> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.highailabs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Writing guidelines
> Content types, SEO and GEO guidance, blog categories, Professor High's writing voice, and quality checklists.
## Core writing principles
Every piece of content — blog post, app copy, social caption, or documentation page — should follow these four principles.
* **Make decisions** — do not present five options; recommend one with reasoning. Users come to us for answers, not more questions.
* **Science over hype** — cite studies, not folklore. Link sources. If the data does not exist, say so honestly rather than speculating.
* **Specific over vague** — "22% THC with 0.8% myrcene" beats "high potency" every time. Numbers build trust; adjectives build skepticism.
* **Human over corporate** — Professor High personality, not brand speak. If a sentence could appear on any cannabis website, rewrite it until it could only appear on ours.
## Content types
Long-form content optimized for search ranking. These pieces are thorough, skimmable, and structured to win featured snippets and "People Also Ask" placements.
| Type | Words | Use case | Win condition |
| ------------ | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Pillar guide | 4,000-6,000 | High Families, terpene science, cannabinoid deep-dives | Page 1 ranking + featured snippet |
| How-to | 1,500-2,500 | Consumption methods, dosage guides, app tutorials | PAA answers + organic traffic |
| Comparison | 2,000-3,000 | Strain vs. strain, indica vs. sativa myths, terpene matchups | Comparison snippets |
| Listicle | 1,500-2,500 | Top strains for a specific effect, best terpenes for a use case | List snippets + traffic |
**SEO style notes:**
* Long-form, thorough coverage with clear H2/H3 hierarchy
* Skimmable with bold key phrases and short paragraphs
* Answer search intent completely in the first section
* Depth signals authority to search engines
Concise content optimized for AI citation. These pieces are designed so that language models quote them as authoritative sources when users ask questions.
| Type | Words | Use case | Win condition |
| --------------- | --------- | ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Definition page | 400-800 | Single terpene, cannabinoid, or term | "According to TIWIH..." in AI responses |
| Data/research | 800-1,500 | Study summaries, statistics, trends | Source link in Perplexity/ChatGPT |
| Expert take | 600-1,200 | Professor High's opinionated analysis | Cited in AI Overview panels |
| Structured FAQ | 800-1,500 | Common questions, myth-busting | Direct answer citations |
**GEO style notes:**
* Concise, definitive statements in the first 50 words
* Quotable paragraphs (2-3 sentences, self-contained)
* One clear answer per question or section
* Density signals authority to language models
## Blog categories
## SEO checklist
Use this before publishing any search-optimized content.
* [ ] Primary keyword in title, H1, and first 100 words
* [ ] Secondary keywords in H2/H3 headers
* [ ] Meta description under 155 characters with primary keyword
* [ ] Internal links to related strains, families, and guides
* [ ] External links to authoritative sources
* [ ] Alt text on all images
* [ ] Schema markup for articles and FAQs
* [ ] FAQ section with direct, quotable answers
* [ ] Structure matches featured snippet format for target query
## GEO checklist
Use this before publishing any content targeted at AI citation.
* [ ] One clear answer per section (AI-extractable)
* [ ] Quotable paragraphs (2-3 sentences, self-contained)
* [ ] Specific data points (percentages, ranges, numbers)
* [ ] Expert framing ("Research shows..." not "Some people think...")
* [ ] FAQ section with direct answers
* [ ] Quotable definition in first 50 words
* [ ] Clean hierarchy that language models can parse (H1, H2, H3 — no skipping levels)
## Quality checklists
* Does it pass the [voice test](/brand/voice-and-tone#the-voice-test)? Would you say it to a smart cannabis-curious friend?
* No AI-sounding phrases (delve, comprehensive, landscape, seamless)
* Includes specific numbers, not vague claims
* Takes clear stances, not "it depends" hedging
* Reads like Professor High wrote it, not a committee
* All strain data points verified against the database
* Citations for research claims include study name and date
* Terpene and cannabinoid information is scientifically accurate
* No medical claims or diagnosis language
* All links work and point to authoritative sources
* Primary keyword in title, H1, and at least 2 H2 headers
* Meta description between 120 and 155 characters
* FAQ section present for pillar guides
* 3+ internal links to strain pages or related articles
* Image with descriptive alt text
* Quotable definition in first 50 words
* Stats formatted for citation: "X% according to \[source]"
* Clean hierarchy AI can parse
* Answers the question better than current AI responses
* Self-contained paragraphs that make sense out of context
* High Families classification referenced where relevant
* Indica/sativa myths challenged, not perpetuated
* Professor High's voice is consistent throughout
* No competitor mentions or paid content feel
* Links to relevant strain pages in the database
## High Families integration
Every piece of content should reinforce the High Families classification. When discussing strain effects, reference the relevant High Family. Never use indica/sativa as primary classifiers without challenging the paradigm. Link to [High Families](/guides/cannabis/high-families) when referencing the classification system. This is a core brand differentiator that separates us from every other cannabis platform.
## Professor High as author
Professor High is the primary blog author. His persona details are documented at [Professor High](/brand/professor-high) and his voice characteristics at [Voice and tone](/brand/voice-and-tone).
Key rules for authored content:
* **Maintain his voice** — opinionated, specific, warm, science-first. Read the [voice characteristics](/brand/professor-high#voice-characteristics) section before writing in his name.
* **Use his avatar for bylines** — the circular avatar crop, never the full illustration. Credit as "Professor High" in the byline, not "AI" or "automated."
* **Stay in character** — he is a researcher sharing findings, not a brand pushing products. He admits uncertainty when it exists and cites sources when making claims.
* **One "Greetings, student!" per piece** — his signature greeting anchors the piece but should not be repeated. Once is personality; twice is a gimmick.
***
Voice pillars, tone variations, banned words, and before/after examples.
How writing guidelines adapt across website, mobile app, docs, and social media.