Content Writing Tips

The Department of War Brand Guide was developed to ensure a shared visual experience that reinforces DOW's identity and core priorities.

We’re accustomed to thinking and speaking positively. When we write negatively, we make it more difficult for readers to understand us.

In articles, use the name of the website rather than the web address. Only use the “.com” in the name if it is part of the legal name (e.g. Amazon.com Inc).

Generally, capitalize formal titles when they appear before a person’s name, but use lowercase titles if they are informal, appear without a person’s name, follow a person’s name, or are set off before a name by commas.

The internal organization of VA is usually not need-to-know information for Veterans. So in most cases, we use “we” and “us” to refer to VA as a whole. Don’t use VBA, VHA, NCA, or other internal VA acronyms.

We use language that focuses on the intent of the action rather than the sensory experience. This becomes especially important as we create flexible and reusable content that can work across different channels.

Our goal is to help you create consistent, clear, and customer-centered content on VA websites, not to create another layer of bureaucracy.

When referring to VA, use the first-person pronoun (we, us, our). Use the second person (you, your) to refer to Veterans, service members, family members, and other audiences we’re addressing.

Alternative text, commonly known as “alt text,” is essential for creating accessible websites that serve all users, especially those who rely on screen readers. Alt text must be concise (typically 150-250 characters max), meaningful, usage-based, and not required for all images.

Abbreviations were once intended to serve the audience by shortening long phrases. However, they constantly demand that the reader look back at earlier pages or consult an appendix to understand what they mean.