When people talk about brands, they often think about visual identity. However, there’s another element that also establishes what a brand is: tone and voice.
A brand’s voice is the personality and emotion infused into a company’s communication. The voice defines how a brand communicates with its audience and it influences how the audience perceives the brand.
A consistent voice is a core component for creating every piece of content. It provides a picture of your brand and it increases its memorability. To communicate successfully, you need to distinguish and define your voice so you don’t end up with a random assortment of tones.
In today’s blog post, we list some ways to help you find your brand’s voice and how to implement it into your social media strategy.
Understand Your Audience
Research your audience to properly understand how to approach them and deliver relevant messages. It’s important to listen and watch how they communicate with each other so you can incorporate it into your content. Your brand’s voice should sound familiar to your target audience and create a human connection.
“Empathy is key, focus on your customer’s voice, and make it part of your brand tone of voice to build trust and credibility.” – Semrush
Identify Your Values
It’s important to understand your brand’s values to ensure your brand voice fits your company culture. Besides helping communicate your message effectively, it will shape your brand’s community and ensure that you truly connect with your customers.
“A tone of voice is an expression of a company’s values and way of thinking. It cannot be plucked from thin air, created on a whim or entirely based on a trend you think is cool. Rather, it must grow out of who you already are as a company.” – Harriet Cummings
Define Your Tone of Voice
A good way to start defining your brand’s tone of voice is by auditing your content to identify the profile of your tone. Note any common themes or consistency in your message and determine what can be improved and what has been working. The content that’s performing well indicates what your audience connects with the most.
After learning about your current voice, you can start thinking about your personality. If the values are what you say, personality is how you say it. Choose the dimension of tone you’re aiming at, whether it’s casual, conversational or informative.
“The tone of voice is the expression and embodiment of your brand’s personality, beliefs, and values—the person behind the brand. Your tone is not only about how you speak but also the words you use and how you use them.” – Felicia Sullivan
Implement Your Voice Into Your Content
Different tones may be necessary for different circumstances. It may vary depending on the audience you communicate with, the platform you use and the goal you’re pursuing. However, your overall voice should be consistent in every piece of content.
For that reason, it’s important to define guidelines for your tone of voice. Include your audience profile, your values, and some examples.
“Writing detailed yet clear and straightforward guidelines will give you additional control over the way your message is crafted.” – Creative Translation
Finding your brand’s voice is key to developing an effective content strategy that is aligned with your vision and that appears authentic to your audience. By keeping a uniform voice, your audience will gain a better understanding of what your brand stands for and it will make you stand out from the crowd.
Need help finding your brand’s voice and implementing it into your social media strategy? Contact us today to set up a FREE discovery session with our team – we’d love to help!
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