CONTENT

Same precedence rule as DESIGN.md: fallback, not override. If the user supplied their own copy, brand voice, or tone direction, use theirs — don’t overwrite it to match the conventions below. The one exception is §1 — a comprehension floor, not a style preference: whatever the voice, a first-time visitor must still be able to tell what the business is from the hero.

1 · Say what the business is — explicitly, above the fold

• A first-time visitor must know what the site is and what they can do, straight from the hero — never left to infer from mood or voice alone.
• The business category (e.g. “yoga studio”, “restaurant”, “construction services”) must appear literally in at least one of: the H1, a kicker above the H1, or the first clause of the subtitle. A witty H1 alone is not enough.
• The subtitle leads with the offer, in plain language, before any flavor — put the verb the visitor actually cares about early (“Book…”, “Order…”, “Learn…”, “Hire…”).
• Voice-driven, evocative H1s are welcome — but only when the category sits explicitly right beside them (kicker or subtitle). When in doubt, name the category in the kicker.

2 · Kickers (micro-copy above titles)

• Cut a kicker that only restates the title (e.g. “The Courses” above a Courses heading) — it adds nothing.
• Keep a kicker that carries real information: category + location (“Yoga Studio · Downtown”), a feature’s proper name, event details, dates, price framing.
• A kicker is the right place to satisfy §1 when the H1 itself is voice-led rather than literal.

3 · Titles, subtitles, paragraphs, CTAs

• Titles and subtitles end without a period. Paragraphs (full running sentences) keep theirs.
• No fluff — every line should move the visitor’s understanding forward, the H1 and subtitle most of all.
• CTA labels are short and avoid all-caps unless a specific reason demands it (readability). Word them to the actual action (ties to DESIGN.md §2’s “one primary CTA, worded to the action” rule) — not generic verbs.

4 · Images — the real subject comes first

• At least one image on the page must show the real story of the business — the actual thing, not just abstract graphics, dashboards, or decorative art. A climbing outfitter shows mountains and climbers; a clinic shows the room; a workshop shows the tools and hands at work.
• Decorative/supporting visuals (illustrations, icons, patterns, textures) layer in addition to the real subject, never instead of it. They earn their place by reinforcing the story and mood once the business is genuinely shown — not by standing in for it.
• Imagery (real or decorative) matches the tone, voice, and era of the business.
• When the user must supply their own real photos (the business has a specific, particular space/product/person that generated imagery can’t stand in for), use a fillable image slot with a descriptive placeholder naming exactly what belongs there — not a generic stock image presented as final.

5 · Image captions

• A caption describes what is actually seen in its image. Tone can vary (serious, playful, informative) but must stay aligned with the image’s real content.
• No meaningless captions, and no caption that ignores the image. A slogan or pull-quote overlaid on a photo is not a caption — if a true caption is wanted, write one that describes the scene once the real image is in place.