CSA Content Standards—Master Reference Document

Version: 1.9.34 Last Updated: 2026-07-24 Repository: csa-content-standards on GitHub Status: Active

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This document is the authoritative reference for the Content Scaling Agent. It is divided into eleven independently parseable sections. Each section is delimited by a level-1 heading and a machine-readable section ID. When ingesting this document, parse each section independently. Rules in General Guidelines apply universally across all article formats and distributions unless a format-specific section explicitly overrides them.

1. General Guidelines

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

Agent Routing: Rules in §1 are not sent to a single prompt—they are distributed across separate specialized inputs and human-only workflows. Each subsection below is prefixed with <!-- AGENT-AUDIENCE: [tag] -->: general-style (voice, tone, explicit language, anchor text), headline (H1 guidance, abstracted from SEO), seo (SEO title, focus keyphrase, meta description, promo title), human-only (§1.5 and below, plus tag page linking in §1.4). See the full General Guidelines page for the complete routing table.

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

• 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—a headline too short or lacking context costs both clicks and discoverability
• Must be supported by the article body—never misleading or clickbait
• Must be unique—do not duplicate headlines across stories
• Must avoid exaggerating or being shocking in nature

Character Counts

• Headline (H1): 80–100 characters
• SEO Title: 50–70 characters
• Promo/Homepage Title: 70–75 characters
• Meta Description: 100–155 characters
• SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords): 1–5 keywords

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; the SEO title is the focused version. They don’t have to be identical, but 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 say the same thing as the H1 and SEO title—same keywords, same news
• Must contain the focus keyphrase

Exclusive Guidelines (summary)

(Exclusive) or (Excl) is optional in the SEO title—include it if it fits within the character limit; if not, use “exclusively” or “exclusive” in the meta description. Applicable when: first to break the news; direct interview with the subject; content obtained exclusively (sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes, publicist-provided breaking news). See General Guidelines §1.2 for full criteria.

Modifier Guidelines (summary)

• Celebrity children: unknown child → [Parent]'s [Son/Daughter] [Child Name]…; two famous parents → [Parent A] and [Parent B]'s [Son/Daughter] [Child Name]…; child independently known → use name directly
• Reboots and sequels: use the show/film title as the modifier keyword—Kim Fields Dishes on Living Single Reboot, not Living Single's Kim Fields Dishes on Reboot
• Reality stars / new subjects: lead with show name or identifier—Love Island USA's Rob Rausch…; exception: if the article is about the show, drop the modifier
• Obituaries: name first, modifier after—Richard Simmons Dead: The Fitness Star Was [Age], not Fitness Guru Richard Simmons Dead
• See General Guidelines §1.2 for full guidance and examples

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

SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords) Rules

• 1–5 keywords; single words are acceptable
• All lowercase, comma-separated
• Reflect the story’s primary focus
• Include location names for stories with local interest
• Example: travel, supplements, travis kelce, dca plane crash, washington plane crash

Subheading (H2) Keyword Rules

• Primary keyword must appear in at least one H2—enforcement that stops at H1/SEO title/meta/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; an H2 that reads as keyword stuffing signals lower quality than a missed keyword

When to Update Headlines & SEO Titles

Three scenarios warrant a headline or SEO title update:

1. New information changes the story—update to match the article’s current state (e.g., “under investigation” → “arrested”)
2. Article underperforms in search—check Google Trends; if a more common search term exists, add it
3. SEO title doesn’t match active search queries—especially for follow-up stories: align the SEO title to the query readers are already using, not just the new development. People search for what they know, not for the correction.

Optimize before publishing. Re-indexing after the fact can take hours. See General Guidelines §1.2 for worked examples of all three scenarios.

1.3 Explicit Language Policy

Adult-themed content or gratuitous profanity in headlines, URLs, or metadata suppresses articles from Google News, Google Discover, and syndication partner feeds (including Apple News). Continuous violations may result in manual actions against the site.

Two categories trigger suppression:

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

See General Guidelines §1.3 for a full table of violating headline examples and better alternatives, plus “cheeky headlines that work.”

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/Suggestive Language

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

If no substitute fits, change the focus of the headline.

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

Write descriptions that allude to what was said without reproducing the language. Link to the original source article.

Galleries—More Restrictive

• Restricted language must be avoided in all gallery body copy, headlines, SEO titles, promo titles, URLs, and meta descriptions at all times—no exceptions

1.4 Internal Linking Rules

• 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

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 and may cause Google News to reject the article
• 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

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.

1.8 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
• No key takeaways at the top of articles
• No piece of content is to be published before it has been reviewed and approved by a human

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.

Triage framework:

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 opportunities (see §7). If no → return to the normal news cycle.

Not every story warrants every possible follow-up angle—match volume of coverage to the subject’s relevance to the site’s normal beat.

2. Headlines

Scope: Outlet-specific headline standards—character counts, casing rules, formula variations, and CMS-specific requirements. Universal headline rules are defined in General Guidelines §1.2.

See the full Headlines page for outlet-specific standards organized by outlet.

3. Article Formats

Scope: Format-specific rules. Each subsection defines the structure, metadata, and content requirements for a specific article type and platform combination. Rules here override General Guidelines only where explicitly stated.

3.1 Google Discover Explainer

Status: Active (reinstated 2026-07-13). Selectable for new content; ships Discover explainers with the What Is [Topic]? / Who Is [Person]? formula. Distinct from §3.12 What to Know Next (forward-looking, forecast + reader action, in parallel)—two separate active formats, not a supersession.

Purpose

A Discover Explainer introduces readers to the why of a topic. Its primary purpose is to explain why the topic matters right now—not merely to define it. It provides clarity on complex topics, answers user questions, and ranks for informational search queries. It must earn attention from someone who was not actively looking for it.

Headline (H1)

(REQUIRED)

Primary formula: What Is [Topic]? Everything You Need to Know Alternate formula: Who Is [Person]? Everything You Need to Know Question format also permitted: e.g., Who Is [Person]? What to Know About the [Descriptor]

• Character count: 80–100 characters
• Do not confuse with the “Everything to Know” format (§3.2, retired 2026-07-13)—that is a separate article type for everyday topics outside of entertainment
• All-caps in CMS only—does not apply to og:title or the Discover-served headline
• Casing varies by publishing destination—adjust per site style guide before publishing

SEO Title

(REQUIRED)

• Character count: 50–70 characters
• Must contain the focus keyphrase
• Must front-load keywords
• Must match the H1 in intent
• Must contain a verb
• Avoid clickbait—question-format titles are permitted but must not be misleading

Dek

(REQUIRED)

• Entered as a separate field in the CMS
• Must contain the focus keyphrase
• Should summarize the article in a way that entices the click

Meta Description

(REQUIRED)

• 100–155 characters
• Must contain the focus keyphrase and relevant proper nouns
• Must not repeat the H1 or SEO title verbatim

SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords)

(REQUIRED)

• 1–5 keywords; single words acceptable; all lowercase, comma-separated; include location names for local stories

Focus Keyphrase

(REQUIRED)

Must appear in: H1, SEO title, dek (CMS field), meta description

Tone

(REQUIRED)

Authoritative, clear, and easy to understand. Conversational and human—never stiff or institutional.

Word Count

(REQUIRED)

Word count is a target range, not a hard ceiling. If the topic requires more depth, go longer—provided the article remains well-organized and every word earns its place.

Article Structure

(REQUIRED)

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
"This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI."

[LEDE / INTRO]
- Lead with WHY the topic matters right now
- Do not open with a definition
- Introduce any main characters or key figures
- Do not give too much away—create forward momentum
- No throat-clearing openers

[H2 SECTION 1—keyword from Google Trends]
- Break topic into simple, digestible sections
- Use examples and analogies

[H2 SECTION 2—keyword from Google Trends]
- Continue answering: who, what, when, where, why
- Use examples and analogies

[H2 SECTION N—keyword from Google Trends]
- Add as many H2 sections as the topic requires
- Each H2 must introduce a substantive section, not serve as decoration

[INTERNAL LINKS—embedded throughout body copy]
- 3–5 contextual internal links
- Placed naturally within relevant sections

Formatting Rules

(REQUIRED)

• Use H2 subheadings as primary section headers
• Bullet points permitted for lists within body copy—not as a substitute for prose
• Keep paragraphs short for mobile readability
• All-caps headlines in CMS only (see Headline rules above)

Internal Links

(REQUIRED)

See General Guidelines §1.4 for full anchor text rules.

Link to:

• Tag pages relevant to the article’s focus
• Source articles or social posts referenced in the explainer
• Previously published site articles about events mentioned in the explainer

Hero Image

(REQUIRED)

URL Structure

(REQUIRED)

• 4+ keywords, front-loaded
• Strip stop words
• Keep short and descriptive
• Pattern: [topic-keyword]-[topic-keyword]-explained or similar

Variants

(REQUIRED)

• Every piece should have a local variant and a national variant
• All variants must be meaningfully differentiated in structure and prose from the original and from each other
• Revival content (2025 or later) must be optimized for its best-performing distribution channel
• New pitches must not duplicate content already published on other McClatchy platforms

Tags

(REQUIRED)

• TH-CSA
• The Commons
• (Tags subject to change—check for updates)

Pre-Publish Checklist

• AI disclaimer present (CUE sites only) and “Created With AI” checkbox checked in CUE
• Named human byline—creator/first editor only, no staff byline
• All facts verified; all links point to reputable sources
• Focus keyphrase in H1, SEO title, dek (CMS), and meta description
• H1: 80–100 characters, correct formula, no prohibited language
• SEO title: 50–70 characters, matches H1 intent, front-loaded keywords
• Meta description: 100–155 characters, no repeated hed language
• SEO keywords (meta keywords): 1–5 terms, all lowercase, comma-separated; location names for local stories
• Dek entered as CMS field—not placed inside article body
• Lede leads with why it matters, introduces key figures, no definition opener
• 3–5 internal links with descriptive anchor text
• H2 subheadings contain Google Trends keywords
• Hero image: 1200px+ wide, 16:9, 300K+ res, no logos/text/stock
• URL: short, keyword-forward, stop words stripped
• Headline casing adjusted for publishing destination
• Tags applied: TH-CSA and The Commons
• If variant: meaningfully differentiated in structure and prose from source and all other variants
• If new pitch: confirmed not duplicated on other McClatchy platforms
• Passes all Google Helpful Content standard questions (General Guidelines §1.7)
• Human review and approval obtained before publishing

3.2 Everything to Know (retired)

Status: Retired (2026-07-13). No longer selectable for new content; existing articles remain valid for historical reference. New content uses an active format matched to intent (see §3 Article Formats). Spec preserved for historical reference and the conflict register’s format-specific overrides catalog.

See the full Everything to Know page for the complete spec including article structure, formatting rules, and pre-publish checklist.

Purpose

A comprehensive resource covering all essential aspects of a subject on one well-structured page. Targets search intent—readers arrive with a question and should leave with a complete answer. These pages are evergreen references and must be kept current.

Do not confuse with the Google Discover Explainer format (§3.1), which uses the What Is [Topic]? / Who Is [Person]? formula.

Headline (H1)

(REQUIRED)

Required formula: [Subject]: Everything You Need to Know Keep the subject front-loaded—do not place it after the “Everything You Need to Know” phrase.

• Character count: 80–100 characters
• Do not use the What Is [Topic]? formula—that is §3.1

SEO Title

(REQUIRED)

• 50–70 characters; must contain focus keyphrase; front-load keywords

Meta Description

(REQUIRED)

• 100–155 characters; must contain focus keyphrase and relevant proper nouns; must not repeat the H1

SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords)

(REQUIRED)

• 1–5 keywords; single words acceptable; all lowercase, comma-separated; include location names for local stories

Focus Keyphrase

(REQUIRED)

Must appear in: H1, SEO title, dek (CMS field), meta description

Word Count

(REQUIRED)

Target: 600–1,500 words.

Article Structure

(REQUIRED)

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
[LEDE / INTRO]—open with why the topic matters; no definition openers
[H2 SECTION 1—Google Trends keyword]
[H2 SECTION 2—Google Trends keyword]
[H2 SECTION N—Google Trends keyword]
[INTERNAL LINKS—3–5, embedded in body copy]

Internal Links

(REQUIRED)

3–5 contextual internal links. UsW: 3 minimum, 5 maximum. Do not confuse with Related Links. See General Guidelines §1.4.

Tags

(REQUIRED)

TH-CSA and The Commons (subject to change)

3.11 FAQ / Service Journalism

See the full FAQ / Service Journalism page for the complete spec, article template, and pre-publish checklist.

Purpose

Service journalism articles that directly answer reader questions in a scannable, H2-driven format. Captures long-tail search traffic and performs well for People Also Ask (PAA) placements and Google featured snippets.

Headline (H1)

(REQUIRED)

Required formula: [Topic] [Question Word]: [Specific Question Answered]

Examples: Social Security 2025: When Will Checks Arrive This Month? / Biggest Questions About [Show Name] Answered

• Topic must be front-loaded
• Character count: 80–100 characters

Focus Keyphrase

(REQUIRED)

Validate against Google Trends and People Also Ask data.

Article Structure

(REQUIRED)

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
[INTRO—1–2 sentences establishing timeliness/relevance]
[H2] [Keyword-rich question from Google Trends / PAA]
  [Direct answer—1–2 sentences, snippet-ready]
  [Supporting context—2–4 sentences with specifics and source attribution]
[Repeat H2 + answer pattern for each question]
[INTERNAL LINKS—3–5, embedded in copy]

• Every H2 must include a keyword from Google Trends or PAA
• First 1–2 sentences under each H2 must directly answer the question (snippet-ready)
• Paragraphs: 2–3 sentences maximum
• Word count: 100–200 words per answer block

Internal Links

(REQUIRED)

3–5 contextual inline links per article. Link to relevant topic pages, tag pages, and related articles. See General Guidelines §1.4.

URL Structure

(REQUIRED)

Pattern: [topic]-[question-keywords] or [topic]-[year]-questions-answered

Tags

(REQUIRED)

TH-CSA and The Commons (subject to change)

3.12 What to Know Next

See the full What to Know Next page for the complete spec including article structure, formatting rules, and pre-publish checklist.

Purpose

A forward-looking explainer that contextualizes a development for the reader by answering three questions in sequence—what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what could be next—and closing with a reader-actionable takeaway. Built for the curious optimizer, who has seen the headline and now wants the full picture: what it is, why it’s having a moment, and what it means for them. Performs on Discover because it answers “what does this mean for me” that headlines alone don’t.

Do not confuse with the Google Discover Explainer (§3.1), which is informational/static.

Headline (H1)

(REQUIRED)

Primary formula: [Subject]: What's Happening, Why, and What Could Be Next
Alternate formula: [Subject] [Trigger Event]: Here's What This Means Going Forward

• A forward-looking signal is required—what's next, what comes next, here's what this means, or equivalent
• Character count: 80–100 characters

SEO Title

(REQUIRED)

• 50–70 characters; must contain focus keyphrase; front-load keywords; must contain a verb

Meta Description

(REQUIRED)

• 100–155 characters; focus keyphrase required; must not repeat H1 verbatim; pair news beat with “what’s next” payoff

SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords)

(REQUIRED)

• 1–5 keywords; single words acceptable; all lowercase, comma-separated; include location names for local stories

Focus Keyphrase

(REQUIRED)

Must appear in: H1, SEO title, dek (CMS field), meta description.

Tone

(REQUIRED)

Informed, plainspoken, forward-leaning—explanatory without being overly academic; confident without overpromising. Take a directional position, not hedged neutrality.

Word Count

(REQUIRED)

Target: 700–1,000 words total with inverted proportionality—≈25% Section 1 / 30% Section 2 / 45% Section 3. Section 3 is the longest section by design—that is the format’s point.

Article Structure

(REQUIRED)

Three-section arc—mandatory, present, and inverted-proportional.

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
[STATUS BAR—italic line directly under H1: Stage · Momentum · Forecast confidence] (REQUIRED)
[LEDE / INTRO—2–3 sentences]—frame the development; signal the full arc; no throat-clearing
[H2 SECTION 1—What's Happening] (≈25%)—snippet-ready descriptive lede; primary source cited; no analysis
[H2 SECTION 2—Why It's Happening] (≈30%)—2–3 forces driving the development; every cause attributed to a named source
[FORECASTER PULL QUOTE—pull-quote visual treatment, in Section 2 or 3] (REQUIRED)—named, titled, affiliated; forward-looking, not definitional
[H2 SECTION 3—What Could Be Next] (≈45%, longest section)—2–3 predictions, each paired with a concrete reader action; closing takeaway
[THREE SIGNALS TO WATCH—boxed callout at end of Section 3] (REQUIRED)—exactly three concrete, monitorable signals
[INTERNAL LINKS—3–5, embedded throughout]

Status Bar

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

Italicized one-liner directly beneath H1: Stage: [Emerging | Building | Peaking | Cresting] · Momentum: [Low | Moderate | High] · Forecast confidence: [Low | Moderate | High]. All three fields required—no omissions, no “TBD.” If any field cannot be filled confidently, the topic is wrong for this format.

Forecaster Pull Quote

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

One named-forecaster pull quote per article; visual pull-quote treatment (not inline attribution); placed in Section 2 or 3; named individual + title + institution all required; forward-looking (prediction, direction)—NOT definitional.

Three Signals to Watch

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

Boxed callout closing Section 3; exactly three signals; each concrete and monitorable—a date, release, launch, data point, or observable change. Vague signals (“watch the market,” “keep an eye on inflation”) disqualify.

Internal Links

(REQUIRED)

3–5 contextual internal links. UsW: 3 minimum, 5 maximum. Anchor to underlying-topic explainers, earlier coverage of the news beat, and supporting data pieces. Do not stack as a Related Links block. See General Guidelines §1.4.

URL Structure

(REQUIRED)

Pattern: [subject-keyword]-whats-next or [subject-keyword]-what-this-means or similar forward-looking suffix.

Tags

(REQUIRED)

TH-CSA and The Commons (subject to change)

3.13 Deep Dive Listicle

See the full Deep Dive Listicle page for the complete spec including segment rules, article structure, prohibited patterns, and pre-publish checklist.

Purpose

A single-topic article cut into a sequence of segments that build on one another, so a motivated reader can move top to bottom and come away with a complete, actionable understanding. Built for the curious optimizer (§4.2)—a reader who wants a subject explained well enough to act on it. Reads as one immersive article, each segment a phase, factor, step, or angle of the same subject—not a list of interchangeable entries.

Do not confuse with the FAQ / Service Journalism format (§3.11), which is a question-and-answer structure; the Deep Dive Listicle prohibits question structure entirely. Not a conventional listicle of standalone ranked entries—segments are sequenced and interdependent.

Opening Frame

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

1–2 short paragraphs addressed to the curious optimizer; lead with what the topic means for the reader, warm and direct, personal register over analytical; then signal what the segments cover. Not phrased as a question.

Segment Rules

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

Segments build on one another in order; each header is a declarative statement with the specific noun front-loaded (never a question); segments are parallel in depth and length; each is self-contained enough to scan but sequenced to reward a full read; single topic throughout—no unrelated standalone entries.

Header Formatting

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

Declarative phrases only—How the timeline actually works, The cost most people miss, What changes after the first year. Question-form headers (How does the timeline work?) are prohibited.

Headline (H1)

(REQUIRED)

Single declarative H1 front-loading the hook; not a question. 80–100 characters. Built from the focus keyphrase per §1.2.

Tone

(REQUIRED)

Personal, warm, direct—written to a motivated reader who wants to act on the topic. Opening favors the personal register over the analytical.

Word Count

(REQUIRED)

No fixed range locked; length governed by segment count times parallel per-segment depth. The controlling constraint is parallelism, not a total-word target.

Article Structure

(REQUIRED)

One article on one topic, read top to bottom—not a Q&A, not standalone entries.

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
# [HEADLINE—declarative H1, front-loading the hook]
[OPENING FRAME—1–2 short paragraphs, personal, for the curious optimizer; not a question] (REQUIRED)
[H2 SEGMENT 1—declarative-statement header]—a phase/factor/step/angle; self-contained but sequenced
[H2 SEGMENT 2—declarative-statement header]—builds on Segment 1
[H2 SEGMENT n—declarative-statement headers]—parallel in depth to the others
[CLOSING—synthesis or "where this goes next" beat; no abrupt stop] (REQUIRED)
[INTERNAL LINKS—3–5, embedded throughout]

Prohibited

(REQUIRED, format-specific)

Question-and-answer structure of any kind; question-phrased segment headers; standalone order-independent entries; uneven segments (one long, others thin); ending on the last segment with no closing; an analytical detached opening instead of a personal one.

Internal Links

(REQUIRED)

3–5 contextual internal links, placed naturally. Do not stack as a Related Links block. See General Guidelines §1.4.

Tags

(REQUIRED)

TH-CSA and The Commons (subject to change)

4. Personas

Scope: Audience definitions used to guide tone, framing, and content decisions. Each persona maps to one or more platforms or content types. Each persona page includes a CSA Target Audience Definition section—the formatted definition for direct entry into the CSA product UI.

Target-Audience taxonomy

The CSA surfaces five kinds of target audience on the Select Target Audiences step, differing by who authors the definition and how long it persists:

• Suggested Target Audiences — ephemeral; three custom audiences the CSA generates from scratch each run, from the source content.
• Target Audiences — definitions added by engineers; an Admin can toggle them to show at the Team level.
• Team Target Audiences — definitions the National Team authored; an Admin (Pierce) can create and edit them, and the whole team then sees them. The codified personas in this section are this layer, except §4.2 The Curious Optimizer, which lives in the legacy Target Audiences bucket (TH B2C).
• My Saved Target Audiences — audiences an individual saved for reuse, usually from a Suggested audience.
• Geographic Markets / Target Markets — geographically based; three the CSA generates from scratch each run, or a user can define their own.

Target word count for audience variants

A Target Word Count dropdown on the Select Target Audiences screen sets variant length for the session: 500–800 (Short), 800–1200 (Medium, default), 1200–1500 (Long). It applies to every audience variant in that session; it does not affect other content formats or platform outputs, which carry their own length targets.

Video Script maps the setting to a script-length tier, not the literal word range: Short → ~100 words (~40 s), Medium → ~150 words (~1 min), Long → ~500 words (~3–4 min). Durations are estimates at ~150 words per minute.

Content format × target audience: the variant model

1 Content Format + 1 Target Audience = 1 Variant. Each content format carries a dropdown to select a target audience, which is appended to the generation prompt. Scope is National Team only. The dropdown draws from Team Target Audiences plus the legacy Target Audiences (General Audience and the TH B2C “The Curious Optimizer”); it excludes Geographic/Market and Suggested audiences. Audience-only variants (no content format) are still allowed. The chosen audience is saved to the variant and shown on the Variant Card so variants are easy to tell apart. A style guide as a third axis (format × audience × org style guide) is out of scope for now but planned.

4.1 The Discover Browser

Platform: Google Discover Applies to: All Discover content formats including §3.1 Google Discover Explainer Format page: §3.1 Google Discover Explainer

See the full Discover Browser page for the complete persona spec including Content Framework and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Who They Are

This is the person scrolling their phone in a waiting room or on the couch after dinner—not searching for anything, just open to being interested. They are visually driven, pattern-aware, and impatient. They remember what they have engaged with before and keep seeing more of the same, but light up when something unexpected breaks through. They trust credible sources but want content that feels human, not institutional.

Core driver: “Oh—I didn’t know that” or “That’s exactly what I was wondering about.”

What They Respond To

• Visual-first storytelling that earns the tap in a split-second scroll
• Striking imagery—no stock blandness, no text-on-image
• Curiosity-gap framing that reveals enough to intrigue without withholding
• Specificity over mystery—concrete, surprising details
• Seasonal and culturally timed content that meets the moment they are already in
• Surprise-and-delight breakouts—compelling personal essays, unexpected local discoveries, trend reveals

Content Implications

• Lead with the most surprising, specific, or emotionally resonant element
• No warm-ups—hook in the first sentence
• Target 400–800 words—not a hard ceiling; go longer if the topic requires it, provided every word earns its place
• Every piece needs a high-quality hero image: 1200px+ wide, 16:9, 300K+ resolution, no logos, no text overlays, no generic stock
• Meta descriptions: 100–155 characters—must contain the focus keyphrase and relevant proper nouns; see General Guidelines §1.2
• Consistency in a content lane builds Discover trust over time—publish regularly in focus verticals

4.2 The Curious Optimizer

Platform: Trend Hunter / B2C Channels Applies to: Trend and self-improvement content

See the full Curious Optimizer page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Ahead of the curve—and ready to act on it.”

Psychographic-first persona spanning all demographics, united by mindset: curiosity, self-improvement, and the desire to act on emerging trends before they go mainstream.

Content Framework: Each piece should address—What It Is (define the trend in one jargon-free sentence), Why It Matters (cultural/emotional resonance and timing), Who It’s For (frame by motivation, not demographics), How to Experience It (concrete action steps).

Key rules: Never assume age, gender, income, or region. Frame all benefits around intent and motivation. Blend optimism with tangible utility—optimistic without hype, direct without dryness.

Tone: Smart, approachable, and curious. Encouraging but realistic.

4.3 The Wonder-Driven Science Enthusiast

Platform: Science / Discovery Features Applies to: Science, nature, and discovery content

See the full Wonder-Driven Science Enthusiast page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “That’s extraordinary—and I need to tell someone about it.”

Reader united by awe—loves the strange, beautiful mechanisms behind how life and the universe work. Regardless of expertise, they want to reconnect with the amazement they felt watching nature documentaries. They relish stories that spark conversation and invite them to see familiar things with new eyes.

Content Framework: What It Is (vivid, jargon-free definition), Why It Matters (expands understanding or stirs emotion), Who It’s For (universalize the wonder), How to Experience It (exhibits, docs, imagery, related readings).

Key rules: Lead with awe, not data. Prioritize comprehension and emotional resonance over technical depth. Tailor focus areas to the topic: paleontology, marine life, astronomy, and environmental change each have distinct registers.

Tone: Accessible, vivid, and story-forward. Respects intelligence; leads with marvel.

4.4 The Curious Explorer

Platform: Discovery / Science / Nature Applies to: Science, nature, archaeology, and discovery content

See the full Curious Explorer page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “I had no idea this existed—and now I need to tell someone.”

Deep-engagement reader who clicks on a headline about a weird species or archaeological mystery and stays—scrolling 28–55% of the page for 30–70+ seconds. Not skimming; absorbing. Wants to feel smarter and walk away with a shareable fact.

Top content types: New species discoveries (vivid physical details and scale), animal survival narratives with emotional stakes, archaeology and fossils that rewrite history, invasive species surprises, deep-sea and cave exploration, “weird science” (fungi communication, octopus cognition, platypus biology).

Key rules: Lead with the single most jaw-dropping specific detail. Frame as answering a question the reader didn’t know they had. Animals with personality outperform dry taxonomy. Every piece needs a concrete, surprising hook—no generic nature roundups.

Tone: Awestruck but grounded. Specific over sensational, smart without lecturing.

4.5 The Watercooler Insider

Platform: Entertainment / Trending Applies to: Viral, entertainment, and pop culture content

See the full Watercooler Insider page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “I know the real story—and now you will too.”

Treats content as social currency—wants to be the person who knows the real story behind the viral moment, the surprising celebrity detail, or the debunked hoax everyone else is sharing. Bimodal engagement: quick browsing on high-traffic pieces (2–15 seconds), deep reading on debunks and drama (30–60 seconds).

Top content types: Viral debunks framed as narrative, humanizing celebrity moments (unexpected habits, relatable opinions), internet trend explainers (“why millions are doing this”), nostalgia-trigger content (returning snacks, throwback trends), sports and pop culture debates with a genuine split.

Key rules: Position every article as the key to understanding something the internet is already buzzing about. Use named people, specific quotes, and concrete details—generic language reads as aggregation. Debunk and “real story behind” angles are the highest-performing pattern. Celebrity content should humanize, not tabloidize.

Tone: Confident, culturally fluent, and insider-casual.

4.6 The Hands-Full Mom

Platform: Parenting / Family Applies to: Parenting, family-life, and young-child product content

See the full Hands-Full Mom page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Keep my kids thriving—without losing my whole day to it.”

A mother of at least one child under six, often managing a toddler and an infant at once, who reads in the stolen minutes of a day built around someone else’s needs. She isn’t looking to be impressed; she’s looking for something that works, and she trusts content that respects her time and assumes her competence.

Top content types: Age-specific do-it-now parenting guidance scoped to the 0–6 window (sleep, feeding, milestones, behavior), quick real-life solutions (weeknight meals, packable snacks, screen-free activities, fast cleanup), honest young-child product picks (cups, gear, toys), reassurance content that normalizes the hard parts without judgment.

Key rules: Front-load the answer—respect her time and cut the preamble. Speak peer-to-peer and assume competence; never condescend. Specific beats general (name the product, the age, the quantity). Reassure without sugarcoating. Avoid idealized-mom imagery and guilt-driven framing.

Tone: Warm, direct, and practical. A slightly-further-along friend who’s been through it.

4.7 The Practical Wellness Parent

Platform: Health & Wellness Applies to: Health, fitness, nutrition, and family-wellness content

See the full Practical Wellness Parent page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Take care of my family’s health—on a real-world budget.”

A budget-conscious family reader who takes health seriously and acts on it: nutrition, fitness, mental health, and home remedies treated as practical household management, not a luxury hobby. Premium wellness culture isn’t their world; they want results they can afford and sustain.

Top content types: Affordable accessible health and fitness (home workouts, no-equipment routines, budget nutrition), practical home remedies and over-the-counter guidance, family-scaled wellness, plain-language health explainers, mental-health and stress content for stretched households.

Key rules: Lead with affordability and access—free, cheap, or already-on-hand beats premium. Never assume disposable income, a gym membership, or specialty-store access. Be genuinely useful and medically responsible; this audience acts on health content. Avoid luxury-wellness signaling, jargon, and fear-based framing.

Tone: Grounded, supportive, and trustworthy. Health-literate without being clinical.

4.8 The Smart-Spend Parent

Platform: Deals & Family Shopping Applies to: Product, deals, value-comparison, and family-shopping content

See the full Smart-Spend Parent page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Get my kids what they need for less—and feel smart doing it.”

A parent of young children who treats every purchase as a small optimization problem—not cheap, but deliberate, with landing a good deal a genuine satisfaction. They research before they buy, wait for the sale, and love telling other parents where they scored; kids’ gear, clothes, and essentials are the active category because little kids outgrow everything fast.

Top content types: Deals, dupes, and value picks on kids’ gear/clothes/essentials, “is it worth it?” comparisons (premium vs. budget, name-brand vs. store-brand), money-saving strategies (timing, bulk, secondhand, coupons, cashback), honest value-ranked roundups, seasonal and milestone buying guides.

Key rules: Lead with the value angle—price, savings, the deal—before the product. Be honest about tradeoffs; “skip this, it’s not worth it” earns more trust than blanket praise. Specificity wins (name the price, retailer, alternative). Avoid pure aspirational/luxury framing and undisclosed-affiliate puffery.

Tone: Savvy, candid, and a little gleeful about a good deal.

4.9 The Invested Wellness Seeker

Platform: Health & Wellness Applies to: Health, fitness, nutrition, and self-care content

See the full Invested Wellness Seeker page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “I’ve got the means and the motivation—show me what’s actually worth it.”

An affluent woman in her 30s to early 50s who takes her health seriously and has the means to act on it: works out, watches her nutrition, reads what’s evidence-backed, and pays for quality when it earns its place. Not chasing fads or bargains—she wants what actually works and lasts.

Top content types: Evidence-backed health/fitness/nutrition (what the science says, not hype), quality-first product picks where “worth the spend” is the lens, longevity/energy/strength/healthy-aging angles, capable-not-fragile self-care, honest “is it worth it?” verdicts.

Key rules: Lead with evidence and substance; this reader sees through hype. Frame spend as investment-in-quality, not indulgence—worth-it beats cheapest. Respect her intelligence; explain the why. Don’t assume she’s a parent or define her by life stage. Avoid fear-based framing.

Tone: Knowledgeable, direct, and respectful.

4.10 The Premium Lifestyle Optimizer

Platform: Lifestyle & Premium Living Applies to: Premium products, home, design, subscriptions, and lifestyle-upgrade content

See the full Premium Lifestyle Optimizer page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Buy it once, buy it right—I’ll pay for quality that makes life better.”

A high-earning adult, 35 to mid-50s, who optimizes life through better choices rather than more of them: premium home goods, design-forward products, and subscription services that make daily life better and save time. Would rather own one excellent thing than three mediocre ones.

Top content types: Premium home goods and design-forward products (craft + design are the story), “worth the splurge?” verdicts and quality comparisons, time-saving subscriptions and services, curated taste-driven roundups (the best one, not the cheapest twenty), luxury-wellness and lifestyle-upgrade angles.

Key rules: Lead with quality, design, and craftsmanship; price is context, not the headline. “Worth it” beats “cheap.” Curate hard—one excellent pick over a long list. Speak to taste and discernment, never mass-market hype. Avoid bargain framing and undisclosed-affiliate puffery.

Tone: Refined, discerning, and confident.

4.11 The Beauty Devotee

Platform: Beauty & Personal Care Applies to: Beauty, skincare, makeup, and personal-care content

See the full Beauty Devotee page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Show me what actually works—and what’s worth adding to my routine.”

A woman roughly 25 to 49 for whom beauty and skincare are an active interest: follows routines, watches for new products and trends, reads reviews before she buys, loves a good before-and-after. In discovery mode, open to the right new thing, and crosses over into celebrity and lifestyle beauty.

Top content types: Skincare/beauty routines, product reviews, and dupes (specific, tried, ranked), ingredient and “does it really work?” explainers, makeup tutorials and trend breakdowns, before-and-afters and real-result content, celebrity/lifestyle beauty crossover.

Key rules: Be specific—name the product, ingredient, step; vague reads as filler. Show, don’t promise—before-and-afters beat claims. Honesty about what doesn’t work earns trust faster than blanket praise. Lead with discovery. Avoid undisclosed-affiliate puffery and one-size-fits-all advice.

Tone: Enthusiastic, specific, and trustworthy.

4.12 The Household Health Lead

Platform: Family & Home Applies to: Family health, nutrition, cooking, home, and parenting content

See the full Household Health Lead page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “I run this household’s health—keep everyone fed well, growing well, and thriving.”

The person who runs the family’s health and home—meals, checkups, the medicine cabinet—managing a household with kids across a wide age range (toddlers to tweens) and the means to do it well. Cooking, nutrition, home, and children’s health are their active territory.

Top content types: Family meal planning and healthy recipes, children’s health and development across ages, home and household-management content, practical credible health guidance, age-spanning parenting content (little kids and tweens under one roof).

Key rules: Speak to the household manager, not a single-child parent—wide age range, many plates spinning. Be practical and credible; this reader acts on health content. Family-scale everything. Respect their competence. Avoid single-life-stage framing and fear-based health content.

Tone: Capable, practical, and reassuring.

4.13 The Beauty Bargain Hunter

Platform: Beauty & Value Shopping Applies to: Beauty, skincare, makeup, and personal-care value and deals content

See the full Beauty Bargain Hunter page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “Get me the look for less—and only if the cheaper version actually holds up.”

A woman who loves beauty and refuses to overpay for it. Skincare, makeup, and hair are an active interest, but so is the hunt for the version that works for less: she chases drugstore dupes, waits for the sale, and compares price-per-use. She’ll spend when something’s genuinely worth it, but “worth it” always runs through a value filter.

Top content types: Drugstore dupes and “save vs. splurge” head-to-heads, sales and best-value roundups on skincare/makeup/hair, price-per-use and “is it worth it?” math on trending and prestige products, budget routines that don’t cut corners, honest “skip it” verdicts on overhyped buys.

Key rules: Lead with value—price, dupe, saving—before the product. Prove the cheaper pick actually matches; a dupe only wins if it performs. “Skip it, save your money” earns trust faster than blanket praise. Name the price, retailer, and the prestige product it replaces. Avoid pure luxury framing and undisclosed-affiliate puffery.

Tone: Savvy, enthusiastic, and candid.

4.14 The Clean-Beauty Purist

Platform: Clean Beauty & Wellness Applies to: Clean beauty, non-toxic skincare, and beauty-wellness crossover content

See the full Clean-Beauty Purist page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “If it goes on my skin, it meets the same standard as what goes in my body.”

An affluent woman who holds what she puts on her body to the same standard as what she puts in it. She reads ingredient lists, avoids the questionable stuff, and gravitates to clean, non-toxic, naturally-derived formulations. Beauty isn’t separate from wellness for her—skin health and clean living are one system—and she’ll pay for the better-formulated product, but wants proof it’s genuinely clean, not greenwashed.

Top content types: Clean/non-toxic/naturally-derived product picks, ingredient explainers (what to look for and avoid, and why), beauty-as-wellness crossover (skin health, gut-skin, sleep, stress), clean-brand reviews and greenwashing checks, quality-first routines where formulation is the point.

Key rules: Lead with ingredients and formulation; this reader reads the label before the claim. Frame beauty as part of wellness, not a separate vanity category. Call out greenwashing honestly—”clean” has to mean something. Explain the why with science, not scare tactics. Avoid fear-mongering and vague “natural” hand-waving.

Tone: Informed, discerning, and calm.

4.15 The Social Trendsetter

Platform: Entertainment & Trends Applies to: Beauty, entertainment, celebrity, and trend-driven shopping content

See the full Social Trendsetter page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “If it’s everywhere right now, I want in—show me what’s trending and where to get it.”

A young woman, Gen Z or Millennial, who lives where entertainment, celebrity, and shopping meet. She finds products through social feeds and the people she follows, buys what’s trending, and keeps up with pop culture (the show everyone’s watching, celebrity news, the royals, true crime). When something’s having a moment, she wants in and wants to know where to get it.

Top content types: Viral and trending product roundups, celebrity- and entertainment-driven shopping (what they’re wearing and using, and where to buy it), pop-culture crossover styled as shoppable, “as seen on social” finds and shoppable trend explainers, trend-forward beauty and cosmetics.

Key rules: Lead with the trend and the moment; timeliness is the whole value—stale reads as irrelevant. Make it shoppable—name the product and where to buy it, fast. Anchor to entertainment and celebrity; that’s how she discovers and decides. Keep it social-native. Avoid dated references and anything that reads as out-of-touch.

Tone: Plugged-in, energetic, and current.

4.16 The Established Homeowner

Platform: Home & Property Applies to: Home maintenance, home systems, repair-cost, warranty, and homeownership-finance content

See the full Established Homeowner page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “The house is the biggest thing I own—I’d rather maintain it than repair it.”

A homeowner in their prime earning years with enough income to maintain the house properly rather than defer it. They own rather than rent, treat the home as the largest asset they will ever manage, and spend on it deliberately—servicing systems before they fail. They are not DIY hobbyists; they want to know what needs doing, what it should cost, and who can be trusted to do it.

Top content types: Maintenance-before-failure guidance (what to service, on what schedule, what it costs to skip it), real cost ranges for common repairs and replacements, home systems explained (HVAC, water heater, roof, electrical—lifespan, warning signs, replacement timing), coverage explainers spanning insurance and warranties, seasonal checklists tied to the real calendar of a house.

Key rules: Lead with cost and consequence—this reader is making a spending decision, not browsing. Give real numbers and ranges; vagueness about price reads as evasion. Explain the system without narrating the repair. Separate what is routine, what is urgent, and what can wait. Sponsored home-services content must clear its disclosure obligation plainly.

Tone: Straightforward, practical, and cost-literate.

4.17 The Senior Homeowner

Platform: Home Improvement & Services Applies to: Home improvement, contractor selection, home systems, and warranty/service-contract content

See the full Senior Homeowner page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “I’ve owned this house a long time—do it once, do it right, and don’t let anyone take me for a ride.”

A homeowner 55 or older actively in the market for home improvement work—not idly considering it, but transacting. Usually long tenured in the house, with a clear ledger of what has been replaced and what is coming due. They want durability and a contractor still reachable in three years; style matters less than whether it lasts and whether the quote is fair.

Top content types: Durability-first material and product comparisons, contractor vetting and hiring guidance (what to ask, what a fair quote looks like, red flags), straight explanations of warranties and service contracts including exclusions, aging-in-place upgrades framed as practical improvements, overcharging and home-services scam warnings.

Key rules: Write for competence and experience—this reader can tell instantly when they are being condescended to. Never frame age as limitation; accessibility content is about the house, not the reader’s decline. Be explicit about what a warranty excludes. Prioritize durability and total cost of ownership over upfront price. Avoid fear-based framing around catastrophic failure or financial ruin—urgency comes from the facts of the system. Sponsored placement demands disclosure that is legible, not merely present.

Tone: Direct, respectful, and unpatronizing.

4.18 The Home Investment Protector

Platform: Home & Living Applies to: Home improvement, décor, home-office, and home-protection content

See the full Home Investment Protector page for the complete persona spec and CSA Target Audience Definition.

Core driver: “This is where we live and the biggest thing we own—I want it to look right and stay protected.”

A mid-life adult, 35 to 54, engaged with the home as both a project and an asset. They decorate, they have set up the home office, they care how the place looks and works—and underneath sits a clear understanding that the house is the largest investment they hold. They want the home to be good to live in and to hold its value, and are impatient with advice serving only one of those.

Top content types: Improvements that hold value (what pays back at resale and what does not), home-office and multi-use space guidance for real work-from-home, décor anchored to durability and resale rather than pure styling, maintenance and protection framed as preserving an investment, prioritization help when the whole house needs something.

Key rules: Hold both frames at once—this reader rejects pure styling and pure spreadsheet alike. Be honest about return; not every improvement pays back. Sequence the advice, since this audience is juggling projects. Assume real work happening in the home office, not a styling shoot. Do not reduce the home to a financial instrument.

Tone: Grounded and dual-minded.

5. Acceptable Sources

Scope: Defines what constitutes a reputable, linkable source for McClatchy content. All facts must be verified and all links must point to sources that meet these standards.

See the full Acceptable Sources page for the complete source list organized by vertical.

6. Publishing Guidelines

Scope: Platform-specific and CMS-specific rules for exporting, formatting, and publishing content. Rules here are operational—they govern how content is entered and submitted, not how it is written.

6.1 CUE (McClatchy CMS)

Required Fields & Settings

(REQUIRED)

• AI Disclosure checkbox: Check “Created With AI” in the General section for all AI-assisted content
• AI Disclosure text: Add “This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.” at the top of the article body
• Credit line for freelance: Use “Special to McClatchy Media”
• Tags: Apply TH-CSA and The Commons to all articles (subject to change)
• Dek: Enter as a separate CMS field—do not place inside the article body

Section Placement

(REQUIRED)

• Do not home stories to generic sections like “Local News” or “Sports”
• Use designated sections (e.g., “Homebuyers Guide”, “Travel”, “Wellness”, “Lifestyle”, “FIFA World Cup”)
• Do not use “Real Estate News Destination” as a section

Headline Casing

(REQUIRED)

• Headlines are all-caps in CUE in alignment with the L&E Style Guide
• UsW uses all-caps subheadings; WW does not
• Adjust casing per destination site style guide before publishing

6.2 WordPress

Required Fields & Settings

(REQUIRED)

• Post status: Set to Draft—do not publish directly; all content requires peer review and human approval before going live
• Author: Named individual byline—never a staff or team account (see General Guidelines §1.5)
• Featured image: 1200px+ wide, 16:9 aspect ratio, 300K+ pixels—same requirements as the Hero Image spec (§3)
• Permalink: Follow URL structure rules in the article format spec—4+ keywords, stop words stripped, front-loaded

AI Disclosure

(REQUIRED)

• Add “This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.” at the top of the post body
• Enable any available AI disclosure settings in the WordPress theme or plugin if present

Tags & Categories

(REQUIRED)

• Apply TH-CSA and The Commons where the platform supports tags (subject to change—check for updates)
• Set a specific category per destination site—do not use generic defaults (e.g., “Uncategorized”, “General”)

⚠️ Destination-specific settings—custom fields, theme requirements, and plugin configurations vary by WordPress site. Confirm with the site owner before publishing to any WordPress destination for the first time.

6.3 Other Export Destinations

⚠️ STUB—Additional distribution platforms and export rules pending. Do not populate until guidance is provided.

7. Follow-Up Content

Scope: Editorial strategy for extending breaking news coverage. General principles are in General Guidelines §1.9. This section provides the story-type decision guide.

See the full Follow-Up Content page for the complete story-type guide.

7.1 How to Use

Apply the triage framework from §1.9 to every story. Then use the story-type breakdowns to identify follow-up angles. Not every angle applies to every story—use editorial judgment.

7.2 Story Types Covered

8. AI Tool Responsibility

Scope: Policy and escalation procedures for all team members using the CSA or any AI-assisted tool in the content pipeline. Applies to all writers, editors, and content leads regardless of vertical or team.

See the full AI Tool Responsibility page for complete procedures.

8.1 Core Principle

The CSA amplifies human writing—it does not replace editorial judgment. Every piece of content that touches a tool is still the responsible team member’s accountability.

8.2 Escalation Summary

8.3 Plagiarism and Attribution

Verify all CSA-produced content does not contain lifted phrasing from source material. This is a separate requirement from fact-checking. If a draft closely mirrors a source, rewrite before peer review. Do not assume AI-generated text is original.

8.4 Partner and Feed Content

Incoming partner content is unverified until reviewed by a human editor. Fact-check all partner content before publication. If three or more consecutive words match a source document verbatim, or a sentence’s structure is clearly derived from a specific source, treat it as reproduced phrasing and rewrite before peer review.

8.5 Override Documentation

Override documentation—noting what the tool suggested, what was chosen instead, and why—travels with the piece through review. content team lead receives a daily EOD summary of all overrides. Override documentation is not punitive; it provides feedback that improves the tool.

9. Claims Validation

Scope: How to read and act on the CSA’s built-in fact-checking module output. Applies to all editors handling CSA-produced drafts before peer review and publication.

See the full Claims Validation page for complete procedures.

9.0 Content Pipeline Tiers

Role-level access to raw module output pending confirmation with engineering leadership and product leads.

Tier names are provisional.

9.1 Module Verdicts and Confidence Level

9.2 Editorial Action Taxonomy

Needs Correction (rewrite or remove): FALSE, MISLEADING

Needs Clarification (reword): OVERGENERALIZED, INSUFFICIENT_EVIDENCE

TRUE flags are informational—no action required.

If the module returns MISLEADING or FALSE and the original source is Tier 3 (aggregator, anonymous, social), treat as Needs Correction regardless of verdict.

9.3 Source Authority Tiers

Tier 1—Authoritative (accept): Government/institutional primary sources (.gov, .edu), peer-reviewed records, official named-source statements, established national news organizations, McClatchy publications. See also Acceptable Sources §5.

Tier 2—Acceptable with verification: Trade publications with editorial standards, verified press releases, court records and legal filings.

Tier 3—Flag for review: Aggregator blogs, content farms, anonymous sourcing, social media posts (unless the post is the news). MISLEADING or FALSE verdict + Tier 3 source = Needs Correction regardless of verdict.

Source count: One Tier 1 source sufficient for straightforward factual claims, official statistics, and attributed direct quotes. Two independent Tier 1 sources required for contested claims, allegations, and anything that could harm a named individual. Primary source document required (news coverage does not substitute) for court outcomes, health dosage/drug/efficacy claims, and financial statistics cited as fact.

9.4 Content-Type Elevated Risk

9.5 Escalation

1–2 flags: editor resolves, documents in draft notes. 3+ flags: escalate to senior editor. Health or legal FALSE: hard stop, senior editor sign-off required. Unresolvable flags: do not publish. Recurring pattern: report as bug, stop using module for that content type. (Pending) Low-confidence verdict: treat as INSUFFICIENT_EVIDENCE regardless of stated verdict. (Pending) 3+ low-confidence verdicts: escalate to senior editor.

9.6 Audit Trail

Requirement (implementation pending): validation output must be stored per-piece in the CMS—not only visible at generation time. Audit trail must include all verdicts returned, claims flagged, confidence levels, editor actions, and final publication state. Must be attached to the piece record (not a separate log), accessible after publication, and readable by editors, senior editors, and content leads. Role-level access pending engineering leadership and product leads.

9.7 Override Documentation

Per-piece: note what the module returned, what the editor decided, and one-sentence rationale. Aggregate: track flag frequency by verdict type and content type; remediation type per flag (rewrite, removal, kept with rationale); override rate by verdict. Aggregate tracking requires per-piece audit trail stored in CMS (§9.6). Note: this covers module verdict overrides only—for overrides of CSA editorial suggestions (headlines, structure, sourcing), see AI Tool Responsibility §8.

10. Platform Guidance

Scope: External rule-sets that constrain output beyond General Guidelines—distribution-platform requirements (Apple News, SmartNews) and per-publication style guides (Us Weekly, etc.). Rules here override or extend General Guidelines for the named platform or publication. Red text throughout each page marks anything that overrides a General Guidelines default.

See the full SmartNews page, Apple News page, Us Weekly page, Trend Hunter B2C page, Woman’s World page, and AP-Compatible overview (which links to Quick / Condensed / Thorough tiers) for complete specifications.

10.1 SmartNews

10.2 Apple News

10.3 Us Weekly

See the full Us Weekly page for the complete writer’s bible, audience persona, voice and tone, headline + body conventions, A–Z style reference, and pre-publish checklist.

10.4 Trend Hunter B2C

See the full Trend Hunter B2C page for the complete writer’s bible: the Trust Rule, editorial stance, voice and tone, intent tiers, article structure, format standards (including the per-unit infographic asset set + brand ruleset), headlines, style mechanics (bylines/disclosure, auto-population, internal language, data attribution), distribution & channel fit, review & escalation, inclusivity standards, anti-patterns, and pre-publish checklist.

10.5 Woman’s World

See the full Woman’s World page for the complete writer’s bible, audience persona, voice and tone, four writing personas, topic pillars, brand notes, style reference, quality rules, what-to-avoid table, and pre-publish checklist.

10.6 AP-Compatible

See the AP-Compatible overview for the cross-publication divergence table, when-to-use guidance, headline rules, and tier downloads. The three tiers are nested—Quick is a subset of Condensed is a subset of Thorough. Pick the tier that matches the use case.

Cross-publication divergences worth flagging:

• AP-Compatible: couples / pairs / duos = singular verb. Us Weekly is the exception—plural verbs for couples / pairs / duos
• AP-Compatible: em dashes use surrounding spaces on both sides (per ap-compatible-quick.md + ap-compatible-condensed.md). Woman’s World is the AMI exception—em dashes have no surrounding spaces; Us Weekly follows AP
• AP-Compatible: no Oxford / serial comma (matches all McClatchy outlet styles)

When to use AP-Compatible: default for any McClatchy newsroom content where a more specific outlet style guide doesn’t apply (US Weekly, Woman’s World, Trend Hunter B2C). Local market style guides may override specific entries.

11. Layered Enforcement

Scope: The conceptual model + machine-readable rules contract for layered style guidance enforcement across CSA. Defines how General → Persona → Format → Platform layers compose + how conflicts resolve. Companion deliverables: machine-readable schema, precedence algorithm, and conflict register at _data/rules/.

See the full Layered Enforcement page for the conceptual model, worked examples, and reconciliation with the CSA backend’s current Trust Hierarchy. See Conflict Register for every known cross-layer rule + override + resolution.

11.1 The Four-Layer Model

Default precedence (highest first): [platform, format, persona, general]. Lower (more specific) layer wins on conflict.

11.2 Engineering State (CSA backend, May 2026)

Per the engineering Confluence page “How Style Guides Work” (PGS, page 1949663238), the CSA backend currently stacks layers (no override semantics). The 4 stacked layers per engineering: L0 Constitution (journalism ethics, never overridden) · L1 Quality (AP style, anti-slop) · L2 Voice (Platform + Org voice guides—both stack) · L3 Editorial (per-article notes). Persona and Article Format are NOT separate layers in the current Composer. The style_guide field exists in the code “but is informational only and is NOT currently used to apply style guides automatically.” National Team users (@mcclatchy.com not going through Platform Distribution) get only L0/L1 + maybe McClatchy corporate org voice—no platform-specific voice. The implementation gap is documented at length on the Layered Enforcement page §11.5.

11.3 Machine-Readable Artifacts

All three are downloadable from /assets/sources/rules/ (same-origin, Cloudflare-Access-gated).

11.4 Cross-Publication Divergences (the “load-bearing” rules)

End of document—v1.9.34