How We Sound
How we express who we are is also important to our brand and helps define our identity. While we have a strong personality, we also need to be aware of the parameters around how we talk. This way we can continue to stand out in the minds of our users.
Voice + Tone
Our voice is how we express our brand’s personality and our deeper purpose: powering the people-for-people economy forward. Enables us to convey our personality in a consistent, clear and authentic way, always remembering that care is our true currency.
HUMAN
Warm. Real. Relatable.
We sound like people, not corporations. We keep it simple and sincere, like a friend who genuinely cares.
TRUSTED ADVISOR
Confident. Clear. Responsible.
We’re the calm, capable voice people can count on. We guide and empower—never lecture or alarm.
FRESH
Modern. Relevant. Timely.
We stay in tune with people’s lives and the moment they’re in. Fresh means relevant, not trendy.
SUPPORTIVE
Empathetic. Calm. Helpful.
Money is emotional, so we lead with empathy. We remember the human connection behind every payment.
Our tone allows us the flexibility to change our “pitch” depending on the context of the message we need to convey.
CONFIDENT COUNSEL
Knowledgeable. Calm. Reassuring.
We guide with confidence, not arrogance. Always the friend who’s got your back..
ENERGETIC OPTIMISM
Positive. Genuine. Encouraging.
We bring warmth and energy that feels real—excited to help, never over the top.
STRAIGHTFORWARD EXPERTISE
Modern. Relevant. Timely.
We make the complex simple and human. Less jargon, more clarity
Voice + Tone In Action
Our voice and tone come to life when we write like people who care.
WE DO ...
- Get excited about getting things done; celebrate getting to the finish line.
- Encourage customers to act; coach them into action.
- Use strong, active verbs to convey a sense of energy and determination.
- Empower consumers to make smart choices to avoid being scammed.
WE DON'T ...
- Encourage use of Zelle® when other alternatives are safer.
- Scold our customers about making payments.
- Place blame on our customers.
- Express pessimism about what our customers need to use the money for
Filters to use:
- Does this sound like a human or a robot?
- Are we being helpful?
- Would this resonate with someone in their 20s and in their 60s?
- Is this tone warm + confident, not cold or corporate?
- Does this sound like it was written this year, not in 2012?
- Are we being witty + funny in an appropriate and relevant way?
Messaging and Terminology: What to Avoid
Zelle® uses distinct messaging and terminology that helps to differentiate our brand, to define the Zelle® experience, and to create clear and consistent content across channels.
AVOID ABSOLUTE CLAIMS:
Absolute claims require higher levels of substantiation because they imply there are no other alternatives that can make the same claim.
WE DO SAY...
- “A fast way to send money.”
- “An easy way to send money.”
WE DON'T SAY...
- “The fast way to send money.”
- “The easy way to send money.”
AVOID VAGUE CLAIMS:
Vague claims are often open to interpretation, require more context and cannot be substantiated.
WE DON'T SAY...
- “Zelle® is a seamless experience.”
AVOID COMPARATIVE CLAIMS:
Comparative claims require higher levels of substantiation.
WE DO SAY...
- “Zelle® is a fast way to send money.”
- “Zelle® is an easy way to send money.”
WE DON'T SAY...
- “Zelle® is the faster way to send money.”
- “Zelle® is an easier way to send money.”
AVOID EXAGGERATED CLAIMS:
Exaggerated claims can be misinterpreted or seen as questionable and cannot be substantiated.
WE DON'T SAY...
- “Get paid back on the spot.”
- “Get paid back before the check arrives.”
- “As safe as (Fort Knox/bank vault, etc.)”
- “Easy as (1-2-3, one tap, etc.)”
Messaging and Terminology
Zelle® uses distinct messaging and terminology that helps to differentiate our brand, to define the Zelle® experience, and to create clear and consistent content across channels.
Terms That Require Additional Context in Messaging
“Free” or “No fees”
Early Warning Services, LLC (Zelle®) does not dictate fees for any financial institutions on any transactions. To provide consumer clarity, when messaging “free" or “no fees” you must be clear you are only speaking about Zelle® being free within your experience. For example:
- There are no fees to use Zelle® in the [Financial Institution App Name].
- [Financial Institution Name] does not charge any fees to use Zelle®.
- It’s free to send and receive money with Zelle® from the [Financial Institution App Name].
If you charge any fees related to usage (i.e., transaction fees, cancelation fees, NSF fees, a fee for any Zelle® transaction exceeding a maximum allowed by your financial institution per month, etc.), you can not make the claim that Zelle® is free or has no fees.
“New…”
can be used by onboarding financial institutions at their launch, so long as it’s clear that it’s referring to the financial institution customer experience (e.g., “a new way for [Financial Institution Name] customers to send and receive money.”) However, refrain from referring to Zelle® as a new payments service, as it was launched in 2017.
“Money transfer”
must be conditioned upon the premise that no statements are made that state or imply that Zelle® transfers or deposits money. The copy must focus on the user’s ability to transfer money. When someone sends money to another user with an enrolled email address or U.S. mobile number, Zelle® doesn’t actually transfer the money – it looks up the email address or U.S. mobile number in its Zelle® network directory and notifies the user's financial institution of the incoming payment.
“Safe” and “Security” Messaging
Zelle® is safe when used with people you know. It’s important to always include this context in your marketing – especially when you are using the term “safe.” Security claims should only be made about your own security features. Don’t make claims about the safety and security of Zelle®, the Zelle® network, or your financial institution together with Zelle®. Language can be used such as, “With the security you already know and trust from [Financial Institution Name].” or “With the security of our mobile banking guarantee.” When messaging safety to your customers, whenever possible include a link to the safety and consumer education pages on zelle.com.
“Fraud” vs “Scams”
Use correct terminology. “Fraud” and “scams” are not the same thing, so it’s important to understand the difference and effectively educate your customers since there are differences in the consumer protections offered to them by your financial institution.
Grammar and Mechanics
At the end of a sentence, the ® goes inside the period.
EXAMPLE
Over 2,300 banks and credit unions of all sizes across the U.S. currently offer Zelle®.
When referring to a button or link, the quote marks go outside of the period.
EXAMPLE
Look for Zelle® in your banking app, or click “Get Started.”
Don’t label links “click here” or “here.” (See Writing for Accessibility)
Don’t punctuate bulleted text unless it’s a complete sentence.
Don’t spell out states. Use the two-letter abbreviation.
EXAMPLES
Alabama = AL / California = CA / Texas = TX
Use an em dash to communicate an additional thought, like a parenthesis, or to replace something that is missing
EXAMPLE
Even better, you probably already have Zelle® in your mobile banking app—no additional download necessary
Use an en dash to communicate that two things are connected.
EXAMPLE
Make every day better with Zelle®– a convenient way to send money.
When necessary (e.g., for the first mention), spell out the name of the organization and then provide the abbreviation.
EXAMPLE
Check out these articles from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Whenever possible, start subheads with a verb.
EXAMPLES
Send money in the moment.
Split vacation costs with Zelle®.
Chip in on the big holiday gift with Zelle®!
Grammar and Mechanics
We use sentence case for almost everything, including...
- Headlines
- Subheads
- Body copy
Title case is only used as needed for limited exceptions, including...
- Section/page headers and subheads within internal or B2B-facing technical documents and guides
- Specific types of links (see Links section)
All caps is sometimes used for...
- Short blocks of text, (e.g., CTA buttons; short labels and subheads lower in the type hierarchy) (see Typography section) Approval from the Early Warning Brand team is required for use of title case or all caps in other applications beyond those outlined above.
Sentence case looks like this
Title Case Looks Like This
WE DO SAY...
Your bank offers Zelle®
What’s Zelle®? Glad you asked!
Send money to those you trust
WE DON'T SAY...
Your Bank Offers Zelle®
What’s Zelle®? Glad You Asked!
Send Money to Those You Trust
Style
Zelle® follows the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook regarding rules for capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and other questions of language usage.
- 844-428-8542 in print; (844) 428-8542 in mobile
- Spell out numbers less than 10 standing alone and in modifiers
- Only numbers with compound modifiers should be hyphenated
WE DO SAY...
canceled
re-enroll
3:00 p.m.
U.S.
ZIP code
website, homepage, email
recipient
Zelle® user
U.S. mobile number
150 million consumers
An eight-hour day
A 300-year-old tradition
For 30 years we...
WE DON'T SAY...
cancelled
reenroll
3:00 pm
US
zip code
web-site, home page, e-mail
receiver or payee
Zelle® customer
mobile number
150-million consumers
An eight hour day
A 300 year old tradition
For 30-years we...
Links
We traditionally use sentence case for links (vs. title case). However, there are a few exceptions, many of which refer to specific Zelle® network terms and conditions.
WE DO SAY...
Read more
customerservice@zellepay.com
www.earlywarning.com
www.earlywarning.com
WE DON'T SAY...
Read More
CustomerService@Zellepay.com
www.EarlyWarning.com
earlywarning.com
*EXCEPTIONS
Online Privacy Notice
Trademarks and Copyrights
Writing for Accessibility
Zelle® strives to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to provide online and mobile content that is more accessible to customers with disabilities.
Some quick tips are shown here.
In addition, see our tips on designing for accessibility.
BASIC GUIDELINES
Avoid directional instructions as the consumer might be visually impaired and unable to view the screen.
We do say...
“Select from the following options:” (with the steps listed after the title)
We don't say...
“Select from the options in the right sidebar.”
DESCRIPTIVE HEADERS AND LINKS
All pages should have unique titles and headers, and all hyperlinks should have unique anchor text. Links should always provide clear specific information as to their destination.
We do say...
“Contact Support”
We don't say...
“Click here”
PLAIN LANGUAGE
All language on the page should be concise and easy to read. Mobile text should be easily scannable. Avoid jargon and slang. If you use abbreviations or acronyms, explain it on first reference. (e.g. Call to action (CTA)).
ALT TEXT
Alt tags should be included on all images. If the image supports a story, briefly describe the image. If the image serves a specific function, describe in detail what’s inside the image.
SCREEN READER ACCESSIBILITY
Text should be easily read by screen readers and text-to-speech programs. Links, lists, and headers should be clearly identified with descriptive, non-generic terms so that screen readers can clearly communicate the information on the page.
