Brand Tone and Voice: Why You Need a Guide
What is Brand Tone and Voice?
When you think of a brand what comes to mind? A beautiful logo, a color palette, maybe even some design elements? Did your mind go to an Instagram grid or business cards? What about the words, the Instagram caption or the way the website is written?
The tone and voice you use in the writing associated with your business is as much a part of your brand as your logo. It helps set you apart and contributes to your overall personality.
So, what’s the difference between tone and voice? Think of it this way: You have the same voice all the time, but your tone changes. You might use one tone when you're out to dinner with your closest friends, and a different tone when you're in a meeting with your boss.
Your tone also changes depending on the emotional state of the person you’re addressing. You wouldn’t want to use the same tone of voice with someone who’s scared or upset as you would with someone who’s laughing. But it’s all still coming from your own voice.
Tone and Voice Guides
What is a Tone and Voice guide and why do you need one?
A Tone and Voice guide is a roadmap of sorts, it has defined lanes and clear right and wrong turns. Once you’ve determined both the voice of your brand and different tones you take, it should be captured in a guide. This document also makes it seamless for someone else to write for your brand, whether that be social posts, a blog or web content.
Adhering to certain rules of grammar and mechanics helps keep writing clear and consistent. Part of drafting a Tone and Voice Guide for your brand involves defining a “house style”, a way of writing that will remain consistent.
As important as it is to know what you do say, it's equally as important to know what you DON’T say as a brand.
It’s helpful to define those boundaries, so start with what you brand is then find the limit of what is too far. These parameters are helpful to outline in your brand’s guide. That exercise could look like this:
Your brand is:
Encouraging not Pushy
Bold not Intimidating
High-end not Pretentious
One thing to consider in your “house style” of writing are emojis!
Emojis are a fun way to add humor and visual interest to your writing, but are they right for your brand? If so, which ones? Define a selection of emojis that feel authentic and give yourself boundaries. It’s all too easy to go overboard and cloud your message with emojis.
Appropriative and Problematic Language
Language is powerful, and the language we choose to represent ourselves and our brand is important. Not all language is appropriate for everyone to use. Many of us with privilege have spent our lives using words with origins unknown to us, and are now realizing that some of these terms are problematic or culturally appropriative.
Problematic language is the use of any words or phrases that have specific, derogative meaning toward a specific marginalized group of people.
Culturally Appropriative Language
Culturally appropriative language is the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.
One of the most common forms of cultural appropriation in marketing is the use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE). AAVE encompasses several labels including Ebonics, Black English, African American English, Black Vernacular, Black English Vernacular and Black Vernacular English. All of which describe the English that is primarily, but not exclusively, associated with the speech of African Americans. Many linguists use the label “African American English” (AAE), but the addition of the term ‘vernacular’ (meaning “common everyday language”) is gaining favor, since the word distinguishes it from the formal English spoken by many African Americans. (source)
If you are white or a non-Black POC, you do not, without discretion, have the ability to use AAVE. Here is an extensive list of AAVE terms and their substitutes which was compiled by a community of BIPOC who wanted to have an easier resource to send to white folks who were asking BIPOC to educate them. (This is not a list put together by VVITCH Digital, nor do we take credit for it.)
Ableist Language
Ableism is the systematic exclusion and oppression of people with disability, often expressed and reinforced through language. (source) Ableist language can be common in everyday conversation, and much of which you might not even realize is ableist. Ableist language is any language that demeans people with disabilities (like calling someone “cr*zy”) or makes assumptions about a person’s abilities (“raise your hand if…”). It can also look like common phrases that use disabled people as a substitute for something negative, such as saying something is “tone deaf” or “falling on deaf ears”.
As you are defining your Tone and Voice guide and writing for your brand keep in mind what the root origins of common terms are and investigate what certain terms and phrases are implying. This practice is crucial in mindful writing and accurate representation of your brand.
So What Now?
It’s likely that you have already begun to define your brand’s tone and voice unintentionally. The natural way that you speak and write may very well be a strong foundation for your voice. Though if you plan to grow it’s always helpful to have a roadmap and boundaries for the way you write. If you’re not sure where to go from here and want to implement a tone and voice guide, we would love to help! Reach out to us about the guide as part of a package or an a la carte service.
More Advice for Building Your Brand
Meet the Author
Connor Bernard - Copywriter
Connor has worked in both advertising agencies and internal creative departments alike on clients ranging from tech to food and beverage and even a few state agencies. She shares her passion between writing and ceramic art, so you'll likely find her either behind the keys or on the wheel making something beautiful.
