content strategist

4 February 2025

Content standards serve as the foundation of effective communication between an organisation and its audience. Standards bring confidence that all the content being published is meeting the needs of the users and helping the business achieve its own goals too. They define not just what is said, but how it's said across every platform and touchpoint.

At their core, content standards ensure consistency where it is needed and quality in everything. When every piece of content - from social media posts to technical documentation - follows established guidelines, it creates a cohesive experience that builds trust and recognition with audiences. This becomes increasingly critical as organisations grow and more people become involved in content creation.

In this article we will explain the benefits of content standards, the risks of not having standards in place and share practical advice for establishing standards in your organisation.

What are content standards?

Content standards are the documented rules, guidelines, and principles that govern how an organisation creates, manages, and delivers its content.

At the most fundamental level, content standards define what "good" content looks like for a specific organisation. They establish the requirements and expectations for anyone creating content, whether that's writing, images, videos, or other forms of communication.

These standards typically cover multiple requirements and considerations of content creation. The technical dimension includes specifications like word counts, file formats, and accessibility requirements. The editorial dimension encompasses elements like voice, tone, grammar rules, and preferred terminology. The visual dimension addresses aspects like imagery style, colour usage, brand identity and layout principles.

Think of content standards as similar to building codes in architecture. Just as building codes ensure structures are safe, functional, and consistent with their surroundings, content standards ensure communications are effective, appropriate, and aligned with organisational goals. Without these standards, content might be created in ways that confuse audiences or dilute the message.

The benefits of having content standards

Content standards serve as guardrails that protect organisations from risks while enabling efficient content production at scale. When teams have clear guidelines about everything from style choices to legal requirements, they can work more confidently and effectively. This efficiency becomes particularly valuable as content needs expand across multiple channels and platforms.

The impact of strong content standards extends beyond just the organisation itself. For audiences, they ensure a seamless experience whether someone is reading a blog post, reviewing product documentation, or engaging with social media content. This consistency helps build trust and strengthens the relationship between the organisation and its stakeholders.

Moreover, content standards provide a framework for measuring and improving content effectiveness over time. They establish benchmarks against which organisations can evaluate their communication efforts and make data-driven improvements to better serve their audiences and business objectives.

Consider how content standards affect an organisation's long-term success: they preserve institutional knowledge, enable smooth onboarding of new team members, and ensure that as the organisation evolves, its core identity and values remain clearly expressed through all its content. In essence, they are not just guidelines - they are a strategic asset that shapes how an organisation connects with its audience and achieves its goals.

A shared understanding for content quality

What makes content standards important is their role in creating a shared understanding across an organisation. When everyone follows the same standards, content quality is more predictable, regardless of who creates it or where it appears. This shared understanding extends beyond just the content creators - it helps everyone in the organisation understand what quality content looks like and how it should function.

Content standards also evolve with an organisation's needs and its audience's expectations. They aren't static rules but rather living documents that get updated as communication channels change, audience preferences shift, and organisational goals develop. This adaptability ensures the standards remain relevant and continue to serve their primary purpose: enabling effective, consistent communication through meaningful, useful and usable content.

To be truly effective, content standards must strike a balance between being comprehensive enough to guide content creation and flexible enough to allow for creativity and innovation. They should provide clear direction while leaving room for content creators to adapt to specific situations and audience needs.

The risks of having no content standards

Organisations without content standards face several risks that can impact their reputation and the success of their content, and therefore their business. Some of the risks they are vulnerable to include:

Inconsistent brand identity

When there are no standards guiding content creation, the organisation's brand identity can become fragmented and confusing. Different teams might use varying tones, styles, and messaging, making it difficult for audiences to develop a clear understanding of who the organisation is and what it stands for.

Poor quality content

Without established standards, content quality varies. Some content might be excellent while others fall far below acceptable levels. This inconsistency can erode audience trust and engagement over time.

Legal and compliance risks

Organisations operating without content standards are more vulnerable to legal issues. Content creators might inadvertently violate copyright laws, mishandle sensitive information, or fail to meet accessibility requirements. In regulated industries, the absence of standards can lead to non-compliance with industry regulations, resulting in fines or legal action.

Inefficiency across the content workflow

The lack of standards often leads to duplicated efforts and wasted resources. Teams might repeatedly create similar content because they're unaware of existing materials, or spend excessive time debating stylistic choices that standards would have predetermined.

Knowledge loss

When key team members leave, they take their content creation knowledge with them. Without documented standards, new team members must learn through trial and error, leading to a cycle of inconsistency and reduced quality. This knowledge gap can be particularly damaging during periods of organisational growth or transition.

Poor user experience

Inconsistent content creates a fragmented user experience. When formatting, terminology, and navigation patterns vary across different content, users must constantly adjust their expectations and understanding. This cognitive load can frustrate users and lead them to seek information elsewhere.

Decreased content effectiveness

Without standards to guide measurement and evaluation, organisations struggle to assess content performance effectively. They lack benchmarks for success and might continue producing ineffective content without realising it needs improvement.

Reputation damage

The cumulative effect of these risks can seriously damage an organisation's reputation. Inconsistent, poor-quality content suggests a lack of professionalism and attention to detail that audiences might extrapolate to other aspects of the organisation's operations. With content often serving as the first point of contact between organisations and their audiences, this reputation damage can have far-reaching consequences.

Understanding these risks highlights why content standards aren't just a nice-to-have but a critical component of organisational success. They provide the foundation for high-quality content that builds trust, maintains compliance, and effectively serves both the organisation and its audiences.

Essential components of content standards

Content standards need several components to effectively guide content creation and management across an organisation. Here are the essential elements that form a comprehensive content framework.

Editorial standards

These form the foundation of how organisations communicate through words. These standards define the voice and tone. They establish guidelines for grammar, punctuation, and terminology, ensuring writers maintain consistency, where needed, whether they're writing a blog post or formal documentation. Editorial standards typically include guidance on writing for different audiences and purposes, helping content creators adjust their approach while maintaining the core identity.

Visual standards

These govern how content looks and feels across all platforms. These go beyond logo usage to include typography, colour palettes and image styles. Think of visual standards as the blueprint that ensures all content pieces feel like they belong to the same brand, whether they appear on a website, in a presentation or on social media. These standards should address both digital and print applications, considering how visual elements translate across different mediums.

Technical standards

These address the practical aspects of content creation and management. They specify file formats, naming conventions, metadata requirements, and accessibility standards. Technical standards also establish requirements for different platforms and channels. These standards ensure content functions properly across all delivery channels.

Process standards

These outline how content moves across the workflow from one state to another. They define workflows, approval processes, and roles and responsibilities. Think of these as the roadmap that guides content from idea to published, with quality and compliance at every step.

Governance standards

These establish how content standards themselves are maintained and updated. They define who has authority to modify standards, how often they should be reviewed, and how changes are communicated throughout the organisation. Governance standards also include monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure standards are being followed consistently.

Compliance and legal standards

These protect organisations by establishing guidelines for regulatory requirements, copyright, privacy, and other legal considerations. These standards might include requirements for disclaimers, guidance on using third-party content, or industry-specific regulatory requirements. They help organisations manage risk while maintaining effective communication.

Measurement standards

These define how content effectiveness is evaluated. They establish metrics for success, methods for gathering feedback, and processes for using data to improve content quality. These standards ensure organisations can assess whether their content is meeting its objectives and make informed decisions about future content creation.

Together, these components create a comprehensive framework that guides content creation and management. It’s important that these components work together - for instance, visual standards should support editorial goals, while technical standards ensure both can be implemented effectively across all platforms. Organisations might emphasise different components based on their specific needs, but having clear standards in each area helps ensure content consistently serves its intended purpose.

When developing these standards, you should consider how they'll evolve over time. Standards need to be specific enough to be useful and usable, but flexible enough to accommodate new communication channels and changing audience needs. Regular review and updates help ensure standards remain relevant.

How to develop content standards

Here’s a systematic approach to developing content standards.

Phase 1: Assessment and research

Start by understanding what exists already. Audit current content across all channels and platforms to identify what's working well and what isn't. Interview key stakeholders to understand their needs, pain points, and goals. Research competitors' content approaches and industry best practices to inform your standards development.

Phase 2: Define core requirements

Based on the research, establish fundamental requirements across several key areas:

  • Business objectives that the content needs to support
  • Audience needs and preferences
  • Brand values and personality that need to be expressed
  • Technical and legal requirements that must be met
  • Resource constraints and operational realities

Phase 3: Build the framework

Develop the standards documents, working through each essential component:

  1. Start with high-level principles that guide all content decisions
  2. Define specific standards for each content type (web, social, documentation, etc.)
  3. Create detailed guidelines for:
    • Editorial style and tone
    • Visual elements and design
    • Technical specifications
    • Process workflows
    • Quality criteria
    • Measurement approaches

Phase 4: Test and refine

Before full implementation, test the standards with a small group of content creators. Apply them to real content projects and gather feedback about what works and what needs adjustment. This practical application often reveals gaps or areas that need clarification.

Phase 5: Implementation

Roll out the standards across the organisation:

  • Create training materials and conduct workshops
  • Establish support systems for content creators
  • Set up review processes to ensure standards are being followed
  • Create easy-to-access reference materials
  • Develop templates and tools that make it easier to follow standards
  • Building content models and templates in your CMS to add content guidelines at a field-level, rules for image use and field validation

Phase 6: Governance and maintenance

Establish ongoing governance processes:

  • Assign responsibility for maintaining and updating standards
  • Create feedback mechanisms for content creators
  • Set regular review periods
  • Define processes for handling exceptions
  • Monitor compliance and effectiveness

Phase 7: Continuous improvement

Regularly evaluate and evolve the standards:

  • Monitor content performance against defined metrics
  • Gather feedback from content creators and users
  • Update standards as needed to reflect changing requirements

Throughout this process, it's crucial to involve the right people:

  • Content creators who will use the standards daily
  • Subject matter experts who understand technical requirements
  • Legal teams for compliance considerations
  • Brand managers for alignment with brand strategy
  • Leadership for strategic alignment and buy-in

Developing content standards is a collaborative and iterative process. Start with the most critical elements and build out from there. It's better to have some standards in place that are followed consistently than to aim for perfection and delay implementation.

Ready to invest in your content standards?

Establishing and maintaining content standards is a crucial investment in your organisation's communication effectiveness. By following the advice in this article, organisations can create robust standards that improve user experience and drive operational efficiency.

Remember that content standards should remain flexible enough to accommodate new platforms and changing user behaviors while maintaining the core principles that define your brand's voice and values. Through this balance of consistency and adaptability, organisations can create content that resonates with their audience and achieves their business objectives.

An illustration showing a page from the Contensis content brief template.

Robert Mills

Content strategist

Advice
4 February 2025

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