Brand Guidelines

Brand guidelines for LinkedIn content typically cover: (1) voice and tone (how the person communicates, which adjectives describe their style, what they never sound like), (2) topic pillars (the 3–5 subject areas they consistently cover), (3) format preferences (which post types to use, how long posts typically run, how they handle lists vs. prose), (4) vocabulary notes (specific words or phrases they use, specific jargon they avoid), and (5) what they never post about (political topics, specific competitor names, proprietary client details).

For ghostwriters and agencies, brand guidelines are the document that makes autonomous content generation possible at scale. Without them, every new piece of content requires starting from scratch on voice decisions. With them, a ghostwriter can produce 20 posts per month that read consistently, without needing to check every word with the client.

The format doesn't matter - Google Doc, Notion page, PDF - what matters is that it's specific enough to be actionable. "Write in a direct, no-BS tone" is not specific enough. "Avoid adjectives like 'innovative' and 'transformative'; never use exclamation points; open sentences with the subject, not a subordinate clause; prefer data over anecdote when both are available" is specific enough.