General Guidelines

Scope: Universal—applies to all article formats, all platforms, all distributions unless explicitly overridden in a format-specific section.

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Agent Routing

The rules in General Guidelines are consumed by three specialized CSA agents and human editors. Each agent has its own prompt—rules that don’t reach the right agent prompt have no effect on agent behavior.

Every subsection below is prefixed with a machine-readable HTML comment in this format:

<!-- AGENT-AUDIENCE: [tag] -->

Use these tags to extract exactly what belongs in each agent’s prompt. For sections that contain rules for more than one audience, the comment appears inline above each relevant block.

Note on §1.4 Internal Linking: Link count and anchor text rules are general-style. “What to Link To” (tag pages, source articles) is human-only at this stage—the CSA does not currently have the ability to navigate tag pages programmatically.

1.1 Voice & Tone

• Tone: Conversational, confident, specific, human-first—never stiff or institutional
• Write for someone who did not go looking for this content but is glad they found it
• Lead with the most surprising, specific, or emotionally resonant element
• No throat-clearing openers (“In today’s world…”, “Have you ever wondered…”)
• No jargon without explanation
• Credible but human—never institutional

1.2 Headline Best Practices

General Rules

• The SEO title is the most important element on an article page—it is the first thing search engines see while crawling, and often the first thing readers see. It can appear in Top Stories, “Also in the News,” regular search results, AI Overviews, and Google Discover
• Headlines and SEO titles are the most important elements on an article page
• Front-load keywords—the first 8 words carry the most weight (applies to H1s and SEO titles)
• Must contain the focus keyphrase
• Must contain a verb unless the article is a roundup or relationship timeline
• Use active voice; keep verb as close to subject as possible
• Must be clear and concise—do not assume the reader knows the topic
• Must make sense on its own, out of context—if a reader cannot tell what the article is about from the headline alone, neither can search engines; a headline that is too short or lacks context costs both clicks and discoverability
• Must be supported by the article body—avoid clickbait; question-format titles can work occasionally (especially on Discover) but overuse undermines the site’s authority and expertise
• Must be unique—do not duplicate headlines across stories
• Must avoid exaggerating or being shocking in nature

Character Counts

• Headline (H1): 80–100 characters (fallback for outlets without platform-specific guidance)
• SEO Title: 50–70 characters
• Promo/Homepage Title: 70–75 characters
• Meta Description: 100–155 characters

Platform overrides: Apple News requires 90–120 characters (data-validated sweet spot: 110–119); SmartNews requires 70–90 characters (70–79 is acceptable—extends below the universal minimum). These ranges override the 80–100 universal default. See Headlines §2 for full platform-specific guidance.

Focus Keyphrase

• The focus keyphrase is the simplest expression of what the article is about
• Format: [Person/Topic] [Does/Is] [Thing]
• Must appear in: H1, SEO title, subtitle/dek (CMS field), and meta description
• Build the headline out from the focus keyphrase—not the other way around

SEO Title Rules

• 50–70 characters
• Is a concise version of the H1—not a string of keywords
• Must follow the same focus keyphrase as the H1—the H1 develops the keyphrase with more detail and context; the SEO title is the more focused version. They don’t have to be identical, but they must say the same thing
• (Exclusive) or (Excl) is optional—include it if it fits within the character limit; if not, use “exclusively” or “exclusive” in the meta description instead
• Do not include site branding (e.g., | Us Weekly) in the character count

Promo/Homepage Title Rules

• 70–75 characters maximum—must not get cut off on the homepage
• Must say the same thing as the H1 and SEO title—does not have to be identical, but must convey the same news with the same keywords
• Must contain the focus keyphrase and be readable, accurate, and engaging

Exclusive Guidelines

(Exclusive) or (Excl) is optional in the SEO title—include it if it fits within the character limit. If it doesn’t fit, use “exclusively” or “exclusive” in the meta description instead.

Use it when:

• Your outlet is first to break the news
• The article is based on a direct interview with the subject
• The news came to the outlet exclusively (e.g., a publicist provides breaking news only to your site)
• The article contains sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, or information no other outlet has yet

Benefits: Signals to readers and search engines that the content is a scoop; increases the likelihood the article is cited and linked to by other outlets; can lead to more exclusives.

When in doubt, ask: Is this the only place readers can find this story right now? Is the site the first to break it? If yes to either—use it if it fits.

Meta Description Rules

• 100–155 characters
• Must contain the focus keyphrase and relevant proper nouns
• Must not repeat the H1 or SEO title verbatim
• Functions as a dek—entices clicks, does not merely summarize

Modifier Guidelines

Modifiers help identify who someone is or add keywords to a headline—but too many or misplaced modifiers push the name and news further back, hurting both clarity and search performance.

Celebrity children and family members

Show reboots, movie sequels, and franchise follow-ups

Lead with the actor’s name + the show/film title as a modifier keyword—not the actor’s past role as the modifier.

The show or film title becomes a searchable keyword in its own right, helping the article surface for queries about the reboot or sequel, not just the actor.

Reality stars and subjects new to news coverage

Lead with the show name or identifier so readers know who the person is: Love Island USA's Rob Rausch…, Ballerina Farm's Hannah Neeleman…, Rapper Julio Foolio…

Exception: if the article is about the show or identifier itself, drop the modifier: Rob Rausch Denies Being On Love Island USA / Brynn Whitfield Shares RHONY Hot Spots

Obituaries—lead with the name, not a modifier

See Obituary format spec (§3.8) for full guidance. The universal principle: the person’s name is the news; modifiers push it back.

• Do: Richard Simmons Dead at [Age] / Richard Simmons Dead: The Fitness Star Was [Age]
• Don’t: Fitness Guru Richard Simmons Dead / King of Pop Michael Jackson Dead

When to Update Headlines & SEO Titles

Headlines and SEO titles can and should be updated. Three common scenarios:

When new information changes the story

Update the H1 and SEO title to reflect the change—the headline must always match the current state of the article.

Example: article begins as “under investigation,” then updated after an arrest

• Before: Jackson Mahomes Under Investigation for Alleged Assault: Details
• After: Jackson Mahomes Arrested for Alleged Assault: Details

When an article underperforms in search

Use Google Trends to check how people are actually searching for the topic. If a more common search term exists, add it to the headline and SEO title.

Example: “Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus…” underperforms—Trends shows the search term is “miley cyrus dad” → add “Dad” in front of “Billy Ray Cyrus” in the headline and SEO title

When the SEO title doesn’t match active search queries

This most commonly affects follow-up stories. If the original story drove search traffic under a specific query, the follow-up’s SEO title should align to that query—not just describe the new development. Readers search for what they already know about, not for the correction.

Example: “Jennifer Lopez Alex Rodriguez break up” was the active search query. The follow-up article’s SEO title read “Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Announce They Are Staying Together”—no one searched for that phrase. Changed to “Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez Are Not Broken Up: Announcement” → search traffic surged.

Note: Articles are indexed almost immediately after publishing—optimize before hitting publish. Updating after the fact is still worthwhile, but re-indexing can take hours during which the news cycle may have moved on.

Subheading (H2) Keyword Rules

• Primary keyword must appear in at least one H2—keyword enforcement that stops at the H1, SEO title, meta description, and intro doesn’t structurally reinforce the topic through the article body
• Secondary keywords should appear in other H2s when they fit naturally—don’t force them; an H2 that reads as keyword stuffing signals lower quality than missing a keyword entirely

1.3 Explicit Language Policy

Articles, headlines, URLs, or metadata containing adult-themed content or gratuitous profanity will be suppressed from Google News, Google Discover, and syndication partner feeds (including Apple News). Continuous violations may result in manual actions by Google against the site. This directly impacts traffic.

This policy covers two categories:

• Adult-themed content: nudity, sex acts, sexually suggestive activities, or sexually explicit material
• Vulgar language and profanity: gratuitous obscenities or profanities intended to shock, sensationalize, or titillate—not all profanity, but profanity with no purpose beyond shock value

Prohibited in Headlines, SEO Titles, URLs, og:titles, Promo Titles, and Meta Descriptions

• “NSFW” in any form
• “Sex” used to describe sex acts, confessions, or sexually suggestive activities
• Words or phrases suggesting sexual acts or fetishes
• Swear words used for shock value (unless approved by an editor)

Acceptable Substitutes for “NSFW” and Suggestive Language

risqué, off-color, cheeky, racy, immodest, lewd, provocative, suggestive, naughty, bawdy

If no substitute fits the headline, change the focus of the headline rather than swapping one word.

Headlines That Violate This Policy—and Better Alternatives

Headlines That Work: Cheeky Without Violating Policy

These headlines are suggestive or cover adult-adjacent subject matter without triggering suppression:

• Nick Cannon Says Brazilian Butt Lifts Feel Like ‘Basketballs,’ Prefers ‘Natural’ Assets
• French Pole Vaulter Anthony Ammirati Is ‘Frustrated’ After Crotch Catches on Crossbar
• French Pole Vaulter Anthony Ammirati Betrayed by Bulge at Olympics (SEO title)
• French Pole Vaulter Anthony Ammirati Gets $250K Job Offer Thanks to His Viral Bulge

Swear Words in Body Copy

• Avoid in headlines, SEO titles, meta descriptions, promo titles, and URLs unless editor-approved
• If approved: edit the URL to remove the swear word
• Badass and Bitch are spelled out
• Other curse words and slurs: use hyphens, no last letter—e.g., s---, a------
• Words ending in -ing: first letter + hyphens + ing—e.g., f---ing

Quoted Content Containing Profanity or Adult Themes

If a subject is quoted saying something that includes profanity or adult-themed content, write the description in a way that alludes to what was said without reproducing the language. Link to the original source article.

Galleries—More Restrictive Policy

For galleries, the policy is stricter than for standard articles. Restricted language must be avoided at all times—in body copy, headlines, SEO titles, promo titles, URLs, and meta descriptions. There are no exceptions for gallery content.

1.4 Internal Linking Rules

Internal links help search engines understand site structure, pass authority between pages, and signal which pages are important. They also help users navigate to relevant content and keep readers on the site.

• Count: 3–5 contextual internal links per article
• Internal links ≠ Related Links (Related Links break up inline copy—do not conflate)

What to Link To

• Tag pages relevant to the article’s focus (people, shows, movies, topics)
• Source articles or social media posts referenced in the article
• Previously published site articles about events mentioned in the article
• Do not link to people or topics merely mentioned in passing

Note for CSA agents: Tag page linking is handled by human editors at this stage. The CSA does not currently have the ability to navigate tag pages. Anchor text and link count rules (below) do apply to agent-generated body copy.

Anchor Text Rules

• Use descriptive anchor text—the reader must understand where the link leads
• Do: Link full names, show/movie titles, platform names, multi-word descriptive phrases
• Don’t: Link single generic words (exception: a single word that is itself a proper name—e.g., Vogue, Instagram, P!nk)
• Don’t: Link entire or half sentences
• Don’t: Use “click here” or “read more”
• Don’t: Link to retailers (Walmart, Amazon, etc.) unless this is a designated affiliate article—unlabeled affiliate links will trigger Google penalties

1.5 Byline & Credit Rules

• Always use a named individual byline—never a staff or team byline
• Generic bylines (e.g., “Us Weekly Staff”) undermine site transparency—Google News uses article bylines as a key indicator of a site’s adherence to its transparency policy, and staff bylines may cause the article to be excluded from Top Stories and the News tab
• For AI-assisted content: The byline goes to the creator who built and first-edited the draft. The peer reviewer does not receive a byline credit.
• For freelance submissions: Use “Special to McClatchy Media” in the CUE credit line
• Role language: Refer to content producers as “content creators”—do not use “journalists” or “writers” unless the person is on the news team

Author Bio Pages

Demonstrating the authority of a site’s authors—their content, credentials, experience, and connection to the site—is critical to search visibility. A strong author bio establishes trust and communicates why the author is a credible voice.

Profile length: 100–200 words

Required:

• Full name
• Position title (reporter, editor, columnist) and status (full-time staff or freelance contributor)
• Beat or area of expertise
• Years the author has worked at McClatchy or covered their beat
• Other publications the author has worked at; if a bio exists at a previous publication, link to it
• Professional headshot photo
• Complete author bio paragraph
• Professional social profiles—Muck Rack and LinkedIn at minimum

Additional (include when applicable):

• Books, podcasts, newsletters, or other editorial features created or hosted by the author
• Academic or professional credentials
• Major awards
• Contact information

Byline Rules for Updated Articles

| Scenario | Action | |—|—| | Simple update, no dateline change needed | Do not change the byline | | New information added, dateline change warranted | Keep original author, add new author, update dateline | | Article is 1+ year old, original author no longer on staff | Keep original author, add new author, update dateline | | Many contributors | List all contributors |

1.6 AI Disclosure

• Required on CUE sites only
• Exact required text: “This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.”
• Place at the top of the article
• Also check the “Created With AI” checkbox in the General section of CUE
• Not required for content published outside CUE
• This requirement may be phased out in future—check for updates

1.7 Google Helpful Content Standard

Every piece of content must be able to answer yes to all of the following before publishing:

• Does the content provide original information, reporting, research, or analysis?
• Does it provide a substantial, complete, or comprehensive description of the topic?
• Does it provide insightful analysis or interesting information beyond the obvious?
• If it draws on other sources, does it avoid simply copying or rewriting them—and instead provide substantial additional value and originality?
• Does the main heading provide a descriptive, helpful summary of the content?
• Does the main heading avoid exaggerating or being shocking in nature?
• Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share, or recommend?
• Would you expect to see this content in a printed magazine, encyclopedia, or book?
• Does the content provide substantial value compared to other pages on the same topic?
• Is the content free of spelling and stylistic issues?
• Does the content appear well-produced rather than sloppy or hastily assembled?
• Is it clear that individual care and attention went into this page—not mass production?

A “no” on any of these is a reason to revise before publishing.

1.9 Breaking News & Follow-Up Content

Breaking news traffic doesn’t end with the initial report. Follow-up articles extend the lifecycle of a story and generate continued traffic from search, Discover, social, and newsletter.

Always write original content—never syndicate for search traffic. Syndicating another outlet’s piece produces no search traffic for the site. Every article published for search purposes must be an original piece.

Triage framework—apply this to every breaking story:

1. Is this newsworthy? If no → skip.
2. Do we want search traffic? If yes → write original. Do not syndicate.
3. Does the site normally cover this subject? If yes → evaluate follow-up content opportunities (see Follow-Up Content guide). If no → return to the normal news cycle.

Not every story warrants every possible follow-up angle. Match the depth of follow-up coverage to how central the subject is to the site’s normal beat.

1.8 Universal Compliance Rules

• No AI-generated content goes directly to CMS—every draft must be edited by the creator and peer-reviewed before publishing
• No content is published without human review and approval
• All facts must be verified—links must point to reputable sources only
• Variants must be meaningfully differentiated in structure and prose from the original and from each other. Semantic similarity stays high by design when facts are shared; specific thresholds under calibration
• No key takeaways at the top of articles
• Bullet points are permitted in article body copy for lists—not as a default structure for prose
• No piece of content is to be published before it has been reviewed and approved by a human