The way we write

This style guide was created for DocuSign employees and others who write for DocuSign. It provides the standards and best practices to create clear, consistent content across different channels for various audiences.

The guide contains our grammar and style standards but also conveys the voice and tone to express DocuSign’s brand identity. Because some types of writing (UX, website, product) have unique style considerations, there are also links to channel-specific guidelines.
Brand overview
DocuSign is the world’s #1 e-signature solution. People love DocuSign products because they save time and make life easier. Our brand experience should mirror the product experience: simple, efficient and easy to use.

What we want

Our goal is to capture the attention of our readers, build an emotional connection and lead them on a journey to discover more about our company and our products. We want to gain their trust and assure them they can depend on DocuSign to be a reliable partner.

How we sound

We write the way people talk, using a friendly, conversational voice. We are informal but professional. We love crisp, simple sentences. We get to the point quickly. We avoid jargon and corporate garble. We like a little bit of sparkle and wit.

While our voice is consistent, our tone adapts to audiences, circumstances and context.
But we’re always positive, optimistic, upbeat and helpful. We’re witty, smart and lively. We want to have a little bounce and verve in our writing.

Who we write for

The most important audience is DocuSign customers. They welcome us into their most important and joyful moments: getting married, buying a house, landing a new client, starting a new job, etc. They weave DocuSign tools into their everyday professional lives to complete their work faster and easier. They trust us to take care of their most important documents because they know our product is safe, secure and reliable.

We’re in this for our customers and with our customers. We are their partner, not their vendor. They’re the heroes of the story, and whenever possible, we should focus on them instead of DocuSign.

“ If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well enough. ”
—Albert Einstein