Why brands need a voice – yours
Imagine if your brand had an appearance on a stage – what would it sound like?
Friendly and open-minded?
Serious and confident?
Or humorous with a wink?
The way your brand speaks is a big part of its impact. An unmistakable brand voice is much more than a cosmetic detail: it is the foundation for recognition, trust and emotional bonding. That’s exactly what this guide is about: you’ll learn how to give your brand a clear voice – and how to consistently embed it in your content strategy.
What is a brand voice?
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To put it simply, the brand voice is your linguistic personality.
Whether it’s a website, social media, customer service or newsletter – your brand is constantly talking. And it should always remain recognizable. Like a good friend who is immediately recognizable even on the phone.
A distinction is made between:
- Voice: the constant personality of the brand
- Tones: the situational tuning of this voice
An example: Your brand is basically relaxed and approachable (voice), but can still sound serious and empathetic in crisis communication (tones).
Developing your own brand voice – step by step
1. Who are you – and how do you want to sound?
Start by looking inwards:
- What values drive your brand? (e.g. reliability, innovation, sustainability)
- What is your attitude – courageous, objective, playful?
Tip: Think of your brand as a person. What three adjectives would describe them?
Example: “Our brand is inspiring, accessible and pragmatic.”
2. Speak the language of your target audience
“Technology expertise, disruptive, scalable” – that’s how your product team may speak, but not your customers. Good brand communication translates technical language into user language.
Ask yourself:
- How does my target group speak in everyday life?
- How does she want to be addressed – by “you” or “you”?
- What is the tone of voice in the industry – and do we want to consciously stand out from it?
Example: A young fintech can afford more wordplay than a notary – but both need clarity and trust.
3. Find the right words – and avoid inappropriate ones
A practical step: create a small brand dictionary.
Allowed:
- Partnership-based, clear, responsible
Taboo: - cheap, revolutionary, hypermodern (too sensational)
This ensures that everyone on the team speaks the same language – from the CEO to the working student on social media.
Embed the brand voice in your content strategy
Now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty: Your brand voice should not only shine on paper, but be experienced in every touchpoint.
1. A style guide that really helps
Many style guides end with color values and logo spacing. But the best brands also provide linguistic guardrails:
- How are headlines formulated?
- Which terms are allowed – and which are not?
- What does a typical social media response sound like?
Pro tip: Work with examples. Nothing explains tonality better than a before-and-after comparison.
2. Write content formats in a brand tone
Whether it’s a blog article, case study or meta description: Think about how your brand voice comes into play in each text format.
- A blog article is welcome to tell stories – but not to chat if your brand stands for precision.
- A product text may sell – but not be intrusive if your brand communicates at eye level.
In short: Let your brand voice shine in any format – discreetly, but noticeably.
3. Consistency is no coincidence
Your marketing writes differently than support? Your newsletter is on a first-name basis, but the app is on a first-name basis? Welcome to the communication chaos.
A consistent appearance can only be achieved if:
- all parties involved understand the same tone
- Guidelines are accessible and understandable
- Regular checks are made to ensure that content is consistent
Practical examples: What makes good brand voices
| Situation | Good solution (brand-compliant) | Bad solution (neutral or arbitrary) |
|---|---|---|
| Error message in app | “Oops, something went wrong. We’ll take care of it!” | “Error 404 – Page not found” |
| Order confirmation by e-mail | “Great! Your order is on its way.” | “Your order has been confirmed.” |
| Social Media Comment | “Thank you for writing to us – we’ll look into it.” | “We have received your message.” |
Conclusion: Your voice makes your brand
A strong brand is more than a logo. She has an attitude – and a voice that makes this attitude audible. If you develop, cultivate and use this voice in a targeted manner, your communication will be clearer, more consistent – and more memorable.
In part 2 of this series, you’ll learn how to transfer your brand voice to UX writing and microcopy for a consistent brand experience in every click and button text.
Extra tip to take away:
Use the momentum from this article and create your first “tone-of-voice memo”: three adjectives, a typical sentence in the brand tone, a list of forbidden words. Start small – make a big impact.