What is brand voice?

Imagine your brand as a person. How would that person talk? Would they be serious and professional, or friendly and humorous? This 'personality' in your communication is what we call brand voice. It's the consistent style, tone, and emotion you use in all your messages, whether it's on your website, social media, emails, or even customer service interactions.

A strong brand voice helps your audience recognize and connect with you. Think of it like a familiar friend whose way of speaking you instantly recognize. When your brand always communicates in the same way, it builds trust and makes your brand feel more authentic and reliable. It's not just about what you say, but how you say it.

Why it matters

Having a well-defined brand voice is crucial for several reasons in today's crowded marketplace. It's more than just a preference; it's a strategic tool that impacts your brand's success.

• Builds connection and trust: A consistent voice helps your audience feel like they know your brand. This familiarity builds trust and makes them more likely to engage with your content and products.
• Stands out from competitors: Many businesses offer similar products or services. Your brand voice is a unique differentiator that can make you memorable and help you attract the right audience.
• Improves brand recognition: When your communication style is consistent, people start to associate that style with your brand. This makes your brand instantly recognizable across different platforms and campaigns.
• Guides content creation: A clear brand voice acts as a guide for anyone creating content for your brand. It ensures that all marketing materials, from blog posts to ad copy, sound cohesive and on-brand.

How to develop your brand voice

Creating a strong brand voice isn't just about picking a few adjectives. It's a thoughtful process that involves understanding your brand and your audience.

Understand your audience

Who are you talking to? What are their interests, challenges, and the language they use? Your brand voice should resonate with them. For example, if your audience is young entrepreneurs, a playful and energetic voice might work well. If you're targeting medical professionals, a more authoritative and informative voice would be appropriate.

Define your brand personality

If your brand were a person, what would their key traits be? Are they innovative, caring, rebellious, practical, or inspiring? List 3-5 adjectives that describe your brand's core personality. This exercise helps translate abstract ideas into concrete communication guidelines.

Create a brand voice guide

Once you've defined your personality, create a simple guide. This document should outline specific characteristics of your voice, provide examples of words to use and avoid, and explain how the voice should adapt (or not) to different situations. For example, it might specify: 'Always use encouraging language, avoid overly technical jargon unless necessary, and maintain a slightly humorous tone where appropriate.'

Train your team

Ensure that everyone who creates content or communicates with customers understands and applies the brand voice. This includes social media managers, copywriters, customer service representatives, and even sales teams. Regular training and review can help maintain consistency.

Applying brand voice in marketing

Your brand voice should be present in every piece of communication your brand puts out. Here are some examples of where it makes a big difference:

• Content marketing: Your blog posts, articles, and whitepapers should all reflect your brand's personality. If your voice is informative and authoritative, your content should be well-researched and direct. If it's friendly and conversational, your blog posts might use anecdotes and a more casual style.
• Social media: This is a prime space to showcase your brand's personality. Your captions, responses to comments, and even the types of emojis you use should align with your defined voice.
• Paid advertising: Ad copy needs to be concise but still carry your brand's unique voice. The language used in your ads can significantly impact who clicks and how they perceive your offer.
• Email marketing: From subject lines to the body of the email, your voice should be consistent. A playful brand might use witty subject lines, while a professional brand would keep them clear and benefit-driven.
• SEO: While SEO focuses on keywords, your brand voice influences how you integrate those keywords naturally into your content. It ensures that even when optimizing for search engines, your content still sounds like your brand.

Developing and maintaining a consistent brand voice is an ongoing effort, but it's an investment that pays off by building stronger connections with your audience and solidifying your brand's identity in the market. Start by defining your brand's personality and then apply that voice consistently across all your marketing efforts.