Since its launch in 2001, oceanexplorer.noaa.gov has provided website visitors from around the world with the opportunity to discover ocean exploration. The site is a unique online record of exploration to some of the most exotic (and deepest) corners of Earth. Visitors to this site get to do more than just see pictures from the deep – they have the chance to understand these places and the mysteries these places hold through scientific essays, educational materials, interviews, videos, and more.
In 2024, the website received over 5.5 million pageviews. Content from the site was featured by media outlets ranging from NPR and USA Today to the New York Times, Newsweek, Miami Herald, and more
One of the reasons for the site's success is that the content on it (text, photos, videos) is in the public domain. This means that content on the site is considered public information and may be distributed freely. For example, a textbook publisher can reproduce text and images from the website, provided that the publisher cites the contributing author and their affiliation. This approach helps to distribute information about taxpayer-supported expeditions as widely as possible.
While we reach many audiences through the website, the bulk of content is written to reach the general public—visitors who are interested and engaged in learning about the ocean, but who are not experts in ocean science. With the vast majority of our ocean not yet explored at high resolution, development of an understanding of the importance of the ocean is key to our survival. Authors who contribute stories to this site do more than just document their expeditions or projects; the stories posted online can help improve ocean literacy and reach future generations of explorers.
Visit the pages below for specific guidelines on each of the different types of web content that are posted in order to document an expedition or project. If you have specific questions, feel free to contact us.
Expeditions or projects led or supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration are highlighted on the oceanexplorer.noaa.gov website via an expedition (or project) summary, images and videos, and optional content such as explorer biographies and feature stories.
Features are optional and are only developed if content is warranted. Features can be used to highlight important discoveries and news associated with an expedition/project or provide added context or understanding for topics relevant to the expedition/project. They are an opportunity to tell readers about what happened during an expedition or project — about events, accomplishments, challenges, discoveries, people, and tools and technologies.
When expeditions or projects are featured on the oceanexplorer.noaa.gov website, all text should be accompanied by multimedia elements to illustrate concepts and provide additional context to website visitors. Multimedia can include images, videos, or audio files.
This page outlines specific guidelines for writing any content that accompanies expeditions or projects covered on the website.
In general, the oceanexplorer.noaa.gov website follows the AP Stylebook, with a few exceptions. This page lists frequently encountered style issues and the solutions used on the website.