| name | tov-guidelines |
| version | 2.1 |
| author | genesys-growth |
| last_updated | "2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z" |
| description | Analyzes existing client content (website, blog, social, docs) to extract voice patterns, vocabulary preferences, frequency scores, and do/don't usage rules. Produces a two-phase output: Phase 1 TOV analysis (patterns extracted from source material) and Phase 2 TOV guidelines (codified voice rules for content production). Upstream: recommended company-context. Downstream: feeds linkedin-content, landing-page-copy, product-messaging, outreach-emails, and all content skills. NOT for visual brand tokens (use /brand-kit).
|
TOV guidelines
Extract actionable editorial tone of voice guidelines from a company's existing content. Two-phase workflow ensures guidelines are grounded in evidence, not assumptions.
Process Flowchart
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TOV GUIDELINES PROCESS │
│ (Two-Phase Workflow with User Gate) │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 1: ANALYSIS │
│ Step 1.1: Discover site structure → page list │
│ Step 1.2: Scrape 15-20 pages by priority │
│ Step 1.3-1.6: Extract patterns (sentence, paragraph, word, │
│ structural) │
│ Step 1.7: Score frequency (High 80%+ / Med 40-79% / Low <40%)│
│ Step 1.8: Build content-type voice mapping │
│ Step 1.9: Generate voice-in-action examples │
│ Step 1.10: Identify inconsistencies │
│ Step 1.11: Document gaps │
│ ✓ Output: tov-analysis.md │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ REVIEW GATE: Level 2 (User Review Required) │
│ Present: Pattern findings, inconsistencies, gaps │
│ User Actions: [Confirm] [Correct patterns] [Answer gap Qs] │
│ → MUST have user review before proceeding to Phase 2 │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 2: GENERATION │
│ Step 2.1: Incorporate user feedback │
│ Step 2.2: Generate guidelines (reader, tone, patterns, │
│ vocabulary, structure, anti-patterns) │
│ Step 2.3: Add source attribution to every guideline │
│ ✓ Output: tov-guidelines.md │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Claude Code Triggers
Invoke this skill when user says:
- "Create TOV guidelines for [URL/company]"
- "Extract voice from website"
- "Build editorial guidelines"
- "Tone of voice document"
- "Brand voice guidelines"
- "Writing style guide for [company]"
- "What's [company]'s voice?"
- "Analyze voice from [URL]"
Do NOT invoke when:
- User wants brand identity guidelines (visual) → Use
brand-kit skill
- User wants product messaging → Use
product-messaging skill
- User wants to write content → Use appropriate content skill with TOV as input
- User just wants quick voice description → Answer directly
Input Requirements
Required Inputs
| Input | Description | Source |
|---|
| Company URL | Primary website URL | User provides |
Optional Inputs (improve quality)
| Input | How It Helps |
|---|
| Founder context | Interview transcript, founder notes, voice preferences |
| Existing guidelines | Current brand guidelines to incorporate or update |
| Target audience | Known audience details to validate against content |
Process (Step-by-Step)
Phase 1: Analysis
Purpose: Extract evidence-based voice findings from website content.
Output: tov-analysis.md
Steps:
-
Step 1.1: Discover site structure
- Fetch homepage and extract all internal links
- Filter: same domain only (no third-party links)
- Prioritize: /about, /manifesto, /values, /blog/, /case-studies/, /pricing, /faq
- Output: Page list for analysis
-
Step 1.2: Scrape comprehensively
- Fetch pages in priority order (stop at ~15-20 pages)
- Priority 1: Homepage (core positioning, primary CTA style)
- Priority 2: About/Manifesto/Values (origin story, beliefs, personality)
- Priority 3: Blog posts (3-5) (long-form voice, educational tone)
- Priority 4: Case studies (2-3) (proof presentation, client voice)
- Priority 5: Pricing/Services (commercial tone, specificity)
- Priority 6: FAQ (objection handling, conversational tone)
- Priority 7: Landing pages (persuasion patterns)
- Output: Page content collected
-
Step 1.3: Extract sentence-level patterns
- Average sentence length
- First-person vs. third-person usage
- Question frequency
- Command/imperative usage
- Output: Sentence-level analysis
-
Step 1.4: Extract paragraph-level patterns
- Average paragraph length
- Opening patterns
- Transition patterns
- Evidence placement
- Output: Paragraph-level analysis
-
Step 1.5: Extract word-level patterns
- Recurring terms (company vocabulary)
- Industry terms (customer vocabulary)
- Banned/avoided words
- Modifier frequency (very, really, extremely)
- Output: Word-level analysis
-
Step 1.6: Extract structural patterns
- Header style (sentence case vs. title case)
- CTA placement and phrasing
- Proof stacking patterns
- Section organization
- Output: Structural analysis
-
Step 1.7: Score frequency
- High (80%+): Pattern across most page types
- Medium (40-79%): Pattern on some pages
- Low (<40%): Pattern appears rarely
- Conflict: Contradictory patterns found
- Output: Frequency scores per finding
-
Step 1.8: Build content-type mapping
- Document how voice varies by content type
- Note person, formality, CTA style per type
- Output: Voice variation table
-
Step 1.9: Generate voice-in-action examples
- Create before/after pairs (generic → on-brand)
- Output: Transformation examples
-
Step 1.10: Identify inconsistencies
- Flag conflicts (e.g., homepage uses "I", pricing uses "we")
- Note as issues to resolve in Phase 2
- Output: Inconsistency list
-
Step 1.11: Document gaps
- What couldn't be determined from scraping
- Suggested founder interview questions
- Output: Gap inventory
Phase 1 Checkpoint:
User Review Point: Present Phase 1 analysis to user for review before Phase 2.
Phase 2: Generation
Purpose: Create actionable guidelines from validated findings.
Output: tov-guidelines.md
Steps:
-
Step 2.1: Incorporate feedback
- User reviews Phase 1 analysis
- Apply corrections to misidentified patterns
- Resolve inconsistencies
- Fill gaps with founder answers
- Output: Validated findings
-
Step 2.2: Generate guidelines document
- Primary reader definition
- Tone attributes with examples
- Pattern library with LLM guidance
- Vocabulary lists
- Structure templates
- Anti-patterns
- Output: Complete guidelines
-
Step 2.3: Add source attribution
- Every guideline traces to source URL
- Frequency scores carried forward
- Unresolved gaps marked "TBD - requires founder input"
- Output: Sourced guidelines
Phase 2 Checkpoint:
Core Frameworks
Six Critical Questions
Every TOV guidelines document answers:
| # | Question | What It Contains |
|---|
| 1 | Who's actually reading? | Primary reader definition with job title, challenges, goals |
| 2 | What does tone sound like? | Demonstrable before/after examples, not adjectives |
| 3 | What patterns repeat vs. vary? | Pattern library with LLM-specific guidance |
| 4 | What words actually used? | Vocabulary with company terms, customer terms, banned words |
| 5 | What structure fits? | Opening patterns, body structure, CTA style |
| 6 | What to refuse? | Anti-patterns with specific phrases, claims, tones to avoid |
Frequency Scoring
| Score | Criteria | Example |
|---|
| High (80%+) | Pattern appears across most page types | "First-person 'I' used on 5 of 6 pages (83%)" |
| Medium (40-79%) | Pattern appears on some pages | "'I' used on homepage and about, but not blog posts (40%)" |
| Low (<40%) | Pattern appears rarely | "'We' found once on pricing page (17%)" |
| Conflict | Contradictory patterns found | "Homepage uses 'I', pricing uses 'we'" |
Pattern Categories
| Category | What to Extract |
|---|
| Sentence-level | Length, person, questions, imperatives |
| Paragraph-level | Length, openings, transitions, evidence |
| Word-level | Company vocabulary, customer vocabulary, banned words |
| Structural | Headers, CTAs, proof stacking, sections |
| Content-type | Voice variations by page type |
| Emotional register | Tone by content moment |
Output Format
Phase 1 Output (Analysis)
# TOV Analysis: [Company Name]
**Website:** [URL]
**Pages analyzed:** [Count]
**Analysis date:** [Date]
---
## Pages Scraped
| Page | URL | Voice Facets Revealed |
|------|-----|----------------------|
| Homepage | [URL] | Core positioning, primary CTA |
| About | [URL] | Origin story, beliefs |
---
## Pattern Findings
### Sentence-Level Patterns
| Pattern | Finding | Frequency | Source Pages |
|---------|---------|-----------|--------------|
| Average sentence length | [X words] | High/Med/Low | [Pages] |
| Person usage | [First/Third] | High/Med/Low | [Pages] |
| Question frequency | [X per page] | High/Med/Low | [Pages] |
### Word-Level Patterns
**Company vocabulary:**
- [Term 1] — [Frequency] — [Source pages]
**Banned/avoided words:**
- [Word] — [Evidence it's avoided]
---
## Content-Type Voice Mapping
| Content Type | Person | Formality | CTA Style |
|--------------|--------|-----------|-----------|
| Homepage | [I/We/Brand] | [Conversational/Professional] | [Style] |
| Blog posts | [I/We/Brand] | [Conversational/Professional] | [Style] |
---
## Voice-in-Action Examples
| Generic | On-Brand | Principle |
|---------|----------|-----------|
| "[Generic phrasing]" | "[Actual phrasing from site]" | [What makes it distinctive] |
---
## Inconsistencies Found
### [Inconsistency 1]
- **Page A:** "[Finding]" ([URL])
- **Page B:** "[Conflicting finding]" ([URL])
- **Recommendation:** [How to resolve]
---
## Gaps Identified
| Gap | Why It Matters | How to Fill |
|-----|----------------|-------------|
| [Gap] | [Impact] | [Method] |
Phase 2 Output (Guidelines)
# TOV Guidelines: [Company Name]
**Based on analysis of:** [URL]
**Pages analyzed:** [Count]
**Generated:** [Date]
---
## 1. Primary Reader
**Job title:** [Title]
**Challenges:** [Key challenges]
**Goals:** [What they want to achieve]
**How they read:** [Skimming? Deep reading? Mobile?]
---
## 2. Tone Attributes
### [Attribute 1]
**What it means:** [Description]
**Before (generic):**
> "[Generic example]"
**After (on-brand):**
> "[On-brand example from site]"
**Source:** [URL where this pattern appears]
---
## 3. Pattern Library
### Sentence Patterns
| Pattern | Guideline | Source |
|---------|-----------|--------|
| Person | Use "[I/We/Brand]" consistently | [Frequency: X%] |
| Length | Target [X] words average | [Analysis finding] |
### LLM-Specific Guidance
When using this TOV in AI prompts:
- [Specific instruction 1]
- [Specific instruction 2]
---
## 4. Vocabulary
### Always Use
| Term | Context | Source |
|------|---------|--------|
| [Term] | [When to use] | [URL] |
### Never Use
| Term | Say Instead | Source |
|------|-------------|--------|
| [Term] | [Alternative] | [Evidence] |
---
## 5. Structure Templates
### Opening Patterns
**For [content type]:**
[Template structure]
**Source:** [URL]
---
## 6. Anti-Patterns
### Phrases to Avoid
| Don't Say | Why | Say Instead |
|-----------|-----|-------------|
| "[Phrase]" | [Reason] | "[Alternative]" |
### AI-Speak Structural Patterns to Flag
| Pattern | Example | Guideline |
|---------|---------|-----------|
| **False contrast reframe ("X isn't Y. It's Z.")** | "The problem isn't effort. It's coverage." | THE number one AI-speak tell. Rewrite to just state the point directly. |
| **Wrapped bow ending** | "That's the real competitive advantage." | End on questions, open thoughts, or mid-thought instead. |
| **AI transition phrases** | "Here's the thing:" / "Here's why:" | Verbal tics of LLMs. Cut entirely. |
| **Uniform paragraph rhythm** | Every paragraph is 2-3 sentences | Mix lengths wildly. One-word paragraphs. Long ones. |
What Good Looks Like
Example: Genesys Growth TOV Analysis
Input context:
URL: https://genesysgrowth.com
Type: B2B SaaS GTM consulting
Expected output excerpt:
### Sentence-Level Patterns
| Pattern | Finding | Frequency | Source Pages |
|---------|---------|-----------|--------------|
| Average sentence length | 12 words | High (87%) | All pages |
| Person usage | First-person "I" | High (83%) | Homepage, About, Services |
| Question frequency | 2-3 per page | Medium (60%) | Homepage, Services |
| Imperative usage | Moderate (CTAs only) | High (90%) | All pages |
### Voice-in-Action Examples
| Generic | On-Brand | Principle |
|---------|----------|-----------|
| "We help companies improve their GTM" | "I help B2B SaaS teams accelerate their GTM without the bloat" | Operator authority + specificity |
| "Contact us to learn more" | "Book a call with Matteo" | Personal name > generic CTA |
| "Our solutions leverage AI" | "I use Clay, Claude, and n8n to build systems" | Name specific tools > buzzwords |
Why this is good:
- Every finding has frequency score
- Source pages cited
- Before/after examples are real, not invented
- Principles extracted from evidence
Anti-Hallucination Guardrails
- Every finding needs source. Include page URL where pattern was found.
- Frequency scores based on counts. "5 of 6 pages (83%)" not "usually"
- Examples from actual content. Never invent illustrative examples.
- Flag inconsistencies. Don't paper over contradictory patterns.
- Document gaps explicitly. Don't fill gaps with assumptions.
Quality Checklist (Pre-Delivery)
Phase 1 Quality
Phase 2 Quality
MCP Data Integration
Pulls fresh
| Source | What to pull | Tool | When |
|---|
| Firecrawl | Content pages (blog, about, docs) for voice analysis | firecrawl_scrape | Always |
| YouTube | Founder video transcripts for spoken voice | get_transcript | If founder videos exist |
| Exa | Brand content across external channels | web_search_exa | Always |
Fallback (no MCP)
- WebFetch for content page samples
- Manual transcript analysis
- WebSearch for external brand content
Reference Files
| File | Purpose | Status |
|---|
references/content-analysis-guide.md | Pattern extraction framework | Core |
references/analysis-template.md | Phase 1 output structure | Core |
references/tov-template.md | Phase 2 output structure | Core |
references/founder-interview-questions.md | Questions to fill gaps | Core |
references/quality-checklist.md | Pre-delivery quality checks | Core |
examples/genesys-growth-analysis-example.md | Complete Phase 1 example | Example |
examples/genesys-growth-guidelines-example.md | Complete Phase 2 example | Example |
Changelog
| Version | Date | Changes |
|---|
| 2.1 | 2026-01-21 | Agentic enhancements: visual flowchart, self-evaluation protocol, upstream/downstream integration map |
| 2.0 | 2026-01-16 | Refactored to v2.0 template: Claude Code triggers, iteration prompts, auto-update rules. Two-phase workflow preserved. |
| 1.0 | Previous | Initial skill creation with two-phase workflow |
