Balanced Prose & Lists Writing Guide

Note: This guide is referenced by strategy/agent-context.md. All Adwave content should follow these balanced formatting principles.

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The Core Principle

Use the format that best serves the reader for each piece of information.

Our content should read like something a knowledgeable expert wrote, using prose to explain and connect ideas, and lists to make scannable information accessible. Neither format is inherently better. The goal is reader comprehension and engagement, not adherence to a single style.

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The Problem We're Solving

Two Extremes to Avoid

Too List-Heavy (Bad):

• Content reads like a PowerPoint deck or database dump
• No explanation of why things matter
• Readers skim without understanding
• Everything looks equally important

Too Prose-Heavy (Also Bad):

• Important information buried in paragraphs
• Readers can't quickly scan for key points
• Data comparisons become confusing
• Actionable steps get lost in narrative

The Goal: Strategic Balance

Good content uses prose to explain and connect, and lists to organize and highlight. A section might open with prose context, use a list for parallel items, then close with prose analysis. The formats work together.

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When to Use Each Format

Use Prose For...

Use Lists For...

The New Rule: 3+ Parallel Items

Use lists when you have 3 or more parallel items, especially if they include data, steps, or specific details. The old "4+ items" rule was too restrictive.

✅ Good use of list (3 items with data):

The viewing time breaks down by generation:

- **Adults 65+:** 6.5 hours daily (highest)
- **Adults 50-64:** 5.4 hours daily
- **Adults 35-49:** 4.0 hours daily
- **Adults 18-34:** 3.5 hours daily
- **Teens 12-17:** 2.5 hours daily

The pattern is clear: older Americans watch significantly more television...

❌ Bad (data buried in prose):

Adults 65 and older watch 6.5 hours daily, while adults 50-64 watch 5.4 hours, adults 35-49 watch about 4 hours, adults 18-34 watch 3.5 hours, and teens 12-17 watch 2.5 hours daily.

The list version is scannable and the data is easy to compare. The prose version is a wall of numbers.

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Section-by-Section Guidelines

Different sections benefit from different prose/list balances:

Key Change: Data Belongs in Lists

Whenever you have multiple data points (percentages, hours, dollar amounts, etc.), consider using a list or table. Data buried in prose is hard to scan and compare.

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Examples: When to Use Which Format

Example 1: Data Breakdown (Lists Are Better)

❌ Bad (data buried in prose):

## TV viewing by time of day

Morning viewing peaks between 7-9 AM and captures about 8% of daily viewing. Daytime viewing from 9 AM to 4 PM accounts for roughly 25% of total daily television time. Prime time from 7-10 PM captures approximately 35% of all daily viewing. Late night viewing from 10 PM to midnight captures another 15% of daily viewing.

This is hard to scan. The reader can't quickly compare time periods.

✅ Good (prose + list):

## TV viewing by time of day

Television viewing follows predictable daily rhythms that advertisers can exploit:

- **Morning (7-9 AM):** 8% of daily viewing, mostly news and background content
- **Daytime (9 AM-4 PM):** 25% of daily viewing, traditionally stay-at-home audiences plus remote workers
- **Prime time (7-10 PM):** 35% of daily viewing, highest-quality attention when households gather
- **Late night (10 PM-midnight):** 15% of daily viewing, younger skewing audiences

Prime time commands the most attention and the highest ad prices for good reason: this is when families are together and engagement peaks.

The list makes time periods scannable, while prose provides context before and analysis after.

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Example 2: How-To Section (Balance Both)

❌ Bad (checklist only):

## How to take advantage

1. Set geographic targeting
2. Choose evening hours
3. Budget $200-500
4. Use AI-generated creative
5. Measure brand metrics

No explanation of why these choices matter.

❌ Also Bad (pure prose, no structure):

## How to take advantage

Start with geographic targeting that matches your actual customer base. For most local businesses, a 15-25 mile radius captures the majority of potential customers. Time your campaigns around evening hours from 6-10 PM when households are together. Budget strategically with $200-$500 for two weeks to achieve real frequency. Creative matters, so use AI-powered platforms to generate broadcast-quality ads. Measure brand search volume and website traffic rather than expecting immediate clicks.

Important action items get lost in the paragraph.

✅ Good (prose + structured list):

## How to take advantage

Understanding TV viewing patterns is useful. Knowing how to act on that information is what actually grows your business.

**Key strategic moves:**

- **Geographic targeting:** Set a 15-25 mile radius around your location so every impression reaches potential customers
- **Prime time focus:** Evening hours (6-10 PM) capture the highest-quality viewing when households are together
- **Frequency over reach:** Budget $200-500 for two weeks to reach your audience multiple times, not once
- **AI creative:** Use platforms that generate broadcast-quality ads from your website in minutes
- **Brand metrics:** Track search volume and website traffic, not just immediate conversions

Start with enough budget to achieve real frequency in your target area. Better to reach 5,000 households four times each than 20,000 households once.

This version explains the strategic approach, lists the key actions for scannability, and adds context.

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Example 3: Platform Comparisons (Lists Essential)

❌ Bad (run-on sentence):

The platforms capturing streaming time include YouTube at 10.6% of total viewing, followed by Netflix at 7.9%, then Amazon Prime Video at 3.1%, Hulu at 2.6%, Disney+ at 1.9%, and Peacock at 1.1%.

✅ Good (list with context):

Streaming viewership is distributed across major platforms:

- **YouTube:** 10.6% of total TV viewing (largest streaming platform)
- **Netflix:** 7.9%
- **Amazon Prime Video:** 3.1%
- **Hulu:** 2.6%
- **Disney+:** 1.9%
- **Peacock:** 1.1%

YouTube's dominance is particularly notable for advertisers since it's fully ad-supported, unlike subscription-heavy competitors.

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Example 4: FAQ Answer (Depends on Content)

When prose works better:

### How has daily TV viewing changed over the past decade?

Daily viewing has remained remarkably stable at 3.5-4 hours despite smartphone adoption. The real story isn't declining consumption but *migrating* consumption, as viewers shift from cable and broadcast to streaming while maintaining similar total viewing time.

When a list works better:

### What platforms count as "streaming" in these stats?

Nielsen's streaming category includes:

- YouTube (main platform, not YouTube TV)
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock
- FAST services (Tubi, Pluto TV, Roku Channel)
- Other streaming apps on connected TVs

It does not include virtual MVPDs like YouTube TV or Hulu Live, which are tracked separately.

Use lists in FAQ answers when the question asks "what includes" or "what are the types of" something.

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The Balanced Approach Pattern

The best content uses both formats strategically. Here's the pattern:

## [Section heading]

[1-2 sentences of prose introduction/context]

[List or table of parallel items, data points, or steps]

[1-2 sentences of prose analysis, recommendation, or transition]

This pattern:

• Opens with context so the list has meaning
• Uses the list for scannable, parallel information
• Closes with analysis or next steps

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Red Flags: Too Far in Either Direction

Your Content Might Be Too List-Heavy If...

• Benefits are listed without explanation of why they matter
• Lists have no prose context before or after
• Each list item is a complete paragraph (should be prose)
• The content would work as a PowerPoint slide

Your Content Might Be Too Prose-Heavy If...

• Data points (percentages, hours, dollars) are buried in long paragraphs
• Readers can't quickly scan for key numbers or steps
• You have 4+ parallel items crammed into one sentence
• Time-based or demographic breakdowns are hard to compare
• The "how to" section has no visible structure

The Read-Aloud Test

Read your content aloud. It should:

• Flow naturally (not sound like a grocery list)
• Have clear structure (not be an undifferentiated wall of text)
• Make data easy to find (not bury numbers in prose)

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Quick Reference

Use PROSE for:

• Introductions and context-setting
• Explaining why something matters
• Analysis and interpretation
• Transitions and conclusions
• Recommendations with reasoning

Use LISTS for:

• 3+ parallel items (platforms, features, steps)
• Data breakdowns (by age, time, platform)
• Percentages and statistics that should be comparable
• Quick-reference information readers will scan
• Action items in how-to sections

Every list needs:

• Prose context before it (what are we listing and why?)
• Parallel structure (items are the same type)
• Prose follow-up when appropriate (analysis, recommendation)

Every prose section with data needs:

• Consider: would a list make this scannable?
• Multiple percentages or numbers → probably use a list
• Demographic or time-based breakdown → definitely use a list

Version history

• v1 · 6/20/2026, 3:11:54 AM · migration import