Content Quality and Brand Standards Guidelines

SUNBURST NATURALS: CONTENT QUALITY & BRAND STANDARDS GUIDELINES

1. EDITORIAL STANDARDS

Core Brand Message: Sunburst Naturals delivers honest, effective skincare using plant-based ingredients so customers can feel confident in their skin and their product choices.

Brand Voice Characteristics:

• Knowledgeable but approachable
• Honest and transparent
• Warmly authoritative
• Environmentally conscious
• Inclusive and body-positive

Writing Style Guidelines:

• Use active voice and present tense whenever possible
• Write in second person (you/your) to directly address the reader
• Maintain a 6th-8th grade reading level for maximum accessibility
• Keep paragraphs to 3-4 sentences maximum for readability
• Avoid industry jargon; when using technical terms, provide simple explanations
• Always be factual and evidence-based, citing sources when appropriate

Tone Variations By Channel:

• Website: Educational and reassuring
• Social Media: Conversational and engaging
• Email: Personal and motivational
• Packaging: Concise and nurturing
• Blog: Informative and helpful

2. FORMATTING CONVENTIONS

Typography:

• Headlines: Botanica Sans Bold, 24pt+
• Subheadings: Botanica Sans Medium, 18-22pt
• Body text: Serena Light, 14-16pt
• Call-to-action text: Botanica Sans Medium, 16pt

Content Structure:

• Blog posts: Include introduction, 3-5 key sections with subheadings, conclusion
• Social posts: Lead with benefit or question, include call-to-action
• Product descriptions: Focus on benefits first, ingredients second, how-to-use third
• Email: Clear subject line, personalized greeting, single focus, clear CTA

SEO Best Practices:

• Include primary keyword in title, H1, and first 100 words
• Maintain keyword density of 1-2%
• Use semantically-related terms throughout
• Include at least one bulleted or numbered list
• Aim for 800-1200 words for standard blog posts

3. VISUAL GUIDELINES

Image Requirements:

• Use natural lighting whenever possible
• Feature diverse models representing our customer base
• Show products in real-life contexts
• Maintain 60/40 split between lifestyle and product-focused imagery
• Always use high-resolution images (minimum 1200px width)

Color Palette:

• Primary: Sage Green (#8A9A5B)
• Secondary: Sunburst Yellow (#FFD700)
• Supporting: Cloud White (#F7F7F7), Earth Brown (#5D4037), Sky Blue (#87CEEB)
• Use primary and secondary colors for emphasis, supporting colors for backgrounds

Logo Usage:

• Maintain minimum 20px padding around logo
• Never stretch, condense or alter the logo
• Default to the green version except on dark backgrounds
• Minimum size: 100px width for digital, 1 inch for print

4. CONTENT TYPE-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

Blog Posts:

• Include custom header image
• Link to at least two other Sunburst pages
• Include one customer testimonial when relevant
• End with a product recommendation or email signup CTA

Social Media:

• Instagram: Use carousel posts for ingredient education
• Facebook: Longer captions focused on community stories
• TikTok: Follow trending formats while maintaining brand voice
• Pinterest: Create vertical (2:3) ratio graphics with text overlay

Email Marketing:

• Keep subject lines under 50 characters
• Include personalization in greeting
• Focus on one main message per email
• Use no more than two CTAs

Video Content:

• Start with brand intro (3-5 seconds)
• Keep videos under 2 minutes for social, 3-5 minutes for tutorials
• Include captions for accessibility
• End with logo and tagline

5. FACTUAL ACCURACY REQUIREMENTS

Claims Review Process:

• All product claims must be supported by ingredient research
• Environmental impact statements require verification from Sustainability team
• Customer benefits must be realistic and demonstrated through testing
• Avoid absolute terms like “always,” “never,” “completely,” “guaranteed”

Sources and References:

• Cite scientific studies when discussing ingredient efficacy
• Link to source material for statistics and research
• Credit photographers and content creators
• Include disclaimers for sensitive topics

6. APPROVAL PROCESSES

Content Approval Workflow:

1. Initial draft creation
2. Subject matter expert review
3. Brand team review
4. Legal compliance check (when applicable)
5. Final approval by Marketing Director
6. Publishing and distribution

Revision Guidelines:

• Maximum of two revision cycles per piece
• All feedback to be provided via shared document comments
• Final approvals must be documented in project management system
• Emergency content changes must be approved by Department Head

7. EXAMPLES AND COMMON ERRORS

Exemplary Content Examples:

• “Your Skin’s Summer Survival Guide” blog post (see Appendix A)
• “Meet Our Ingredients” Instagram carousel series (see Appendix B)
• “Morning Routine Makeover” email campaign (see Appendix C)

Common Errors to Avoid:

• Making exaggerated claims (“This will completely transform your skin”)
• Using fear-based messaging (“Avoid these toxic ingredients”)
• Overly promotional language without educational value
• Inconsistent capitalization of product names
• Using stock photography that doesn’t reflect our diverse customer base

8. ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES

• Use alt text for all images
• Maintain color contrast ratios of at least 4.5:1
• Structure content with proper heading hierarchy
• Avoid directional instructions (“Click the button below”)
• Provide transcripts for audio and video content