5 Tips for Creating Your Brand Tone of Voice.
Ever heard of the phrase “It’s not what you say, but how you say it” 🤔 In the marketing world, this is your tone of voice. It encompasses EVERYTHING from your choice of words, their order, rhythm and point of view. AND it informs all of your brand copy- from your website, social media to email and even your packaging. If you are just getting started or considering a rebrand, here are some of my top tips 👇
Tip 1
Think of your brand as a person. Now think of 3-4 words to describe them. Are they friendly, humourous, knowledgable, loud, cheeky? Use these words to inform the tone of your copy.
Tip 2
Make a list of preferred terms as well as words you would never use. These can be linked to your values or brand mission. It's a good time to think about how inclusive your existing copy is. Swapping the use of words like "her/him" to "them" or "Hey Guys" to "Hey Folks" may seem like a small change but can have a big impact on your audience.
Tip 3
Create a “We are this but not this” list. EG: We are “fun” but never “unprofessional” etc.
This is especially helpful if you have a few people creating content for your brand as it helps your messaging to remain consistent. When making this list think beyond right now. How do you see your brand progressing? How would you like your brand to be perceived going forward?
Tip 4
Consider your brand’s use of slang, jargon and abbreviations. This is important as it can often rely heavily on your industry, target audience and the platform where your content will be hosted. Think about what your audience will expect.
Tip 5
Think about how your customer would speak and the language they use. If they recognise themselves in your copy, they are more likely to feel like they have come to the right place. Content is all about connecting and to find a connection with your audience, you need to be on common ground. You need to be relatable.
