This style guide is the definitive resource for developing marketing content for Rackspace.com. If you’re developing API documentation or support content, see the DRE style guide. If you’re developing content for one of the control panels, see the Voice of Reach.
About Our Web Content
Rackspace is built around the concept of Fanatical Support® in everything we do. At its simplest, Fanatical Support means that we focus relentlessly on creating a remarkable experience for each and every Rackspace customer, in every interaction—no matter how small.
Our web content is no exception. It’s where our customers go to learn about what we offer, how we offer it, and how we can help solve their problems. That means every word we write should support our customers by:
- Answering important questions.
- Talking about the things they think are important.
- Using the words and phrases they use to speak about topics.
- Organizing information in a way that makes sense from their perspective.
When we do those things, we make it easy for our customers to have a relationship with us. That’s good for them—and it’s good for us, too!
Content Goals
Rackspace.com content has three primary goals:
- Differentiate Rackspace from other industry players. Rackspace has the broadest, most integrated product, services, and solutions portfolio in the industry. Our content should make that market differentiation crystal clear.
- Guide customers through the buying process. We have around 10 seconds after a customer starts reading a page to capture his or her interest. Rackspace.com content must quickly and concisely orient the customer to where they are on our site, communicate our offerings and value propositions with exceptional clarity, and then guide customers through the interest-to-purchase cycle.
- Enable self-service. Customers tell us that they often want self-service options over live interaction. (Who really wants to sit on the phone?) Our content should enable customers to quickly and easily self educate when appropriate. When live interaction with a Racker is required (for example, when a customer wants to purchase a complex solution), we contextually incorporate contact information into our content.
As a keeper of Rackspace web content, keep these goals in mind when you write. If you receive a request to develop content that doesn’t align with these goals, question it!
How We Create Content
On the Rackspace.com team, we don’t just take the content that a subject matter expert sends us, fix the grammar and typos, and say we’re done.
- We probe to discover what our customers care about.
- We ask questions when concepts don’t make sense.
- We research new technologies that we’ve never encountered before.
- We turn tech specs into compelling conversations.
- We eliminate redundant content.
- We make sure every page is a complete experience.
- We don’t over- or under-estimate our readers’ technical expertise.
- We clearly explain the Rackspace product portfolio, and show how products and services fit together.
- We help customers choose custom solutions that meet unique needs.
In other words, we’re not just editors—we’re skilled content developers who care deeply about customer experience. Internalize that approach, and remember it as you write.