Define the brand character with three traits
Choosing three complementary traits such as “warm, expert and clear” is more useful than long lists of adjectives. Explain what each trait means in communication — and what it does not mean.
For example, being warm is not using excessive slang; being expert is not building unintelligible technical sentences. Boundaries make the tone applicable.
Listen to the language of your audience
The phrases customers use in messages, comments and phone calls bring realism to the brand language. But instead of imitating the audience, you should speak with a clarity they understand.
Trust is built differently in tourism, healthcare, manufacturing and creative sectors. The brand’s sectoral responsibility also affects the level of humor and claims.
Prepare a written tone guide
Words to use and avoid, forms of address, the emoji approach, punctuation, CTA examples and crisis responses should be gathered in a short document. Real examples teach better than abstract rules.
In our social media service we match this guide with the design language and content pillars, building the brand’s visual and verbal identity in the same direction.
- Who are we and what do we believe in?
- Whom do we address, and from what distance?
- Which words do we deliberately use?
- How does the tone change in a complaint or crisis?
Be consistent, not identical, on every channel
Instagram can be shorter and more visual; LinkedIn more explanatory. The format of the tone may change by channel, but the core character should not.
When reviewing monthly content, check not only spelling but the tone’s alignment with brand traits. Texts written by different team members should feel like they belong to the same brand when read side by side.
The bottom line
A clear brand tone of voice speeds up content production and builds a single trustworthy character on social media instead of random posts.
If you want to apply this to your own business, Explore our social media service or contact our team directly.