City of Boulder Writing Guide for Consultants

The city uses a One Boulder Approach for its branding and voice, which is inspired by the city’s vision, values and objectives. For more information on our brand voice, see Section 2 of our City of Boulder Brand Guidelines.

When writing for the city, keep these adjectives in mind. We are:

• Creative
• Helpful
• Welcoming
• Knowledgeable
• Accessible

When writing for the city, remember to keep the “One Boulder” approach in mind, where all city departments work together as a whole to serve the community.

Community members often don’t know or differentiate between different departments and workgroups in the city – we are simply “the city.” To ensure your materials are relevant and easily understandable, avoid referring to specific departments or workgroups and instead refer to “the city” as a whole. Think about why a community member would read the content. Write to meet their needs and encourage them to do what you’d like them to do next. Think more about what the user needs to know than what the city wants to say.

Use “we” as much as possible when referring to the city when it’s clear that community members will know we are referring to our organization. This includes writing for the web, social media, postcards, flyers, and other public-facing materials. ”We” is more active, inclusive and accessible and creates more trust with community members and is now largely used by organizations across the web.

Use “the city” if it won’t be clear that “we” refers to the city, or the document is more formal.

Use “you” or “your” in these contexts when referring to community members.” Using “you” helps reduce barriers between the city and the people we serve. It helps people feel seen and is more likely to inspire them take action when they feel they are being acknowledged directly.

Plain language is part of our City of Boulder brand voice and is critical for government materials. Governments serve everyone. The content we produce should be as straightforward and clear as possible.

We lose trust if we write using government buzzwords and jargon. Often, these words are too general and vague and can lead to misinterpretation or empty, meaningless text. Write conversationally. Picture your audience and write as if you were talking to them one-on-one and with the authority of someone who can actively help.

Plain language also makes it easier for city materials to be translated into other languages.

Tips

• Remove excess words.
• Use simple words and phrases.
• Don’t use formal or long words when easy or short ones will do.
• Avoid government buzzwords and jargon.
• Avoid acronyms and abbreviations as much as possible.
• Use a simple sentence structure.
• Write short sentences and paragraphs.
• Use key points like those in this list.
• Avoid lots of commas.
• Use simple grammar tenses.
• Avoid passive voice.
• Don’t sound like an advertisement.
• Write at an eighth grade level.

Writing can be evaluated by reading level, meaning the general level of education someone would need to understand what is written.

Write at an eighth grade reading level or below, whether writing for the web, press releases, or other platforms.

• Built-in tool in Microsoft Word (use the desktop version, not the online version)
• Click the “Editor” button at the top of the Word doc ribbon
• Navigate to Insights and then click Document Stats. A pop-up menu will show the reading level scores beneath the “Readability” section.

Reading Level Examples

Grade 23: The City of Boulder has launched a public feedback period for four proposed transportation projects it is considering submitting for funding in the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ (DRCOG) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2022-2025 funding cycle.

Grade 11: Share your feedback on four proposals for transportation projects that may be submitted for federal funding.

Grade 7.5 (acceptable for city writing): We want to know what you think about four ideas for transportation projects in Boulder.

As much as possible, make sentences less than 14 words. Studies have shown that when the average sentence length is 14 words, readers understand more than 90% of what they are reading. This understanding drops off at 21 words.

Splitting longer paragraphs into multiple sentences dramatically reduces reading level.

Writing should be concise and direct. We prefer the voice that best supports this style, which is usually the active voice. The active voice allows the reader to more easily identify each sentence’s subject. It also makes written content more engaging.

Avoid passive verb tenses whenever possible.
Right: “You must submit the request form to the approving official.” Wrong: “The request form must be submitted to the approving official.”

Who submits the form is essential information. Omitting that leads to a confusing and impersonal sentence.

The passive voice is longer and can be harder to follow.
Right: “Save the case number in your records. You will need it for future inquiries.” Wrong: “The case number should be saved in your records. It will be required for future inquiries.”

Microsoft Word has a built-in feature to tell you how much you’re using passive voice in a document:

• Open desktop version of a Word document
• Navigate to “Editor” in the top ribbon. Go to Insights and select Document stats
• At the bottom of the pop-up menu, under “Readability,” it will tell you the percent of your sentences that are passive sentences.
  

City

• Use “City of Boulder” when referring to the government entity.
• Use “city of Boulder” when referring to Boulder as a location.
• Lowercase “city” when it appears alone, in either of the above contexts.
• Citywide is one word.

City Council

• Capitalize “City Council” when it appears together as part of a proper name.
• Lowercase “council” when it appears alone.
• Council member is two words. Do not use councilman or councilwoman.

Titles

• Capitalize a title before a person’s name, but never when it stands alone or is after the name with comma on both sides.
• Capitalize formal names of departments. Use “the department” on second reference.
• Capitalize “Office” when it is part of a department’s formal name. Lowercase all other uses.

Formatting

• Always use one space after a period, never two.
• Do not use a comma before “and” in a simple series.
• Use a colon to introduce a list. Each item in the list should be followed by a semi-colon and the word “and” appears before the last item in the list.
• Hyphens are joiners. Use them to avoid ambiguity or to form a single idea from two or more words. When a compound modifier – two or more words that express one concept – comes before a noun, use hyphens to link all the words in the compound except the adverb very and all adverbs that end in –ly. Right: a first-quarter report; a bluish-green car; a full-time job. Many combinations that are hyphenated before a noun are not hyphenated after a noun. Right: “The report is due in the first quarter. The car, a bluish green, was parked by the library. She works full time.”
• Capitalize only the first word, proper nouns and first word after a colon in headlines.
• Don’t use all UPPERCASE letters for the header/title.

Abbreviations

• Abbreviate months when used with a specific date.
• Do not abbreviate months when using alone or with a year alone.
• Lowercase a.m. and p.m., with periods, and with a space before and after the time.
• Abbreviate Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a street address/number.
• Avoid using acronyms whenever possible in external communication. When using acronyms, always define them on first reference.

Numbers

• Use numerals for numbers 10 and above, spell out numbers under 10.
• Use numerals for percentages and the percent symbol (e.g., 20%).
• Use a comma for numbers greater than 999: Right: 1,222 and $10,000.
• Spell out a numeral at the beginning of a sentence.
• When large numbers must be spelled out, use a hyphen to connect a word ending in –y to another word. Right: twenty-one, fifty-five.
• Spell out references to dimensions. Right: 10 square feet.
• For ages and grades, always use numerals. Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun. Right: “A 5-year-old boy. The boy is 5 years old. He is in 1st grade.”
• Don’t use .00 following references to dollars. Right: “Prices run from $15 to $49.95.”
• Phone numbers should be written like this: 303-441-1234, ext. 2.

Dates / Days / Time

• Write the time with a lowercase a.m. and p.m. and don't include unnecessary colon and zeros. Right: 6 p.m. Wrong: 6:00 p.m.
• Use a.m. or p.m. once when timeframes are the same. Right: 1 to 4 p.m.
• Use numbers for time except for noon and midnight.
• Don’t use a comma after the time, do use a comma after the day and after the date. Right: “The meeting is at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 3.”
• Don’t use “th” following a date.
• Don’t abbreviate days of the week.
• Do abbreviate some months when used with a specific date.
  Right: Dec. 30. (Month abbreviations are as follows: Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec.).
• Don’t abbreviate months when using alone or with a year alone.
  Right: “Fundraising dollars will be counted in November 2016.”
• Do lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter, springtime, etc. unless part of a formal name
• Use an “s” without an apostrophe to indicate spans of decades or centuries. Right: “the 1990s.”
  

Addresses

• Abbreviate Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a specific street address/number. Right: “They live at 1424 15th Ave.”
• Don’t abbreviate Ave., Blvd., St. when not with a specific street address/number. Right: “They live on Arapahoe Avenue.”
• Don’t abbreviate Alley, Drive, Road, Terrace, Circle or Court.
• Don’t use uppercase on streets or avenues when more than one is included. Right: “The project is between Pine and Spruce streets and Fifth and Sixth avenues."
• Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names.
• Use figures with two letters for 10th and above. Right: 7 Fifth Ave. or 100 21st St.

Tricky Words

• "Staff" is singular, but "staff members" is plural.
• Use “pros and cons,” not “pro’s and con’s.”
• Use “do’s and don’ts,” not “dos and don’ts.”.
• These are all one word: citywide, nonprofit, workgroup, underway, voicemail, website, webpage.
• Well-being” is hyphenated.
• U.S. is acceptable in place of United States. In headlines, it's US (no periods).
• Magazine and newspaper titles are capitalized, not italicized. For composition titles such as books, video games, films, TV shows, works of art, speeches, etc., use quotation marks.
  Right: “She read the Daily Camera before she watched 'Inside Boulder News' on Boulder 8 TV.”

As of July 2024, the City of Boulder and all other government agencies are required by state law HB21-1110 to comply with web accessibility standards for our website.

Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. More specifically, people can:

• perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web
• contribute to the web.

Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the web, and also benefits people without disabilities, for example:

• people using smartphones, smart watches, smart TVs, and other devices with small screens, different input modes, etc.
• older people with changing abilities due to aging
• people with “temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm or lost glasses
• people with “situational limitations” such as in bright sunlight or in an environment where they cannot listen to audio
• people using a slow Internet connection, or who have limited or expensive bandwidth

Accessibility Content Guidelines

• Keep content clear and concise. Write in short, clear sentences and paragraphs.
• Expand acronyms on first use.
• Never use “click here” for links, but instead describe the link. Screen readers use link text to identify where links will take you, and “click here” is not descriptive of link content.
• Right: “You can download the block party application and fill it out.” Wrong: “Click here to download the block party application.”

It's great to use images in your pages, but it is important to include descriptive alternative text (“alt text”) with images so someone using a screen reader can understand them. Context is everything. Think about why you’re including that specific image in your content and write your alt text to reflect that.

PDFs must be created to be accessible or they can't be navigated using a screen reader. Adobe offers tools to create and verify accessible PDFs.

• Provide sufficient contrast between foreground and background, including in graphics.
• Don’t use colored text to convey information.
• Use headers thoughtfully. They identify significant prompts for readers. Don’t assume the user will understand the importance of text.

Checking Accessibility

• The World Wide Web Consortium maintains a comprehensive list of requirements, resources and best practices for accessibility. You can also learn about the diverse needs of web users, including those with auditory, cognitive, physical, speech and visual disabilities.
• Web Accessibility In Mind offers a free tool that allows you to scan pages and evaluate accessibility. It's important to remember that all accessibility best practices cannot be detected through scanning, some have to be manually tested.
• Microsoft offers a Microsoft document accessibility video.
• Popetech offers information on how to make images more accessible with their accessible chart and graph guidance.

How we communicate both reflects and influences our culture and community. The City of Boulder aims to be a welcoming place for all, so we use welcoming, inclusive language. We use language that recognizes and celebrates differences, rather than language that excludes people.

Inclusive language helps support the health and safety of both staff and community members. This language also closely aligns with the AP Style.

In all communications, aim to accurately represent the diversity of the world or a particular community. Leaving this diversity out erases individuals.

Key Things to Remember

• Be appropriately specific: Identify a group, individual or disability only when it is necessary or relevant to your message to help avoid unintentionally objectifying others.
• Use language preferred by the group or person you are communicating about: For example, the term Latinx has become popular, but only 3% of people in the U.S. who identify as Hispanic or Latino use it, according to the Pew Research Center.
• Writing about issues involving race, gender and sexuality calls for thoughtful consideration, precise language, and an openness to discussions with others of diverse backgrounds about how to frame coverage or what language is most appropriate, accurate and fair.
• Be flexible: Language naturally changes over time. We follow our values and commit to listening to community feedback on our use of inclusive language.

Additional Resources

• The Diversity Style Guide: www.diversitystyleguide.com
• AP Style Guide Updates on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: www.prnewsonline.com/ap-style-diversity-equity-inclusion
• More information and resources about disabilities is available from the Disability Language Style Guide

People rarely read webpages word for word – instead, they quickly scan the page. On average, users only read 20% of the words on a webpage. Aim for easily scannable text. Be clear, concise and useful.

Front-load your sentences. Most web readers use an F-shaped reading pattern – they read the first line, and then scan the rest of the page for information by skimming down the lefthand side of the page. Don’t save key info for the end of your sentence or page.

Avoid long blocks of text. Break up your writing with headers and images.

Avoid underlined copy as this may be confused as a web link. Do underline email addresses and website addresses. If an internet address falls at the end of a sentence, use a period. Do not put a space between the Internet address and the period. Do not have the period included in the link.

Pay attention to microcopy, such as the text on call-to-action buttons. The text for these should be concise with a clear ask of the user or a clear but short description of where the button will take you.

Use consistent terminology. For instance, don’t use “public meeting” and “open house” interchangeably on the same page – pick one and stick with it. This reduces confusion for the user.

Use contractions.

Headers

• Headers are important for accessibility because screen readers can use them to navigate content.
• Headers should only be used to convey information structure – never for styling. Use bold text if you need to emphasize something and do so sparingly.
• Headers should be nested in a logical order that reflects related supporting content. That means smaller headers should appear under bigger headers.
• Use title case for headlines and headers, meaning words four letters or longer are capitalized. Right: Tips to Keep Dogs Cool This Summer.

Social media is important for engaging with the community and sharing city information. It requires a different style and tone than writing for the web or in formal city documents.

Social media uses less formal language than websites and other media. It is important to write in the language of social media to connect and build trust with audiences.
Always use “we” when referring to the city.
Right: We’ve introduced a new program …" Wrong: “The city has introduced a new program …"

Write to the reader. Think about how quickly you scroll through your own social media feeds – what will catch your attention? Audiences on social want to know what’s in it for them, not what’s important to us. Write your post to emphasize what the benefit of the project, program, for a community member.

In most cases. Use “you” instead since on social media, you’re speaking directly to audiences. It also emphasizes "what’s in it for them.”

Right: “We want your feedback on our new transportation project!” Wrong: “We want community members’ feedback on our new transportation project.”
Use emojis in your posts to connect with audiences and reflect the style of the platform, but make sure they’re appropriate and don’t overdo it. Emojis are not recognizable by screen readers so they should not be overused.

Simplify your ideas and the amount of information you’re sharing. Keep posts short and convey just one main point or ask of the community. Have just one link in your posts – users are not likely to take the time to click multiple links.

It’s fine to use shorter versions of some words, like “info” instead of information, but don’t use a number and letters in place of words, like “4” instead of “for” or “u” instead of “you.”

Tag community partners in posts use the “@” tag.

Use hashtags deliberately and in most cases, only when it is a pre-existing hashtag that is trending on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Be aware of trends happening on social media and use those in your posts when appropriate.

Always add alt text to any image you’re using on social media.

More tips on writing for social media from Hootsuite.