Choose a content type
Before you make any decisions, read the guidance on planning new content to decide whether the content is mainstream or specialist.
If it’s mainstream content, contact the Government Digital Service (GDS). They can help you decide which mainstream content type to use.
If you’re publishing specialist content for the first time on GOV.UK, it’s up to you to decide the right content type. Do not base your decision on how a content type looks.
This is because:
- if your content is in the wrong content type, users may not be able to find it because the content type can affect how and where it appears in search and navigation
- it could wrongly go into history mode – read the guidance on when history mode could be applied for more details
The right content type will depend on the purpose of your content.
This guidance includes explanations of the different content types you could choose for specialist content and when they should be used.
If you’re providing guidance for users
Decide if you’re publishing the guidance:
- directly onto the site – this is best if you’ll be updating the guidance regularly
- as an attached document – if you’ve got a time stamped document that will not be updated regularly
If you’re publishing directly, use the detailed guide content type.
If you’re publishing as an attached document, use the publication content type.
If the guidance is about completing a form, add that as a separate attachment to the form page. Do not publish it separately.
If the guidance is about applying for a licence, use the licence content type.
If the guidance is a long or complex legal document with named or numbered chapters or clauses, you could use the manual content type.
If you’re publishing a form
Use the publication content type.
You can use the same page to attach guidance about how to complete the form.
If you’re asking for people’s views on a policy
You can use the consultation content type if your content is:
- an official document requiring collective agreement across government
- a request for people’s views on a question
Alternatively, you can use the call for evidence content type. However, there can be legal consequences if you use a call for evidence content type when you are actually carrying out a consultation.
If you’re not sure, refer to the consultation principles or speak to your legal advisers.
If you’re sharing news or press materials
Use the news article content type if you’re publishing content from your press team. This includes a:
- news story
- press release
- government statement in response to media coverage
Use the publication content type for:
- leaflets, posters, fact sheets and other marketing collateral
- letters or other correspondence created by your organisation or its ministers
Use the speech content type if you’re publishing content from a minister or a named spokesperson. This includes a:
- public speech
- ministerial statement to Parliament
- authored article
Use the fatality notice content type if you’re announcing the death of a member of the armed forces or Ministry of Defence (MOD) personnel.
If you’re providing information about the government’s work
Use the publication content type.
Use the case study content type if you’re publishing a real example of either:
- a process that’s covered on GOV.UK (for example it shows someone’s experience of taking part in a particular government programme)
- an important aspect of government policy that’s covered on GOV.UK (for example it shows someone’s personal experience of a policy problem the government is trying to solve)
If you’re publicising the government’s work
Use a campaign site if you want to create a communications campaign that results in attitude, perception or behaviour change.
Use a blog site if you want to make a variety of posts about the work of your organisation from the perspective of individuals.
If you’re publishing corporate information about your organisation
Use your organisation page as the ‘homepage’ for your organisation.
For details about ministers and senior staff, use people and roles pages.
For any other corporate information, use the corporate information content type.
If you’ve got a group within your organisation, like a policy advisory group, use the group content type to explain what your group does and add their contact details.
If they’re a policy advisory group, you should also use it for their:
- terms of reference
- membership details
- minutes
- code of conduct
If you’re publishing statistics
Use the statistical data set content type for data that you publish:
- monthly or more often
- without analysis (meaning it’s raw data)
For other statistical data, use the statistics announcements and statistics publication content types.
If you’re collecting information about a worldwide organisation
Worldwide organisations include embassies, high commissions and consulates.
Use one of the worldwide pages content types.
If you’re collecting content together
You can use the:
- document collection content type, if you want to group separate pieces of content on a single page
- specialist finder content type, if it’s a large collection of documents that needs a search tool with filtering
- topical event content type, if it’s content about government activity around high-profile events or in response to a major crisis
There are other ways to organise and group content that do not require creating new content, like topic tagging.