Today’s post took me a hella long time to write! I hope you find it interesting and useful for your business and/or blog. At the end, there’s even a free worksheet for you to download to discover exactly what you want your brand voice to be, and how to make that happen!
I’m psyched about this piece because it took me a long time to put together. So any thoughts or feedback you have on this post and worksheet would be so useful! Hit me up via email, or on social to let me know what you think.
Anyway, onto the good stuff!
What is a Brand Voice?
Your brand voice, put simply, is the style in which you communicate with your customers, followers and target audiences.
It’s the tone you use, the language you use, and a large part of your overall brand recognition and how people remember you.
Why is Brand Voice Important?
Your brand voice sets the tone for all interactions with your customers, followers and target audiences.
It lets them know what kind of company/person you are and most importantly, it allows them to feel connected to you and recognize you in a sea of other brands out there.
It makes you unique and inspires loyalty and trust.
How Do I Get One of Dem There Brand Voices?
It’s really not hard at all. For some people, it just comes out naturally.
If you’re a blogger writing about your true passions, your brand voice is going to develop very naturally because that authenticity and passion is going to shine through no matter what.
If you are writing for another business, or are wanting to keep your business attracting a specific, or niche, clientele, then you may want to think more about your brand voice and how you’re coming across.
Regardless of who you are or what you’re writing for, the free worksheet I’ve prepared for you will walk you through finding your brand voice and putting that voice into action immediately. Check it!
A great example is well, me. Not to toot my own horn. But on this blog, I have to keep a few things in mind in order to keep my voice on track.
- This is a fairly personal blog, so I can be a little ranty and use swear words, because that’s what I’m like in real life. It’s easy to stay aligned to my brand voice because that voice is me, and it’s the same way I would talk to my friends or colleagues.
- However, because this blog also talks about what I do for a living and my professional world, I do have to remember to not go overboard, or to overshare, on certain details or bitchy remarks. I walk this line by thinking if it’s not something I would say directly to a colleague or client, then I’m not going to write it here. That’s my easy way of keeping my brand voice authentic but also professional.
- Lastly, I have to remember that there’s 1,000,000Â other people out there writing about the same topics. I truly believe I have a lot to offer along with those other people, which is why I continue to write articles like this. But it’s a good reminder to stay true to my real roots, because there’s lots of other great articles out there on blogs and biz, but there ain’t nobody else out there like me.
Examples of Great Brand Voices
These examples are so subjective, because obviously they are examples that I personally think are great. There’s no one magic way to have a brand voice, or no wrong way (other than trying to be something you’re not).
I really respond to brand voices that are a little bit weird, and fun, and show a company with a real personality. So that’s my bias.
The following are some examples of brand voices that are well-communicated, unique and most importantly consistent.
Sephora
Okay, I love Sephora for a lot of reasons… including that I am a makeup snob. But I also appreciate their highly polished and professional voice, which is mixed with a little bit of fun and positivity too. It’s inspiring, while still being very “5th Avenue”.
Check out their beauty tutorial how-tos here or The Glossy blog for examples of on-brand communications.
Studiothink
Totally biased opinion here, because this is where I work, but still. This website’s got balls, and I appreciate that. Every page of the site is fun, yet informative, and is professional yet casual. A tough mix to pull off but then again, everyone I work with is actually an astronaut/rock star so it’s all in a day’s work for them.
Check out the blog for some juicy articles about branding.
Blogilates
Cassey is an extremely motivating, positive person and her website and blog convey that exact tone. Her blog is authentic to her true voice and purpose and has remained that way since the beginning. I’ve been reading her site (and attempting to work out but let’s face it, mostly just reading it) for awhile and am thrilled with all the success she has experienced in the past few years.
She’s definitely hit the big time! But, her brand voice has remained the same which truly inspires trust that she is the real deal. So read her site for a great example of brand voice consistency, but also check out her workout vids – they are no joke!
FREE WORKSHEET!
Now it’s time to find and implement YOUR brand voice! Download the FREE worksheet below and get started on refining your blog or biz brand today.
I’d love to hear what you thought of the worksheet, and how it helped you! Hit me up in the comments, or on Twitter! 🙂
[bctt tweet=”I found my brand voice with this free worksheet for #bloggers and #bossbabes! http://wp.me/p7cQ1f-5q”%5D
I love your brand voice! It’s what my brand wants to be when I grow up. Haha! I definitely toe the line on my blog but that’s how I am in real life too. Great post and I can definitely tell you spent a lot of time on this! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Nia!! I love the voice on your blog too. To me it feels authentic and conversational, like I am actually talking to you/getting to know you. Which is my favourite kind of blog to read, especially those that teach me something like yours does. And of course I love that we’re in the same niche as copywriters. 🙂
I found Grammarly through your writing tool recommendations post and I LOVE it! Can’t imagine life without it now!
Aww thank you so much! 🙂 That’s exactly what I’m going for. Isn’t Grammarly the best? I need to spring for the paid version soon. When I combine it with Hemingway for client projects I feel so smart. Haha!
I love that you name-dropped Casey/Blogilates. She’s the most aggressively perky and positive YouTuber (that I’ve found, at least), and I am so constantly inspired by her. That, and I still do her butt workout to That’s What Makes You Beautiful like three years later. And I definitely feel like your blog has been helpful for me and finding my tone as a blogger/vlogger. You know I mostly address personal stuff, but I (as with all bloggers who want to someday work with brands) have to keep it professional, too. I think your blog shows me that I can loosen the reins on myself a bit if I provide outstanding value (like you do. And someday I hope I do too).
Thank you for the kind words! 🙂 Yes, I really do believe that you can still be pretty out there and show personality without crossing the line of professionalism or deterring brands from wanting to work with you in the future. I’m a true believe in authenticity above all.
Oh yeah and also, I agree Cassey’s butt workouts are no joke. I tried to do her workouts for 30 days straight one time and just about lost the ability to sit down permanently. Geez.
Very inspiring and totally creative! I love the way you add value to brands by giving them personality, through, tone, manner and style. Love your work!