Website Style Guide

Baltimore County Government’s web presence exists to provide information and services to its community. Furthermore, it provides opportunities for effective, efficient and timely involvement so constituents may improve their lives, solve their problems and accomplish their objectives. The County’s web presence plays an integral role in the overall communications and outreach strategy.

Baltimore County’s web presence is also its primary public interface, conveying all major missions, goals and work. This Style Guide outlines details and industry standards in three separate sections; Design, Writing, and Governance. Following the principals outlined in the Guide provides the best experience for constituents and ensures optimization of the County’s web presence.

Design

Design not only includes design styles and patterns, but also includes details and best practices for creating digital properties that are easy to navigate and manage for all constituents. 

Writing

The writing guide is for anyone who authors content of any kind for Baltimore county. It includes, but not limited to web writing basics, an A-Z guide for AP Style and accessibility specifics. 

Governance

This guide establishes general direction and policies for working on Baltimore County websites and any websites using the County branding or conducting County business. 

Web Guiding Principles

• The Baltimore County brand demonstrates the County’s promise to the public. The County online experience builds and connects the brand.
• The County web presence is the County’s primary medium for communications and educational outreach. It’s websites communicate a full array of mission-centered information, including general information, program actions and activities, data, research, regulations, and educational materials.
• It is the core responsibility OIT Web Services, Agency Web Coordinators, Agency Content Contributors and other public information officers to uphold the integrity and quality of online content and communications in order to accomplish the overarching mission, work, and goals of the County.
• The County is committed to meeting constituent’s expectations that content is up-to-date. Outdated content and repetitive content is reduced and ultimately eliminated.
• The County is committed to meeting all applicable legal, ethical, accessibility, privacy, records retention, and security standards.