Content
The following page answers common style guide questions. This quick-hit guide highlights marketing-specific nuances and provides clarity on marketing-specific conventions. For a more complete look at Morningstar’s in-house writing style, please consult the Morningstar Style Guide.
Capitalization Guidelines
For quick help on updating copy to title case, use this converter: https://capitalizemytitle.com/style/ap.
Marketing Webpages
Eyebrows = Title case
Page title = Title case
H1 = Sentence case
H2 = Sentence case
H3 = Sentence case
CTAs [Thrasher, button] = Sentence case
Social Media Content
This category includes all paid ads, social cards, and house ads.
Eyebrows = ALL CAPS for 25-plus characters, otherwise sentence case
H1 = Sentence case
H2 = Sentence case
H3 = Sentence case
CTAs [Thrasher, button] = Sentence case
Insights Content
This category includes blog posts, webinars, podcasts, guides, research download pages, and white papers. These pages generally follow house style, but here are the basics to follow:
Eyebrows = Title case
Page title = Title case
H1 = Title case
H2 = Title case
H3 = Sentence case for complete sentences, title case for dependent clauses
CTAs [Thrasher, button] = Sentence case
Exceptions for Social and Other Web Pages
All headers: Sentence case
CTAs: Sentence case
Thrashers: Sentence case
Tables and Charts
Row and column headers for tables and charts should be in title case. Content within cells (inner cells) should be sentence case.
Formatting Guidelines
Ordered/Unordered Lists
Add periods at the end of each item, unless it’s an incomplete sentence. Consistency is key. Lists look cleanest if all of the bullet points follow the same format. More details here.
Use bullets if a list has three or more items that are two short sentences or less. Two items or fewer isn’t a list.
Date/Time Conventions for Webinars
Use Associated Press style for specific times: 8 a.m., 9 p.m., noon, midnight, 11:30 p.m. Use time, day, place when listing events: The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 10 in Cleveland.
Always include the time zone abbreviation for online/global events. Use Central time, Eastern time, Pacific time, Mountain time. Avoid Central Daylight Time, Eastern Standard Time, and so on.
Time zone abbreviations are all caps and do not contain periods: CST, CDT.
Numbers, Digits, and Percentages
Write out numbers from one to nine. Numbers 10 and up should be written as digits. Use a comma if there are four or more digits: 10,000.
Spell out all numbers when beginning a sentence: Twenty-eight analysts cover the stock.
Use numerals for duration figures: The fund keeps duration between 2.5 and 3.0 years. Use a numeral before millions and billions: 5 million; 20 billion. Use numerals in data points or ratings: a 5-star fund; the stock is rated 1 star; a category rating of 4; a 3-globe fund.
Always use numerals and the percent sign (1%, 5%, 45%), except when beginning a sentence: Three percent of the stocks had a 9% loss. Use numerals with terms such as percentage points and basis points.
Punctuation Rules
Ampersands (&)
Ampersands are acceptable when they’re part of a fund or company name (Johnson & Johnson) and in some abbreviations (R&D, E&P). Don’t use the ampersand simply as a replacement for and.
Some exceptions to this include branding or marketing—consult with brand design, marketing, or product marketing to determine the appropriate usage. Unless facing a character limit or space constraints, generally avoid using ampersands.
Curly vs. Straight Apostrophes
Quotation marks: Use curly quotes, not straight quote marks. See Typography guidelines for more detailed guidance.
Em dash
The em dash is meant to be an abrupt, dramatic turn. It is meant to be a startling mark of punctuation and create emphasis.
The dash therefore should be used sparingly; overuse weakens its effect. Save it for the most opportune times: Iscor is not the company—nor the stock—that its numbers suggest.
Use no spaces before or after an em dash. Use two hyphens instead only if the platform or product can’t render the proper em dash.
Other Commonly Confusing Elements
For character counts for social media (Facebook, Reddit, emails, etc.) click here.
How to Reference AI
House style recommends the usual abbreviation rules of spelling out on first reference and abbreviating on subsequent references.
However, in some cases, AI is more common language and likely the target keyword. Writers can bend the rules to use AI in a headline with the full written-out term in the first sentence to follow.
