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Alpha This guidance is in development. You can find current content and publishing guidance on GOV.UK.

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Standard content types

Review standard content types

If you’ve been asked to review someone else’s content, check that it:

Titles must be:

  • clear and specific
  • front-loaded with words users are likely to search for
  • under 65 characters (including spaces)
  • in sentence case
  • written in plain English (no jargon)

Summaries should:

  • expand on the title without repeating it
  • explain the point of the page and make sense in search results
  • be written in full sentences (with a verb and a full stop)
  • be front-loaded with words users are likely to search for
  • be written in plain English (no jargon)
  • explain any acronyms in the title
  • be fewer than 140 characters (including spaces)

Body text should:

  • begin with what’s most important to users (not to government)
  • be concise and easy to scan (with headings every 3 to 5 paragraphs)
  • be written in plain English (no jargon) and easy to understand
  • use short sentences – no more than 25 words
  • define acronyms and abbreviations the first time they’re used (with formatting)
  • explain any technical terms

Remember:

  • always check the style guide
  • bullet points have a lead in line and start with a lower case letter
  • numbers are written as numerals (except ‘one’)
  • do not use full stops in abbreviations or acronyms
  • describe the destination of any links (do not use ‘click here’)
  • use ‘and’ rather than ‘&’, unless it’s a department’s logo image
  • do not use bold, italics, CAPS, semicolons, underlining or exclamation marks!!!
  • check the formatting for headings, bullets and acronyms
  • government organisations are singular (for example ‘FCDO is’, not ‘FCDO are’)
  • use ‘to’ in date and time ranges, not hyphens or ‘/’
  • write email addresses in full, in lower case and as active links

Check in Whitehall Publisher if:

  • it has a change note, and if it does, that the change note is clear
  • any scheduled publication date is correct
  • ‘Limited access’ is turned on, if needed
  • there are any ‘internal notes’ about the change

After you finish reviewing

If the draft meets publishing standards, read the guidance on how to publish content.

If changes are needed, select ‘Reject’ and write an internal note explaining the reasons why. The draft will be sent back to the person who made the draft for further changes. They’ll get an email about it.