Brand voice
Three questions. Ask them every time you write. Is it epic? Is it clear? Is it human? Get all three right and you're writing the GoCardless way.
Our voice
Before you publish anything, ask yourself these three questions. Whether it's an email, a landing page, or a social post, they work as a quick gut-check and a deeper editorial filter.
Epic
Not every sentence needs to be bold and inspiring, but the overall feeling should be. We're building something that matters, and our writing should reflect that ambition. Make confident, substantiated claims. When we say something is the best, we mean it. And we can prove it. Bold statements are welcome. Empty ones aren't.
Clear
Easy to understand by everyone. Be as short as it reasonably can be, without losing the point. Payments are complex. Our job is to make them simple. Use short, simple words and short, simple sentences. Fairly represent the facts, and never assume the reader has the same level of knowledge we do.
Human
It should sound natural when read out loud. Before you publish, say it out loud. If it doesn't sound like something a real person would say, rewrite it. Be understanding of, and empathetic to, the wants and needs of the person reading. We're experts, but we never sound like we're lecturing.
In practice
Here's how our voice translates into everyday writing decisions.
Use active voice
Put the doer of an action at the start of the sentence. It makes things clearer, more direct, and more human.
Do
"We'll send you an email confirmation."
Don't
"You'll receive an email confirmation."
Use pronouns
Use "you" for the reader and "we" for GoCardless. It creates connection and feels immediate rather than corporate.
Do
"We're here to support your business, 24/7."
Don't
"GoCardless supports businesses 24/7."
Keep headlines tight
Uppercase headlines should be eight words or fewer. If you need more words for clarity, switch to sentence case.
Do
Bank payments, built for growth
Don't
Discover the bank payment solution that helps your business grow faster
Back up bold claims
Strong statements are great, but unsubstantiated ones undermine our credibility. If we say it's the best, we need to be able to prove it.
Do
"Direct bank payments are the most reliable way to reduce late payments." (data-backed)
Don't
"We're the best payments company in the world." (no evidence)
Do's & Don'ts
A quick reference for writing the GoCardless way. When in doubt, come back to these.
Do
Position GoCardless as better than legacy payment methods like cards and manual bank transfers
Don't
Be unfair or put down alternatives. Let our solution speak for itself.
Do
Be honest. Acknowledge our limitations but focus on the positives.
Don't
Dwell on weaknesses. Acknowledge them once and move forward.
Do
Use short, simple words and short, simple sentences
Don't
Sound generic, bland, or robotic. We're humans writing for humans.
Do
Write like you speak. Say it out loud to check it sounds natural.
Don't
Be too rigid or too casual. We're experts, not comedians.
Do
Use active voice and put the doer at the start of the sentence
Don't
Use passive voice when active voice is available
Do
Write in uppercase or sentence case only
Don't
Write in start case, title case, small caps, or all lowercase
Do
Use clever wordplay occasionally. It makes messages more memorable.
Don't
Tell jokes or use cheesy puns. Smart wordplay yes, comedy no.
Do
Use "you" for the reader and "we" for GoCardless throughout
Don't
Overuse emojis. They can undermine our authority as payments experts.