The way you connect with the public, through website copy or marketing channels, can be labeled as your brand voice. A successful brand voice will give you another layer of identity. You can adapt a particular style of communication to add a persona that your customers can recognise, whether it be your tone, use of phrases, emojis, etc.
It’s important to consider who you’re trying to appeal to, the way you write your copy should depend on your demographic. A law firm, for example, may prefer a more formal approach to brand voice than a Digital Marketing agency.
Shaping a brand voice can be tricky, there are a few things to consider:
- What tone would suitably represent your brand?
- Does your voice style comply with your brand guidelines? (Layouts, fonts, bold, italic etc.)
- Do you have a slogan or specific phrase people may know? (I’m Lovin’ It – McDonalds eg.)
- What sentencing and structure would suit the brand? (Short and Sweet, Long and Complex)
So, once a brand voice has been decided on, it’s time to attach it to your public image (The hard part). Here are some key areas you need to use your brand voice to help it stick.
Home Page Copy and Titles
The obvious first point of contact is your main webpage, especially in featured text. Your homepage will be the section that is viewed the most on your site, so if you want something to stick with your audience it’s most important to apply it here.
An ‘About Us’ Page That is Actually a Bit of You
When people look for information on your business or service, the about us page is usually high on the list of research points. Whilst this page may be all about what the brand offers, when it was established etc. using your brand voice will add some personality and further insight into how you like to work and present yourself.
Alternative Marketing Channels
Keeping your brand voice consistent across all your platforms is absolutely key to making it stick with the public. If you vary your style when posting in different areas, you develop a platform-based brand voice that is much harder for people to catch onto. Rather than having a confusing split personality, at least keep to some loose guidelines when communicating on the internet.
Communicating with Clients and Customers
If a customer is intrigued enough by your copy and service to get in touch as a potential client, it’s important to maintain the same style of communication throughout the encounter. Your tone of voice may even be the deciding factor in a potential customer’s decision to get in touch. Not everyone likes formal, corporate language, so changing your style once contact is made may deter them from further interaction.
In summary, the purpose of a brand voice is to add an extra layer of identity which can prove useful when attracting customers. Consistency is key to establishing this providing that your style is relevant to a target audience and easy to maintain.