All art (and, in a sense, all life) is established on motifs.

A motif is simply a single element which is used repeatedly to establish connections between things and form a sense of unity between them.

The form of repeated arches or pillars in a cathedral, big bad wolves and evil step-mothers in fairy tales, and the association of the musical “baaa dum!” with the shark in Jaws are all examples of motifs.

Meanwhile, in the world of business, the systematic application of motifs goes by another name: branding.

Typically these branding motifs are visual: logos, colors, fonts, etc.

But motifs can just as easily be based in ideas and concepts as in sight and sound cues.

So, beyond your brand’s design playbook, what are the recurring ideological and conceptual motifs that could be found throughout your content?

I would venture to say it’s worth hashing those out just as carefully as you choose acceptable heading and paragraph fonts.