Your articles should help customers achieve reliable, high-quality outcomes by following proven methods. They should be practical, clear, and relevant, explaining not just how to do something, but also what it is and why it matters.

Purpose and value

Explain the value of the best practice: what it is, why it matters, and what problem it solves.

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Explain the topic briefly if it’s unclear, e.g., define brand building.	Assume the reader knows the topic without explanation.
Highlight the business impact and benefits of following the advice.	Ignore why the practice matters or what the customer gains.

Structure and flow

Organise articles logically, with outcome-focused headers. Start with basics, then cover advanced guidance.

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Use headers that focus on outcomes and goals.	Use vague or technical headers that confuse the reader.
Group related practices and order steps logically.	Jump between unrelated topics or steps without explanation.
Start with foundational advice, then move to advanced tips.	Present advanced guidance first or mix levels randomly.

Content expectations

Make guidance specific, actionable, and easy to follow. Include examples of good vs poor practice where relevant.

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Give clear, actionable instructions and realistic expectations.	Provide vague or overly theoretical guidance.
Include examples showing good vs poor practice.	Only explain the ‘how’ without context or impact.
Consider different skill levels and offer simpler explanations where needed.	Assume all readers have the same experience or knowledge.

Accuracy and validation

Ensure all content is tested, up-to-date, and reliable.

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Validate recommendations and have articles reviewed by subject matter experts.	Include untested or outdated advice.
Keep content aligned with current best practices.	Ignore updates or changes in procedures.

Tone and style

Use clear, practical language that helps customers move forward with confidence.

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Write in plain, concise, active language.	Use unnecessary jargon or overly technical terms.
Focus on guiding the customer to success, not just listing tasks.	Write content that only tells what to do without context.
Break down complex ideas into manageable steps.	Present complex processes as one large block of text.

Final checklist

✅	Clear explanation of the best practice and why it matters.
✅	Logical structure with outcome-focused headers.
✅	Starts with foundational advice, followed by more advanced guidance.
✅	Specific and actionable recommendations.
✅	Examples of good vs poor practice.
✅	Accurate, up-to-date content.
✅	All links are working and relevant.
✅	Suitable for different skill levels.
✅	Business impact and clear outcomes are explained.
✅	Reviewed by a subject matter expert if required.

Best practice article template

Title

Keep it clear and outcome-focused.

🔎 Example: Build a consistent brand voice across channels

Introduction

Briefly explain what this article is about, why it matters, and what the customer will achieve.

🔎 Example: Creating a consistent brand voice helps customers recognise and trust your business. This article explains how to build and maintain that voice across different channels, from social media to customer support.

Section 1: Start with the basics

Introduce foundational steps or concepts.

🔎 Example: Start by defining your brand personality. Include tone, values, and key phrases. Ensure the team uses this shared language.

Section 2: Build on the foundation

Provide advanced or situational guidance.

🔎 Example: Create channel-specific guidelines once your brand voice is defined. Social media may be more casual, emails more formal, but core voice stays consistent.

Section 3: Examples of good vs poor practice

🔎 Example:

Good practice: Same friendly, confident tone in marketing and support messages.

Poor practice: Playful tone in ads, cold robotic voice in support emails.

Summary

🔎 Example: Consistent brand voice improves recognition, trust, and engagement across every touchpoint.

RACI

Tasks	Digital CS	DCL	DSL	DSE
Identify need for a best practice article	C	A	I	R
Create first draft of article	I	C	I	R
Review content for quality, tone, and structure	I	A/R	I	C
Review technical accuracy	C	A	I	R/C
Review customer relevance	R	I	C	I
Approve final article for publication	I	A	I	C
Maintain article	C	A	I	R

Best practice article guidelines

Purpose and value

✅ Do

❌ Don't

Structure and flow

✅ Do

❌ Don't

Content expectations

✅ Do

❌ Don't

Accuracy and validation

✅ Do

❌ Don't

Tone and style

✅ Do

❌ Don't

Final checklist

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

✅

Best practice article template

Title

Introduction

Section 1: Start with the basics

Section 2: Build on the foundation

Section 3: Examples of good vs poor practice

Summary

RACI

Tasks

Digital CS

DCL

DSL

DSE