Web Writing and Digital Messaging Guide

Voice and Tone

A university’s brand voice works similarly to an individual’s. Its tone changes according to the situation—lighthearted for an event announcement, to-the-point in a campus safety policy—but the voice is the personality that remains consistent.

Use the “Creating and applying key messages” section—at the bottom of this guide—to inform the
institutional voice in your writing, and use the following guidelines to craft your tone depending on the context.

First and second person

Web content should have a conversational tone, addressing readers as though you were speaking directly to them. Use the first-person plural (“we”) to refer to the university, department or unit, and speak directly to the user (“you”) so your content will sound approachable instead of detached or impersonal.

Less like: Students who wish to change a major or minor offered under the Department of Biology must submit a completed Change of Major and/or Minor form.

More like: Use this form if you want to change a major or minor from our department.

When you’re writing about a person in a feature story, news announcement, bio or individual profile, use third-person voice (“he” or “she”). If you decide to use first-person voice singular (“I”), make sure it’s obvious that it’s a direct quote.

Contractions

Use contractions for common phrases, "we don't" or "you’ll" or "it's." It may seem informal coming from an institution, but this small change makes text seem much more personal, and has become common practice in web writing.

Plain language

Users come to your site with specific tasks already in mind, and information buried in long, difficult text slows them down and gives them the wrong impression of the university or your department. Research shows that online readers and even experts prefer plain, simple language to formal, academic-style text on the web. 

Things to avoid

Internal jargon. Avoid any terms you would need to explain to a new person. 

Overused marketing language. Use specific examples to make your point more meaningful, rather than clichés that could describe any organization, such as: 

• "our unique, innovative programs"
• "world-class facilities"
• "engaged faculty"
• "cutting-edge research"

"Academic" words. Avoid words like "utilize" or "methodologies" when a simple "use" or "methods" will do. 

Style and mechanics

Follow the standards outlined in the Associate Press Stylebook and the WSU Writing Style Guide to keep the user experience consistent. Learn more at wichita.edu/styleguide.

Formatting for mobile

Even if you’re just migrating existing pages into a newly responsive website design, you can eliminate some immediate problems that might render your pages poorly on a phone or tablet:

• Convert files that open in desktop-based programs. Recreate Microsoft Word docs and PowerPoint slides in HTML format. Use PDFs if necessary for stand-alone documents like student handbooks, but don’t hide important information in files users have to download.
• Take essential information out of the sidebars. If something needs to display at the top of a page, include it in the main text field. Sidebars often get bumped down on a vertically stacked mobile screen.
• Avoid using tables for non-comparative information. They get mangled on mobile screens, so consider converting to a simple list, image or PDF.
• Check pages on a phone if they have graphic elements or structured content areas, and flag any that need a designer or developer’s help. Infographics and special layout elements can cause disasters for mobile phone viewing.

Technical specs of a high-quality web photo

A good web photo should: 

• Have adequate lighting that clearly highlights the subject
• Have a resolution of 72 pixels per inch at the maximum size it will display on the page. The screen-size responsive behavior of the site means photos will automatically resize to fit the component they’re placed in, but most will look best with a standard 4:3 aspect ratio image. Aim for minimum 800 pixels wide, maximum 3000 pixels wide. Consider keeping a higher resolution version in your library for alternate uses (e.g., print pieces). You can always save a smaller version, but you can’t add quality by scaling up. For more information on web images, consult our Web Image Guide at wichita.edu/webguides. 
• Be saved in the correct color model: RGB (for screen viewing), not CMYK (for printing). 
• Be saved in the right format: JPG for most instances and PNG when you need transparency. 
• Be copyright-free or taken by a staff member or contracted photographer. Avoid stock photos, which users are great at identifying and can harm your site's credibility.
• For original photos featuring faces of students, faculty or staff, obtain written permission with a WSU Model Release, available here: wichita.edu/modelrelease. 
• Contain alt text, caption and a filename with descriptive keywords

 

 

4:3 aspect ratio: 1200 x 900 @ 72 dpi

Creating and applying key messages

Focusing our communications on a persistent set of themes helps unite all of our various messaging platforms and makes us feel real and familiar to our audiences over time. Here are the key messages that form the core of the Wichita State University identity. 

Innovation

The strongest theme uniting our many goals at the university is innovation. We aim to redefine the role of higher education, to prepare students for a future that is more adaptive and fast-moving than ever before. Every corner of the university encourages new ways of thinking and looking at the world. It’s a concept that connects us as part of our culture and drives us all to seize new opportunities as they emerge. 

Applied Learning

Experiential learning is how we make innovation relevant. It’s not about abstract concepts, but about tying our work to our community, staying grounded in practical applications and solving problems society is facing today. We help students make connections between their studies and their world by modeling how learning applies and giving them opportunities to practice in real situations. 

Community

At the foundation of our values and methods is spreading good for real people. Our community is where our work finds meaning. It is the places and the people that define us, across different cultures, experiences and schools of thought. Our aim is to support each other and make lives better for our neighbors in Kansas and beyond. We strive to be recognized as the place where everyone who has an idea is welcome. 

Applying Messages to our Content

To differentiate ourselves from other universities, it’s important to do more than just repeat these words. We have to show what they mean at WSU by tying them to concrete examples, proof points, actions, and stories of people who have put them to use.