We have an editorial style to help us keep our copy clear and consistent, and specific guidelines to write and structure content to make it easy for users to understand and act on.

Remember, we strive for effectiveness over correctness. Use these guidelines as a reference, not an authority, and always prioritize what's most effective for our target users.

Tone

Maintaining a consistent tone is crucial when communicating about our products. Whether it’s content for Cody clients, the search product, or the marketing website, the following tone guidelines will ensure our communication is effective and professional:

• Professional: Always keep the language formal yet accessible, showing respect for the business context and the expertise of our audience.
• Clear and Concise: Use direct, straightforward language with technical accuracy to ensure information is easy to understand and to the point.
• Authoritative: Display confidence and deep knowledge about our products to build trust and credibility.
• Helpful: Aim to resolve issues and offer insightful information that enhances user experience and boosts productivity.
• Engaging: Keep the content lively without sacrificing professionalism; incorporate engaging elements to make our messages compelling and memorable.

These examples illustrate how our chosen tone can directly influence the perception and effectiveness of our communication:

Yes

• "News on the latest features and enhancements"
  • Clearly states the purpose, maintaining a professional and informative tone.
• "Get unlimited help with Cody Pro"
  • Promotes the product's support capabilities in a clear, supportive manner.

No

• "Learn about the awesome new features and add-ons"
  • Uses casual language that may not resonate with a professional audience.
• "Become unlimited with Cody Pro"
  • Could be perceived as overly promotional or vague, lacking the clarity needed for a professional tone.

Conversational writing

Our voice is conversational. When we’re talking, we connect words with articles like “the,” “for,” “these,” and “an.” If we remove these from our writing, it makes our copy feel stiff and complicated. We can be flexible, though. If space is a limitation, the article can be omitted.