What is brand voice?

When we think of brands, we often think of consistent colors, logos, and fonts. In other words, we think of how the brands look from the outside. What is often overlooked is how the brand sounds. Brand voice is the distinct personality that a brand uses in all of its communications, from social media posts to internal communications, blog posts, and newsletters.

Why does brand voice matter?

So why is a consistent brand voice important? In short, it helps you stand out. There are so many different options out there for services and products that we need a way to distinguish ourselves from the crowd. Consistency is key to creating memorable content. And that extends to the specific words and graphics we use. The main reason that consumers unfollow accounts on social media is irrelevant content. You want to be recognized immediately when your posts come up. If someone can identify your brand before they see your handle, you’ve succeeded.

Example Brand Voice Identifiers

Here’s a list of some brand voice examples to get you started. 

• Authentic

• Bold

• Caring

• Cheerful

• Confident

• Elegant

• Feisty

• Inspiring

• Irreverent

• Serious

• Witty

Create a brand voice chart for reference

Take 3-4 brand identifier words that you chose to represent your brand and put them into a chart. Add explanations for each one and how each one should (and should not) be used in your content.

1. List your brand characteristics on the left.

2. Include a brief explanation of each trait in the next column.

3. Explain how to use (and not use) this trait in the next two columns.

Keep this on hand for writers to use as a reference.

Here’s an example brand voice chart:

Apply the appropriate tone to your brand voice

It’s important to differentiate between your brand voice and your tone. For example, if you were delivering bad news, you probably wouldn’t want to sound humorous. So if humorous is one of your brand voice identifiers, you may need to dial that back sometimes and utilize different tones in those circumstances.

Your voice describes your company’s personality. It’s consistent and doesn’t vary much. Your tone is the emotional inflection applied to your voice. It adjusts to what’s suitable for a particular piece or message.

Discover your brand voice

Now that you understand brand voice identifiers, it’s time to create your own. Choose brand words that feel like you. Are you charming? Confident? Witty? Light-hearted? Remember that your brand voice can change over time as well as priorities shift and companies grow. Your brand voice chart can grow and change with you and your brand.

For further guidance on brand voice, schedule a free virtual strategy session with us. We will give you over 60 brand words to choose from and guide you through the process of finding combinations that work well together and how you can execute them across your content.