Language
We use language that our users understand and is a reflection of who we are. Language involves communication between users and our digital products. Using consistent language is similar to using the same visual style and colour throughout. It reminds users that they are using a trusted shopping platform across all our digital experience.
Purpose
Writing for people in a way that is inclusive and guides users within the digital experience makes interfaces easy to use and encourages interaction. Crafting text that is clear and concise gives users the most natural and fluid experiences.
Benefits
The key benefits of using good language across digital products.
- Users have a better understanding of what is required from them and how they can interact with our digital products.
- Applying basic words and sentences makes content eastier to consume, especially when people skim read.
- Information presented to our users is more friendly, readable and understandable.
- Consistent use of good language provides trust and familiarity with the brand.
Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ecommerce-product-pages/
Voice and tone
Learn how to apply correct voice and tone to digital products across the FGH platform.
What are voice and tone?
Our voice should be a reflection of our brands and who we are and should always sound the same across all our digital products. Tone is our attitude towards our customers and should adapt appropriately to the context and situation. The best way to decide what tone to use is to ask how our customers are likely to think and feel when they encounter your message.
Voice guidelines
We follow these guidelines when writing content for our users.
Empowering
- Use knowledge and advice to help users complete their shopping journeys.
- Be direct with the user, don’t use jargon and internal business language.
- Facilitate navigation and product discovery by writing text in short, scannable segments.
Empathetic
- Show understanding when communicating with users, respecting their emotions and situations.
- Be encouraging and practical in your advice.
- Don’t be ambiguous, explain clearly products and services.
Explicit
- Be specific, don’t make things sound better than they are.
- Be honest and upfront, even if mistakes are made.
- Transparency is key and invites trust from users.
Example of tone
Tone will change dependent upon the context of the message. We should emphasise with the user and how they are feeling dependent upon the situation. For example, we may use a direct but reassuring and friendly tone when presenting the user with an error message.
DoSorry, but we couldn’t log you in with the details you’ve provided. Please try again.
Don'tFailed to Authenticate Login: Bad Login.
Formatting and Punctuation
Refer to this guide on the proper use of abbreviations, acronyms, capitalisation and other content styles.
Abbreviations and acronyms
We should use an abbreviation or acronym in its full form on its first use unless it is commonly well known. Example: You can set your Credit Limit Preference (CLP) within my account.
Capitalisation
There are several for English capitalisation.
1) Capitalise the first word of a sentence.
Correct2) Capitalise names and other proper nouns.
Correct3) Don’t capitalise after a colon usually unless it's followed by a proper noun.
Correct Correct4) Capitalise days, months, and holidays, but not seasons. The names of seasons are not proper nouns, so there’s no need to capitalise them.
Correct Correct5) Capitalise most words in titles including the first word, all nouns, all verbs (even short ones, like is), all adjectives, and all proper nouns. That means you should lower-case articles, conjunctions, and prepositions.
Correct6) Be careful when using upper-case as it should only be used for single words and short sentences. Longer upper-case sentences can become increasingly difficult to read.
Correct
Caution7) Capitalise names for key products and services like My Account and My Bag.
CorrectHeading and subheadings
Headings and subheadings also referred to as titles and subtitles describe the sections of information and content on pages. Headings and subheadings should be informative and descriptive as well as easily scannable.
- Remember to highlight the most important information.
- Use simple and clear language.
- Keep headings to single sentences.
- Write in title case (first word and proper nouns capitalized).
Lists
Bulleted
Use bulleted lists when items are related but there is no sequence of priority.
Do Don'tNumbered
Use numbered lists when items have an order of priority.
Do Don'tDates, numbers and currency
These guidelines are for British English. However, dates, numbers, and addresses may be formatted differently in other languages.
Dates
Where possible, use the month’s full name. If there isn’t enough space, use the 3-letter abbreviations. Don’t write dates numerically as this is harder to interpret.
Correct WrongNumbers
Use numeral numbers to present most numeric information. If the number is below 10 and not essential to the information, spell it out in full.
Correct WrongCurrency
Use this common standard for currency values. Use commas for numbers with four or more digits (not including decimals).
CorrectContractions
Use contractions such as “we'll, you'll, you're and what's” to make content sound friendlier. Research shows that they are generally easier to read. Try not to use negative contractions like can't and don't as they can be misinterpreted, use "Do not" instead. Generally, it's best to avoid “should've, could've, would've” and “they've” as they are hard to read.
Retrieved from https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2016/02/23/
Hyphens and dashes
Avoid using hyphens unless it confuses people to leave them out. We should only use a hyphen to join two or more words that serve as a single adjective before a noun e.g. “a one-way street”. Use an en dash instead without a space on either side for number ranges.
CorrectQuotation marks
Try to avoid using quotation marks and reword content into statements instead, there are however exceptions. Use quotation marks to express direct quotes but don’t overuse them as they can be distracting and are often unnecessary.
Product Content & Naming
How we should write content and the names that we give to our digital products and services.
Be consistent
Use consistent nouns and verbs to help our users understand key concepts and actions they can take. The consistency of names, headings and labels are particularly important. We don’t want the user to have to relearn words as this increases their cognitive load.
Tips for better consistency
- Make a list of all the most important verbs and nouns in the content you’re building.
- Do these verbs and nouns reflect how people think and the words they use?
- Do the voice and tone match our existing digital products?
- Identify any synonyms and eliminate them, this will reduce the complexity.
Actionable Language
Content should be written and structured to help users understand what elements do and what actions they can take. For example, buttons should always lead with a strong verb that encourages action.
Do
Don'tButtons with generic or misleading labels can be a source of frustrations for our users. Strongly worded labels catch users attention quickly and lead them to the desired action.
Thoughtful naming
The way we name things influence how our users and other audiences perceive and understand our digital products. A well-chosen name will:
- Put clarity above creativity.
- Create a mental model for our users.
- Boosts people’s perception of our brands.
- Increase adoption of the product or feature.
- Differentiate from other products and services. It’s best to collaborate with others when naming things. Include people with different disciplines and subject matter expertise when choosing a name. This will help to form names that are well recognised and human-centric.