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Content Standards

This guide outlines the standards and best practices for creating and maintaining content on the UAGC website.

Overview​

Consistent, high-quality content is essential for providing a positive user experience and maintaining our brand voice. These standards ensure that all content across uagc.edu adheres to our quality standards, accessibility requirements, and SEO best practices.

Writing Guidelines​

Voice and Tone​

  • Voice: Professional, supportive, and confident
  • Tone: Warm, encouraging, and straightforward
  • Perspective: Use second-person ("you") when addressing the user

Language Style​

  • Use clear, concise language
  • Aim for 8th-9th grade reading level
  • Write in active voice
  • Keep paragraphs short (3-5 sentences maximum)
  • Use bullet points for lists

Grammar and Mechanics​

  • Follow AP Style with UAGC-specific exceptions
  • Use Oxford comma
  • Spell out numbers one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above
  • Use title case for headings and sentence case for subheadings

Content Structure​

Page Layout​

  • Lead with the most important information
  • Follow the inverted pyramid structure (vital info → important details → background)
  • Include a clear H1 heading that matches page purpose
  • Use meaningful H2 and H3 subheadings to organize content
  • Limit page depth to H4 when possible

Content Components​

Each page should include:

  • Meta title and description
  • Clear H1 heading
  • Introductory paragraph
  • Logically organized body content
  • Call to action (CTA)

Content Types​

Program Pages​

  • Program overview (70-100 words)
  • Learning outcomes (5-7 bullet points)
  • Career opportunities (3-5 examples)
  • Curriculum highlights
  • Faculty credentials summary
  • Admissions requirements
  • Tuition and financial aid information
  • Related programs

Landing Pages​

  • Clear value proposition
  • Concise benefits (3-5)
  • Social proof (testimonials, statistics)
  • Primary and secondary CTAs
  • Minimal form fields (if applicable)

Blog Posts​

  • 800-1200 words
  • Internal links to relevant pages
  • External citations when appropriate
  • Author attribution
  • Featured image (16:9 ratio)

SEO Content Requirements​

Every page should include:

  • Keyword-relevant title (55-60 characters)
  • Meta description with target keyword (150-160 characters)
  • Properly structured heading hierarchy
  • At least 300 words of unique content
  • Image alt text
  • Internal links to related content

Accessibility Requirements​

  • Use descriptive link text (avoid "click here" or "read more")
  • Provide alt text for all images
  • Use descriptive headings and proper heading hierarchy
  • Ensure sufficient color contrast
  • Avoid directional instructions ("click the button below")
  • Use tables for tabular data only, with proper headers

Content Templates​

Program Page Template​

# [Program Name]

[Introductory paragraph with overview and key selling points]

## Program Overview

[Detailed description including degree level, credit hours, and delivery format]

## What You'll Learn

- [Learning outcome 1]
- [Learning outcome 2]
- [Learning outcome 3]
- [Learning outcome 4]
- [Learning outcome 5]

## Career Opportunities

Graduates of this program may pursue careers such as:

- [Career option 1]
- [Career option 2]
- [Career option 3]

## Curriculum Highlights

[Brief curriculum overview with key courses]

[Table of core courses]

## Admission Requirements

- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
- [Requirement 3]

## Tuition and Financial Aid

[Tuition information and financial aid options]

## Request Information

[CTA to request more information]

Blog Post Template​

# [Blog Post Title]

**Author:** [Author Name] | **Published:** [Date]

[Compelling introduction with hook and thesis statement]

## [Main Topic Section]

[Content paragraphs with supporting evidence]

## [Secondary Topic Section]

[Content paragraphs with supporting evidence]

## [Additional Section as Needed]

[Content paragraphs with supporting evidence]

## Key Takeaways

- [Takeaway 1]
- [Takeaway 2]
- [Takeaway 3]

## Next Steps

[CTA paragraph with next action suggestion]

[CTA Button]

Content Review Process​

  1. Initial Draft: Content writer creates draft following these standards
  2. SEO Review: SEO team reviews for optimization opportunities
  3. Compliance Review: Compliance team ensures regulatory requirements are met
  4. Editorial Review: Editor reviews for voice, tone, and style
  5. Final Approval: Designated approver signs off
  6. Publication: Content is published according to release schedule

Helpful Resources​

!!! note "Content Update Requests" To request content updates, create an Asana task using the Content Update template and assign to Brandy.