Brand Voice & Tone

A brand’s tone of voice is the way it communicates. The tone might change in different circumstances, depending on what’s appropriate. The tone you choose will depend on your target audience, industry, and approach. Your brand’s tone might be relaxed, playful, fun, serious, formal—it depends on your brand as well as the situation. For example, a brand’s Facebook post about an exciting upcoming event will seem fun and playful, but their response to a customer complaint would be more serious and formal.

When someone refers to a brand’s voice, they’re talking about the overarching style and personality of the brand. While tone can change from one situation to the next, the voice should be consistent. This voice should represent your brand’s values, style, and “personality.” Everything from the visual content on your website to the written copy on your social media accounts will reflect your brand’s unique voice. For example, a brand voice could be youthful, fun, sarcastic, formal, serious, tongue-in-cheek, and/or relaxed.

Brand storytelling is about sharing your brand’s unique story—how the company began, how it transformed, and what sets it apart from other brands. A brand story could include the company’s history as well as the purpose and mission of the brand. By sharing this story, you’ll enable your audience to connect with your brand emotionally. It gives your audience a glimpse into your brand’s values and culture, which humanizes your brand and builds trust.

Finding a brand voice is a different journey for every brand, but it usually involves doing the following: Identify your values, vision, and target audience. Research your target audience and competitors. Identify which voices might work and which won't. Consider how you’ll express this voice—which words, visuals, and approaches will reflect the voice. Create mock social media posts and copy to assess whether it works. Many brands hire skilled professionals to help them create a brand voice.

A brand storytelling writer should have: Communication skills to understand your brand’s story and capture it in written, visual, and/or audio formats Writing skills to create high-quality copy that expresses your brand’s story Research skills so that they can research your company, competitors, and audience. Team working skills. Knowledge of current branding trends. It’s also important to have a brand storyteller that “gets” your brand and empathizes with your vision.