1. Brand Voice
The Writemedia voice is consistent across all communications. It reflects how the company actually operates: direct, knowledgeable, and honest. The voice doesn't change — but the tone (warmth, formality, energy) adjusts by context.
Candid
Say what's true, not what sounds good. If something is complex, say so. If a cheaper option exists, mention it. This honesty builds more trust than any sales copy.
Competent
Write from experience, not theory. Use specific language where others use vague claims. Show understanding of the reader's actual situation rather than generic pain points.
Calm
No urgency tactics, no manufactured excitement. The work speaks for itself. Confident but never loud — closer to a trusted adviser than a salesperson.
Practical
Focus on what's useful. Every piece of content should leave the reader knowing something they didn't, or understanding something more clearly. Avoid filler.
2. Tone by Context
The voice stays the same. The tone — how warm, formal, or detailed we are — shifts by situation.
| Context | Tone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Website — homepage/landing | Confident, concise, welcoming | Lead with what we do and who it's for. Short sentences. No jargon. |
| Website — service pages | Informative, specific, practical | Explain what the service is, what the customer gets, how it works. Be concrete. |
| Website — case studies | Factual, narrative, understated | Tell the story of the project. Let the results speak. Avoid superlatives. |
| Blog / articles | Knowledgeable, conversational, generous | Share real insight, not surface-level content marketing. Write what we'd actually say to a colleague. |
| Proposals / tender docs | Professional, thorough, direct | More formal than website copy but still clear. No padding or filler paragraphs. Answer the brief directly. |
| Email — client comms | Warm, clear, action-oriented | Get to the point. Be friendly but not chatty. Always clear on next steps. |
| Social media | Relaxed, concise, human | Shorter, more casual. Can show personality. Still no hype or manufactured excitement. |
| Error messages / UI text | Helpful, plain, brief | Say what happened and what to do. No blame, no jokes, no jargon. |
3. Writing Principles
Lead with the point
Start with the conclusion, not the backstory. The reader should get the key message from the first sentence, then choose whether to read further for detail.
Be specific over vague
Replace generic claims with concrete details. Specifics are more credible and more useful to the reader.
Short sentences, short paragraphs
Break up long passages. One idea per sentence. Paragraphs rarely need more than 3-4 sentences. Use line breaks generously — especially on screens.
Active voice
Write "We build..." not "Solutions are built by..." Active voice is clearer, shorter, and more direct.
No filler
Cut words that don't carry meaning. If a sentence works without a word, remove it.
Honest about limitations
If something has a constraint, trade-off, or isn't the right fit — say so. This is not weakness; it's the candour that builds trust. Readers notice when everything is presented as flawless.
No unsubstantiated claims
Never quote statistics, percentages, or impact figures that can't be backed up. "Increased efficiency by 50%" or "reduced costs by 300%" without evidence is worse than saying nothing — it signals that the writer is making things up, and undermines everything else on the page.
4. Vocabulary
Words we use
| Prefer | Instead of | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Build / built | Craft, architect, engineer | Plain and direct |
| Software / system | Platform (when vague) | "Solution" is fine where accurate (it's in our company name) but prefer the more specific "software" or "system" when describing what we actually build |
| Team | Resources, talent | People are people |
| Work with | Partner with (unless it's genuine) | "Partner" is meaningful — don't dilute it |
| Help | Empower, enable, unlock | Simpler, less grandiose |
| Show | Showcase, demonstrate, illustrate | Shorter, plainer |
| Improve | Transform, revolutionise, disrupt | Honest about the scale of change |
| Bespoke / custom-built / tailored | — | Bespoke software is exactly what we do — use it where appropriate. Vary with "custom-built" or "tailored" to avoid repetition. |
| Customers / clients | Stakeholders (externally) | "Stakeholder" is internal jargon |
Words and phrases to avoid
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| World-class / best-in-class / cutting-edge / state-of-the-art | Empty superlatives. Everyone claims these. |
| Leverage (as a verb) | Corporate jargon. Say "use" or be more specific. |
| Synergy / synergistic | Meaningless in practice. |
| Digital transformation | Overused to the point of meaning nothing. Describe what actually changes. |
| End-to-end / holistic / 360-degree | Vague. List what's included instead. |
| Unsubstantiated statistics | "Increased revenue by 500%", "10x ROI" — if you can't cite the source, don't quote the number. |
| Passionate | Show enthusiasm through the work described, not by claiming the emotion. |
| Seamless / frictionless | Almost never literally true. Describe the actual experience. |
5. Tone Adjustments by Segment
Gambia Development Sector
- Slightly more formal than UK commercial materials — government procurement contexts expect it
- Emphasise local presence and track record with specifics (project names, institutions served)
- Use "our team in The Gambia" or "our Gambian team" — make the local presence tangible
- Match tender language where required (see vocabulary exception above)
SaaS Partnership
- Most conversational of the three segments — these are founder-to-founder conversations
- Emphasise the ongoing relationship: "we grow with you", "your success funds what we build next"
- Technical credibility matters — can use more technical language than other segments
- Show understanding of their commercial reality (runway, product-market fit, user growth)
Internal Business Systems
- Middle ground — professional but not stiff
- Focus on risk reduction: "see before you build", "locked scope", "no surprises"
- Decision-makers may not be technical — explain without condescension
6. Formatting Conventions
| Item | Convention |
|---|---|
| Company name | "Writemedia" — one word, capital W, no space. Never "Write Media" or "WRITEMEDIA". |
| The Gambia | Always "The Gambia" (capital T) — this is the country's official name. |
| Numbers | Spell out one through nine; use digits for 10+. Use digits for all measurements and money (e.g. 7 developers, but £3,000). |
| Dates | Day Month Year — "6 March 2026". No ordinals (not "6th March"). |
| Currency | Symbol before amount, no space, commas for thousands: £1,200/month, $5,000, D1,000. Use £ for UK work, $ for USD, and D for Gambian dalasi. Spell out the currency on first use if the audience may not recognise the symbol. |
| Oxford comma | Use it. "Design, development, and support." |
| Contractions | Fine in website copy, blogs, and emails. Avoid in formal proposals and tenders. |
| Ampersands | Only in headings and navigation. Use "and" in body text. |
| Exclamation marks | Very rarely. Never more than one. If the content is exciting, the words should convey that without punctuation. |
7. Quick Reference
| Principle | In practice |
|---|---|
| Voice | Candid, competent, calm, practical |
| Tone range | Conversational (social) → professional (tenders), but always direct |
| Lead with | The point, not the preamble |
| Prefer | Short sentences, active voice, plain words, specific details |
| Avoid | Superlatives, jargon, filler, urgency tactics, manufactured excitement |
| Honest about | Limitations, trade-offs, complexity — this builds trust |
| Company name | "Writemedia" — one word, capital W |
| Gambia reference | "The Gambia" (capital T), local team framing |