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Tidying Up Your Brand's Tone of Voice

Tidying Up Your Tone of Voice

Did you know that it takes an average of 5–7 impressions for people to remember your brand?

Most successful and beloved brands have a consistent presence and build a personality that everyone can recognise across their entire marketing strategy.

Last week, we discussed the importance of tidying up your content infrastructure through regular content audits. In this blog, we’ll explore a fundamental part of your branding strategy: your tone of voice (TOV).

Typically, brands put a lot of effort into their visual representation — but often miss the importance of building the right tone of voice.

Your tone of voice encompasses everything from the words and language you use to the personality and image your marketing assets aim to convey.

Let’s explore why tidying your tone of voice matters, and the practical steps to define a style that fits your brand’s identity.

What is a Tone of Voice?

In a nutshell, TOV is the voice of your company — it’s how you communicate with your audience, and it plays a massive role in how people perceive your brand.

Your tone of voice includes:

  • What words and phrases you use
  • Sentence structure and grammar
  • The level of formality or friendliness

While your TOV should stay consistent across all channels (website, social media, emails), you can adapt the tone slightly to suit different platforms or audiences. For example, you may use a more casual tone on social media and a more formal one in B2B reports.

Why Does Your Company Need a Tone of Voice?

Attracting — and keeping — audience attention is no easy feat. With so much content online, your communications need to stand out and feel familiar to gain long-term trust.

A clear and consistent tone of voice:

  • Increases brand recognition
  • Builds trust and relatability
  • Reinforces your brand’s personality and purpose

Brands that maintain a consistent tone across channels can increase revenue by 23%.

How to Define Your Brand’s Tone of Voice

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

To define the right tone, you need to understand who you’re speaking to.

  • Use tools like Google Analytics to gather insights on age, gender, interests, job titles and behaviours
  • Create customer avatars that reflect your target audience segments
  • Identify their values, pain points, and communication preferences

Did you know that 94% of consumers are more loyal to brands that demonstrate transparency? Your tone must reflect honesty, empathy and purpose.

Step 2: Determine Your Brand Personality Framework

Think about how you want your brand to be perceived.

Ask yourself:

  • Why did you start this business?
  • What makes your brand different?
  • What values are most important to you?
  • How do you want to make people feel?

Analyse existing content. Are you enthusiastic or pragmatic? Authoritative or conversational?

Create a word bank with relevant traits and narrow it down to 3–5 adjectives that define your brand’s personality.

Step 3: Create Tone of Voice Guidelines

Once you’ve pinned down your voice, write it down.

Your tone of voice guidelines should include:

  • Do’s and don’ts for style and phrasing
  • Example sentences showing ideal tone
  • Notes on how tone may shift across formats or audiences

Only 25% of brands have formal tone guidelines. By documenting yours, you’ll equip your team with the tools to create consistent, high-quality content across the board.

Companies With an Effective Brand Tone of Voice

[Klarna](https://www.klarna.com/uk/?grs=%2F&grr=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.copyhouse.io%2F) – Bold & Customer-Focused
Klarna’s fresh, friendly tone makes financial services feel exciting. Their confident and relatable language balances innovation with professionalism.

[Modulr](https://www.modulrfinance.com/) – Direct & Professional
Despite operating in a complex space, Modulr’s no-nonsense tone makes their offering easy to understand and trustworthy.

[Cigna Global](https://www.cignaglobal.com/) – Friendly & Sympathetic
Cigna’s empathetic voice builds emotional connection, particularly important for healthcare customers needing reassurance and clarity.

Final Thoughts

Your tone of voice is more than a stylistic choice — it’s a strategic asset that shapes every interaction with your audience.

When it’s consistent, clear and aligned with your values, it creates emotional connections that build loyalty over time.

Ready to align your tone of voice with your brand’s mission and audience expectations?

👉 Contact CopyHouse for a free consultation and start building a brand voice that resonates.