Tone/Voice

Voice

Our web voice communicates the essence of our brand and expresses our sites' general personality. A consistent voice across all Seminole State pages/sites creates a sense of familiarity and contributes to a positive user experience. Our voice should be apparent in all elements of our online presence from words and vocabulary to images and layout.

Seminole State's voice is: friendly, conversational, warm, inviting and informative.

Tone

Our tone expresses the mood or feeling of the voice. While Seminole State websites should maintain a consistent voice, we may commuicate in different tones depending on the subject or audience.

For example, we might emphasise a more "formal/serious" tone on a page about academic integrity, and use a more "enthusiastic/inspiring" tone on a student leadership page.

Tone is:

• What you choose to say
• Presentation of message
• The words you use

Tone is not:

• A mission statement
• A brand value
• A guideline
• A different voice for every audience

Use active voice

Active voice brings actions to life (the subject acts, rather than is acted upon)

Example:
Active: The instructor reviewed the assignment.
Passive: The assignment was reviewed by the instructor.

Use "we" and "you"

Users feel more "at home" when browsing content that speaks to them. Conversational writing in the second person perspective ("we" and "you"), is encouraged.

Example:
"We are excited to welcome you to campus" is more personal than,
"Seminole State is excited to welcome students to campus."