Are you looking to establish a strong connection with your target audience?
Communication is key in any relationship, and the same is true for your brand and its audience. One important aspect of this communication is your brand's voice. Brand voice is the unique personality and tone your brand uses to express itself and connect with its audience.
In this article, we will explainwhat brand voice is and why it is important. So let's get started!
What is a brand voice?
The eloquence of a brand's communication plays a vital role in shaping the perception of its target audience. The brand voice is a unique way of expressing the brand's personality and mission. It helps the brand communicate in a relatable and responsive way that gives it a human quality.
Creating a brand voice helps establish a clear tone and style, which can create a cohesive and effective brand presence. In doing so, the brand is able to foster a meaningful and enduring relationship with its audience.
What is brand tone?
A brand's tone is how it conveys its personality and establishes an emotional connection with its audience. A brand's voice stays the same in all communications, but its tone may change based on the audience and circumstances. It is essential that a brand's tone remains true to its overall identity while imbuing context-specific nuance. In doing so, the brand is able to effectively communicate with its audience and establish a strong, enduring relationship.
Creating a distinct brand voice on social media
A brand's unique voice helps it communicate with its audience, but it also helps guide and educate them about the brand. This can help build acceptance of the brand. Without a clear and cohesive brand voice, customers may struggle to understand the values and ideals that a brand represents. This would lead to confusion and potentially causing them to disengage from the brand.
Establishing a strong brand identity takes time and effort, but it is worth the investment. The consequences of compromising on branding due to a lack of a distinct voice can be severe. It takes only a few seconds for a customer to unfollow or disengage from a brand. Therefore, it is essential for a brand to take the time to develop a unique and cohesive brand voice.
Why does brand voice matter?
Posting irrelevant content and trying to "force" a relationship with customers can harm a brand's identity.
When a brand lacks a clear and cohesive brand voice, it may be confusing to understand. It might also struggle to connect with its audience, leading to the creation of content that fails to resonate with them. If a brand constantly sends its customers meaningless content, they are more likely to lose interest and stop using the brand.
How does brand voice help in establishing brand values?
A consistent brand voice serves as a means of communicating and reinforcing a brand's values to its audience. This helps customers feel confident that the brand can provide reliable solutions.
Consistency helps create familiarity, and customers are more likely to trust and feel secure with brands that they are familiar with. Having a strong and consistent brand voice helps a brand build familiarity and trust with its audience.
Why is it important to define your unique brand voice?
I always wanted to be somebody but now I realize I should’ve been more specific
The elements of brand voice to focus on while defining a unique brand voice
- Consistency: It's important to be consistent in your brand voice across all channels and communications. This helps to establish a clear and recognizable brand identity.
- Authenticity: Your brand voice should be genuine and authentic, reflecting the values and personality of your brand.
- Clarity: Your brand voice should be clear and easy to understand, helping to effectively communicate your message to your audience.
- Flexibility: Your brand voice should be flexible, so you can effectively communicate with your audience in different contexts and situations.
- Empathy: Your brand voice should be empathetic and understanding, showing that you care about your customers and their needs.
- Purpose: Your brand voice should be aligned with your brand's purpose and mission. It should help to communicate the value and impact of your brand to your audience.
Here are a few tips on how to develop a brand voice with examples
1. Time is of the essence – secure your copy of "Brand Personality" ASAP.
To shape the perception of your brand's mission, services, or products, craft a cohesive and emotionally resonant narrative. Reflect on the characteristics that your brand would embody if it were a person.
Consumers are often drawn to brands that align with their own personal traits and values. By aligning your brand with a distinct personality, you can create a more relatable and meaningful connection with your audience. So, it is very important to consider the personality traits of your brand while defining its unique brand voice.
Brand: Nike
Tag line: Just do it
Target Audience: Sports fitness enthusiasts, higher-income socio-economic groups, and people leading an active healthy lifestyle
Brand personality: Sporty, motivated confident
Brand voice: Assertive motivating
To ensure consistency in its messaging, Nike showcases individuals who expresses the brand's aspirational and drive. These "aspirers" and "succeeders" represent the brand's target market of sports and fitness enthusiasts. Their stories of dedication and determination align with Nike's upbeat, friendly, and inspiring brand voice. By consistently highlighting these individuals, Nike reinforces its brand identity and message, creating a strong and meaningful connection with its audience.
Nike's brand voice examples:
2. Delve deeper into your brand's "Strategic Vision"
Brand: Zomato
Tag line: Never have a bad meal
Target audience: People between 18-35 who prefer to eat out or order in
Brand personality: Refreshing, unconventional & down-to-earth
Brand voice: Light-hearted, witty & sometimes, capricious
Zomato's use of humor in its brand voice is a smart and effective way to engage with its audience. It also helps to focus on building a sense of community.
The brand's unconventional and engaging tone helps it stand out in a crowded market. Its deep understanding of what resonates with its community allows it to consistently create content that resonates and drives engagement.
By leveraging its unique and humorous brand voice, Zomato is able to effectively connect with its audience. This also helps to drive its strategic vision of building a strong and loyal community.
Zomato's brand voice examples:
3. Crystallizing your brand’s clear-cut "Purpose"
To establish a clear and distinct brand voice, it is important to carefully consider the messaging and values of your brand. Start by asking yourself important questions about your brand's goals, objectives, and core values. What do you want to say, and why is it important? How will you communicate your message to your target audience?
Asking questions and refining your messaging helps you strengthen communication with your target audience and effectively communicate your brand's unique message.
Brand: Starbucks
Tagline: Here’s to the best part of your day
Target audience: People between 22-60, middle and upper class, as well as educated, socially aware, active, and busy. Teen audiences growing steadily.
Brand personality: Sophisticated, personal and outgoing
Brand voice: Fresh, relevant & expressive
Starbucks' main goal is to create a welcoming and enjoyable experience for customers. To further enhance its marketing strategy, the company actively seeks out and incorporates customer feedback.
Starbucks is committed to being a socially responsible and ethically minded company. It has initiatives in place to support responsible purchasing practices, reduce its environmental impact, and promote conservation efforts. These efforts are integral to the brand's philosophy and serve to further distinguish it in the market.
Starbucks' brand voice examples:
4. Incorporate "Principles" into your messages
When you share content with the public, the words and tone you use can influence how people perceive your brand. This is why it is important to be consistent in your brand voice. By using adjectives that align with your brand's identity and avoiding technical jargon that may alienate your audience.
A messaging framework can help you ensure that your brand's messaging is consistent and effective. It outlines your brand's communication goals and messaging priorities.
To ensure consistency in how your brand is presented, consider organizing key terms, phrases, and statements in a hierarchy. Make sure everyone on your team uses them consistently. By consistently and authentically communicating your brand's message, you can create a strong and meaningful connection with your audience.
Brand: Uber
Tagline: Go anywhere
Target audience: Riders between 16- 65
Brand personality: Safe, helpful & friendly
Brand voice: Simple, direct, bold, witty from a place of passion and conviction
Uber prioritizes the safety of its riders, consistently emphasizing this core value through various channels, including email marketing. By sending a follow-up email, Uber demonstrates its commitment to keeping its customers safe and supported.
In addition, the company consistently reinforces its brand values of safety, helpfulness, and friendliness in all of its messaging and actions. This further cements its reputation as a reliable and trustworthy brand. By prioritizing rider safety and consistently, Uber is able to create a strong and positive connection with its customers.
Uber's brand voice examples:
5. Empower your employees to "Be the Voice" and train them
Through carefully crafted workshops and engaging discussions, your employees can become proficient in embodying the values and messages of your brand. Creating an open and collaborative environment allows your team to fully understand and follow the expectations for representing the brand.
Every member of your organization, regardless of their role, serves as a representative of your brand to the outside world. Investing in your team's ability to effectively communicate and uphold your brand's integrity is important. This helps you in maintaining a cohesive and consistent brand voice.
Brand: Amazon
Tagline: Work Hard, Have Fun, Make History
Target audience: Students and professionals, Moderate to high-income singles and families
Brand personality: Sincere and competent
Brand voice: Reliable and caring
New hires at Amazon need to participate in a leadership and development program before they join the team. This month-long program teaches employees to take ownership and responsibility for the products and services they will deliver to customers. The goal is to instill a sense of ownership in all employees.
Amazon values individuals who are willing to take bold risks and embrace ownership. By prioritizing this leadership and development program, Amazon cultivates a culture of innovation and customer focus.
Amazon's brand voice examples:
Conclusion
Examining successful brand voice examples can help you understand the tone needed to establish a brand voice for your own brand. It is important to recognize that a brand's voice encompasses both its marketing and social voices.
The key to effectively communicating your brand's personality to your audience is to first identify and refine your brand voice. So take your time and carefully consider the voice that best represents your brand. By doing this, you can effectively convey the unique character of your brand to the world.
Cheers!