For decades, websites have stored content. Now, they’re starting to store instructions. That might sound like a small distinction, but it’s one of the most important shifts happening in AI-powered website tools today.

Most business owners already know how frustrating AI can be. One day it writes exactly how you want. The next day it sounds like a completely different company. The problem usually isn’t the AI model, but that instructions tend to disappear every time you start over.

WordPress’s new guidelines feature hopes to fix that by giving your website something it has never really had before: memory. 

Instead of repeating your brand voice, formatting rules, image standards, and business goals in every AI conversation, you store them once at the website level. Compatible AI tools (which is a growing list) can then use those instructions automatically.

If you use AI to help create content, product descriptions, images, landing pages, or marketing materials, this is a feature worth paying attention to.

What are WordPress Content Guidelines?

Guidelines is a settings area inside WordPress.com where you define how content should be created across your website. Rather than keeping brand standards in a Google Doc, Notion workspace, or prompt library, you store them directly inside your site.

WordPress describes this as “giving your site a memory.” 

Once your standards are saved, the WordPress Agent can reference them when generating content, editing copy, or creating images. The same guidelines can also follow AI interactions through WordPress’s editor, email, and Telegram integrations.

In simple terms, your website remembers how your business communicates.

What Can You Store in Guidelines?

The feature goes well beyond writing style.

You can create standards for:

• Your website’s purpose and audience
• Brand voice and tone
• Writing and formatting preferences
• Image style and visual direction
• Accessibility requirements
• Brand terminology
• Content restrictions
• Block-specific instructions for headings, buttons, images, and other elements

For example, you might tell WordPress:

• “Use active voice.”
• “Write for beginners.”
• “Keep headings under eight words.”
• “Use sentence case headings.”
• “Address readers as “you.”
• “Keep button text under three words.”

These instructions would then become part of your website rather than part of an individual prompt.

Who Should Use WordPress Guidelines?

This feature makes the most sense if you:

• Publish content regularly
• Use AI writing tools
• Manage multiple contributors
• Run more than one website
• Want more consistent branding
• Spend time editing AI-generated content

The more often you create content, the more valuable a persistent memory system becomes.

Important: WordPress guidelines are currently a WordPress.com feature. If you use a self-hosted WordPress website through Bluehost, SiteGround, Hostinger, or another hosting provider, you may not see this option in your dashboard. Check WordPress.com’s current availability requirements before attempting setup.

For free sites, upgrade your plan to access this feature.

Which Tools are Compatible With WordPress Guidelines?

WordPress guidelines aren’t tied to a single AI tool. Instead, they act as a shared set of instructions that compatible WordPress AI features and integrations can reference.

That includes: 

• WordPress-powered AI tools
• Editor assistants
• External AI services connected to your site

For example, WordPress AI features can work alongside providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, while some third-party plugins and AI assistants can also use site-level guidance when integrated with WordPress.

The key idea is simple: Guidelines help store your standards in one place, so AI tools connected to your website can start with the same context instead of requiring you to repeat instructions every time.

No matter which AI tool you use, you should still review content before publishing.

How to Set Up WordPress Content Guidelines

Getting started is simple. From your site’s wp-admin dashboard, go to Settings → Guidelines.

You’ll see five areas where you can add instructions for your website.

1. Site

Start with the big picture.

Describe what your website does, who it’s for, and what you want visitors to accomplish. Think of this as your elevator pitch to AI.

A good starting point might include:

• Your business type
• Your target audience
• Your goals for the website
• Topics you cover regularly

The more clearly you define your audience, the easier it becomes for AI to create content that feels relevant and useful.

2. Copy

This is where you define how your content should sound.

Instead of focusing on every possible writing rule, start with the standards you find yourself repeating most often.

For example, you might specify:

• Reading level
• Tone of voice
• Preferred formatting
• Industry terms to use or avoid
• Whether content should feel formal, conversational, educational, or persuasive

If you already have a style guide, this is a good place to pull key rules from it.

3. Images

Most people think about AI writing first, but visual consistency matters too.

The Images section lets you describe the style you want across your website.

You might include:

• Photography vs. illustrations
• Modern or traditional design preferences
• Brand colors
• Image dimensions
• Mood and aesthetic direction
• Accessibility requirements

Even a few simple guidelines can help AI-generated visuals feel more aligned with the rest of your brand.

4. Blocks

This is one of the more unique features of Guidelines.

Instead of creating rules for entire pages, you can create instructions for specific block types.

For example:

• Headings should be concise and descriptive.
• Buttons should use action-oriented text.
• Images should include descriptive alt text.
• Callout sections should highlight key takeaways.

If your site has recurring design patterns, block-level guidance can help keep those elements consistent.

5. Additional

Think of this section as a catch-all for anything that doesn’t fit elsewhere.

You might use it to document:

• Brand values
• Compliance requirements
• Editorial rules
• Team preferences
• Special instructions for contributors

If there’s a rule you want every future AI interaction to remember, this is a good place to store it.

6. Save Your Guidelines & Refine Them Over Time

Once you’ve added your instructions, click Save guidelines.

Don’t worry about creating the perfect setup on day one. Start with the rules that matter most, then update them as you learn what produces the best results.

On eligible plans, WordPress can also review your existing content and suggest guideline recommendations. You remain in control of every change. You can review, edit, accept, or reject suggestions before they become active.

The goal isn’t to create the longest list possible. It’s to create a clear set of standards that helps your website remember how your business communicates.

Why This Matters for Small Business Owners

You might look at content guidelines and see just another AI feature. That’s not really what this is; guidelines solve a workflow problem.

Every time you hire a freelancer, onboard a virtual assistant, create a new AI prompt, or launch a second website, you spend time transferring knowledge.

You explain your audience, your tone, and your preferences. →  Then, you do it again for the next person.

Guidelines create a shared source of truth that lives with the website itself. The knowledge stays with the site even when contributors change. WordPress calls this a shared memory for your team.

For solo founders, that might equate to less repetition, and for teams, it can help offer more consistency.

Five Guidelines I’d Add to a New Business Website Today

If you’re not sure where to start, these are useful standards for most business websites:

1. Write for beginners.
2. Use short sentences.
3. Address readers directly.
4. Use consistent headings.
5. End every page with a next step. 

You might want to prompt your content guidelines to do something like, “avoid assumptions and explain unfamiliar terms immediately.” And, it could be helpful to “use “you” in place of “they” or “we” whenever possible.”

Choose a heading style and stick with it throughout the site and tell visitors exactly what you want them to do next. Simple guidelines like these often improve consistency more than complex style documents.

What to Watch Out for

Guidelines can improve consistency, but they’re not magic. Vague instructions will probably produce vague results.

Generic rules like “sound professional” don’t give AI much useful context.

You’ll get better results when your instructions are specific, practical, and tied to your business goals. WordPress also recommends using examples whenever possible.

It’s also important to remember that guidelines improve AI output, but don’t replace human review.

You might also like: 26 AI SEO Statistics for 2026 + Insights They Reveal 

Set Up WordPress Guidelines Before Your Next AI Project

Most AI tools start every conversation from scratch. WordPress guidelines offer a different approach. Instead of repeatedly teaching AI about your business, you teach your website once and let those standards follow future content creation.

If you already use WordPress.com and AI-assisted tools, now is a good time to create your site’s memory. If you’re still on a free plan, this feature might make it worth an upgrade? 

Use the official setup process, review the AI-generated suggestions, and build a guideline system that reflects how your business actually communicates. Once it’s in place, every future AI interaction starts with context already included.

To set your website up for a more consistent brand voice when you use AI-generation, see how to activate and set WordPress content guidelines. 

Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Guidelines