Freshen up your online content

It’s always a good idea to make sure your online content is up to date and in-line with our brand standards.

Guiding principles

When evaluating whether to include information on a website ask yourself: Why is this information important to the reader? If you don’t know why, then don’t include the information.
Information should have meaning that a reader can learn from or take action on.
Avoid using jargon and acronyms your reader won’t understand. Write in plain language so readers with low literacy levels or non-English speakers may understand.
Consider having separate pages or website areas for public facing content versus more technical health professional information.
Be personal and stay away from using third person, authoritative language. Use “you” instead of “the patient” or “the family”. When referring to Vancouver Coastal Health, use “we” where possible.

Prioritize information: Place the most important content at the top of a page.
Write in the active voice
Use short paragraphs and simple sentences. Don’t use unnecessary adjectives or descriptive words.
Break up content using short but descriptive headings, just like we’ve done with subheadings on this page.
Use numbered lists for outlining steps in a process and bullets to present options. Do not use more than seven listed items at a time. Capitalize the first letter of bullet points.
Try to include a call to action, even something as simple as clicking through to another related web page. For example: “Share this information with your networks” or “Find out where you can get your flu shot.”

Be specific and use the title of the document or webpage.
Avoid using general terms such as “click here” or “learn more” for naming a link. Instead, include a short description giving the reader some information about why they should click, where the link will lead, and if it will open a webpage or a document (PDF).
To improve SEO (search engine optimization), use keywords that users may search.

Do this: Download the Naloxone infographic.
Don’t do this: Click here for the Naloxone infographic.

Use sentence case for webpage titles and sub-headings. Only capitalize the first word of a title or heading, unless it is a proper name.

If you’re looking for VCH brand logos and colours, visit our brand guidelines page on VCH.ca.