Why we've relaxed character limits

Making the Call; a series where we unpack the decisions that shaped Isomer Next. Not just the wins, but the trade-offs, second guesses, and lessons we've learnt... all out in the open.

Government sites should be concise, but not through restrictions ☁️

For a long time, we placed tight restrictions on character limits on Isomer Studio. It wasn’t because we wanted to make your lives harder, but because we believed limits would push content to be easier to scan, succinct, and accessible.

Over time, we’ve heard your feedback that strict character limits are frustrating. Many of you write and review content outside the Studio first, so limits only added friction without guiding you on what makes content clear and effective.

We still think that government communications should be easy to scan and understand and trust that you agree. But we’ve also learned that true support comes in the form of guidance, not restrictions.

So here’s what’s changed.

What’s changed and what's not

We’ve lifted character limits across most of our blocks. Yes, you’ve read that right.

Some limits stay where the text is very prominent and appears above the fold. These are Hero, Notification banner, and Page title/summaries.

Exception #1: Hero

Your hero is users' first impression to your site. Titles should be max 100 characters. Descriptions are capped at 300 characters.

Exception #2: Notification banner

To keep notifications readable, a banner’s title can show up to 150 characters. Description can fit up to 300 characters.

Exception #3: Page title and summary (across all layouts)

Page titles can show up to 250 characters. Summaries are capped at 500 characters. This applies across all page layouts.

These are still ‘maximum’ limits, so the more concise, the better.

For everywhere else - accordions, cards, columns, alt texts, tags, block titles, block descriptions… we've removed restrictions so that you can write concise content in peace, and we don’t restrict you when it matters.

We’ll support you to write more impactful content 💓

Throughout the months to come, we'll introduce soft guidance to help you shape better content without getting in your way.

What this might look like:

• Reminders when your content starts getting a bit too long,

• Real examples of good content from different agencies,

• Richer guides and templates…

and more. You will see some of these coming your way in 2026.

You’ll always stay in control of what you publish, but we’ll be here to support you every step of the way.

Need help or want to provide feedback?

If you’d like to feedback or want to learn ways to make your content more concise, reach out to the Isomer team.

We’re committed to working with you on writing content that’s both accurate and easy to read for the public. Thanks for being a part of Isomer, and thank you for all that you do to communicate with clarity for public good 🫶🏻