Building Your Brand Voice: How to Create a Clear Tone of Voice for Your Business

Products can be copied. Services can be matched. But your brand voice, the way you speak to your audience, that’s what makes you recognisable, relatable and remembered. 

Your brand’s voice is how your business sounds when it shows up; in emails, on socials, in ads, even in the fine print.

Think about it. Would you trust a brand that sounds completely different every time it talks to you? Probably not. People connect with consistency. And connection drives loyalty.

So, how do you build a tone of voice that’s polished but real? One that’s clear, distinct, and unmistakably you? Let’s break it down, step by step.

What Is a Brand Voice?

Your brand’s tone of voice is how you communicate with your audience. The style, emotion, and personality behind the words you use. Case in point, it’s not just what you say, but the way you say it.

Think of it like this: if your brand were a person, what kind of language would they use? Are they friendly and casual, or professional and polished? Do they use humour, or are they more straight to the point?

The goal is to create a tone that aligns with your brand values, appeals to your target audience, and can be replicated across platforms and teams.

Why Does Tone of Voice Matter?

A well-defined tone of voice helps ensure your communication is not only recognisable but also relatable.

Here’s why tone of voice matters:

• It creates consistency: Customers know what to expect from your brand, whether they’re reading your blog or chatting with customer support.
• It humanises your business: People connect with people. A relatable tone makes your brand feel more approachable and genuine.
• It differentiates you: A strong voice helps you stand out in a competitive market where many businesses may be offering similar products or services.
• It shapes perception: The tone you use influences how people feel about your brand. Do you come across as confident? Compassionate? Innovative?

How to Build Your Brand Voice

Step 1: Define Who You Are

Before you can develop a voice, you need to have a strong understanding of your brand identity. Ask yourself:

• What are our core values?
• What do we stand for?
• How do we want to make people feel when they interact with us?

This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise. The more clearly you can articulate who you are, the easier it becomes to express that identity through language.

Step 2: Understand Your Audience

You can’t speak effectively if you don’t know who you’re speaking to. Your tone of voice should reflect not just your brand, but your audience’s expectations and preferences.

Ask questions like:

• Who are our ideal customers?
• What kind of language do they use and respond to?
• What do they care about?

For example, a not-for-profit working with youth might use a tone that’s more upbeat and informal, while a B2B consultancy may benefit from a tone that’s authoritative but still human.

Step 3: Audit Your Current Content

Take a look at your existing content. This can look like anything: website copy, emails, blog posts, even social media captions.

Is there consistency in the tone? Does it sound like it’s coming from the same brand across the board?

You might find that different team members have been writing in different styles, or that some messaging feels off-brand. That’s okay. This is your opportunity to identify what’s working and what needs adjusting.

Also read: Your 1-Hour Business Audit (& How to Make More Course Sales)

Step 4: Choose Your Voice Attributes

Once you’ve got a solid grasp on your brand and audience, start defining specific tone of voice attributes. These are the adjectives that describe your brand’s communication style.

You might choose words like:

• Friendly
• Expert
• Playful
• Empowering
• Direct
• Honest

Just be careful not to pick too many. Three to five core traits are usually enough to shape your tone in a way that’s both distinct and manageable.

Need help expressing this clearly?

This is where hiring qualified and experienced content and copywriters can make a world of difference. Skilled writers not only bring your brand voice to life, but they also help you document it in tone of voice guidelines that your entire team can use.

Many communications professionals refine these skills through formal study, such as an online Masters in Communication. With a deeper understanding of media, messaging and strategy, they’re able to craft content that’s aligned, engaging and strategically sound.

Step 5: Create Your Tone of Voice Guide

A tone of voice guide acts as your reference point for all written communications. It outlines your brand personality, key voice traits, dos and don’ts, and examples of how your tone should sound in different contexts.

For example:

Trait: Friendly
Do: Use conversational language, contractions (“you’ll”, “we’re”), and a first-person tone.
Don’t: Be overly formal or use jargon.

This guide should be shared widely across your team ( marketers, customer service reps, social media managers, and even executives). That way, no matter who’s communicating, your brand voice stays consistent.

Step 6: Practice, Monitor, Refine

Like any other aspect of branding, your tone of voice may evolve over time. What works today might not feel right five years from now, especially if your audience or business goals shift.

Keep listening to feedback, reviewing content performance, and checking that your voice still fits.

Ask your audience: Do we sound like we’re speaking to you?

It’s also worth reviewing your tone of voice regularly alongside your broader brand strategy. As your organisation grows or changes direction, your communication style may need to adjust with it.

Final words

Creating a clear tone of voice is all about building a genuine connection with your audience through language that’s aligned with your brand identity and consistent across every touchpoint.

In such a diverse market, a strong brand voice can be the difference between blending in and standing out. Whether you’re just starting out or rebranding, investing the time to shape your tone (or working with professionals who can help)  is well worth the effort.