Brand Voice: Say What?
What is Brand Voice and Why is it Important?
If you run a business, chances are you use marketing to advertise your product or service, and connect with your audience. You may know what kind of marketing you need to use, but have you considered how to say what you’re saying? As Joey Tribbiani once famously said, ‘it’s not what you said, it’s the way you said it’. In the world of marketing, we refer to this as brand voice.
This blog will explore what brand voice is, the types of brand voices, why you should identify yours, and how you can do it.
What is Brand Voice?
Who and what now? Brand voice is essentially your company’s personality and how it connects with others. While some businesses need to use a more clinical and direct tone, for example medical services, others are better suited to a more personable, warm, and friendly voice, like a youth fashion brand.
It’s important to keep a consistent voice across all of your channels, although tone can change depending on circumstances.
Elements to consider include:
- Audience
- Character
- Emotion
- Purpose
- Language
- Tone
Why Does It Matter?
Regardless of which style of voice you choose, it needs to be authentic and consistent. This way, you ensure your brand is easily identified and stands out amongst the competition, and helps you be seen as an authority in your industry. If your voice changes constantly or throughout different platforms, it makes it difficult for your intended audience to notice you and stick with you.
Why Should I Identify My Brand’s Voice?
Well, it depends. Do you want more customers? Do you want to increase client loyalty? Do you want to build trust in your audience? If you said yes to any of the above, it’s time to give your brand its voice!
5 Common Types of Brand Voice
If you’re unsure what voice your brand needs, take a look at these examples to see if any fit the bill:
- Authoritative— well-researched and confident, without being condescending
- Helpful— somebody who genuinely wants to help solve the customer’s problems, without being over-the-top
- Sophisticated— think luxury and glamorous, but not snobby or rude
- Funny— humorous and playful, but not overly casual or full of niche references (everybody knows who Joey Tribbiani is, right?!)
- Passionate— a cheerleader for your brand who is enthusiastic without coming across too dramatic
How Do I Define My Business Voice?
- The first step is to identify your company’s core values. Review your mission statement and look at your current content and messaging, noting any consistencies or lack thereof. Decide if your current voice is the best choice for your brand, and if not, how you can improve it.
- Once you know what you’re hoping to achieve, put your plans into action. Make sure all of your employees, freelancers, interns, etc know the brand voice so that anybody who writes for you knows which hat to put on when they get to work.
Need Help with Branding or Content Strategy?
Speaking of people who can write for you— Mber Media can do just that! We understand the importance of brand voice and easily adapt depending on your company’s brief. We offer competitive rates for digital agencies, with packages and hourly rates available.
Enquire today to discuss how we can help you achieve your branding goals!