The Tone of Voice is the way a brand expresses itself to its targets to convey its messages, values, and engage in conversation.

The Tone of Voice of a brand does not only reside in the choice of words but also in the variability, the fluctuation of the tone used. This strongly influences the perception of audiences regarding the brand.

A well-defined tone gives true consistency to a brand's personality. Just like the graphic universe, content with an identifiable tone constitutes a strategic asset.

Why work on the tone of voice of your brand?

• Give a personality to the brand

The Tone of Voice is a good tool to share and broadcast the values of the brand within the created content. Through the tone used, the personality of the company is also perceived.

• Create a connection with audiences and influence their perception

The tone used across all channels creates a feeling of closeness between the brand and its audiences. As a user, one feels they know the brand; it feels familiar. A bond of trust (a little more blind) then establishes.

• Stand out from the competition

Like a logo, a well-crafted Tone of Voice allows for identification among others. The tone used is unique and fits into the brand's storytelling and its singular universe.

• Humanize the customer journey and enhance the user experience

Content is at the heart of the customer experience. Within digital interfaces, it will greatly assist the user in navigation.

Moreover, in 2017, Paul Stairmand, then UX & Content Designer at Blablacar, developed a method for designing interfaces based on conversation. He explains his process in his article “How content revolutionised the way we do product design.” Inspiring, isn’t it?

The 4 dimensions of tone of voice

To lay the foundations of your brand's Tone of Voice establish it based on the 4 dimensions of Tone of Voice proposed by Nielsen Norman Group. We made a diagram to understand all this at a glance.

— English translation of the explanations of the 4 primary dimensions of tone of voice. —

Funny or Serious : does the content creator try to use humor? Or is the subject approached in a serious manner? (Note that for this dimension, we speak of attempts at humor without judging the success or failure of the jokes ;-) )

Formal or Casual : Is the writing formal? Informal? Casual? (Note that casual and conversational are not necessarily synonymous, but they often appear together.)

Respectful or Impertinent : Does the content creator approach the subject respectfully? Or do they adopt a irreverent approach? (In practice, most irreverent tones are irreverent about the subject in order to distinguish the brand from competitors. They are generally not intentionally disrespectful or offensive to the reader.)

Enthusiastic or Factual : Does the content creator seem to treat their subject with enthusiasm? Or is the writing dry, direct, and factual?

>> Our advice #1 : a good Tone of Voice should be deployed across all communication channels of the brand. All content, whether written or spoken, should rely on this defined tone of voice so that everyone can recognize the brand.

>> Our advice #2 : adapt the tone used according to the emotional state of the user. For example: avoid big jokes in error messages on your site as they often lead to frustrations and annoyances. Be factual and provide a solution to resolve the encountered problem.

Examples of brands with a marked tone of voice 

Back Market: a very well-known market example

Just take a little tour of the Back Market website to understand the Tone of Voice of this leading refurbished brand. The tone is intentionally funny and casual.

Unlike other marketplaces where the tone is often very factual, Back Market has managed to make its tone of voice a true differentiating marker and distinctive sign.

Mailchimp: the friendly emailing tool

Mailchimp uses a casual tone while assisting the user in reaching their goals. Some well-placed jokes here and there, the high five animated by the hand of the monkey (their mascot) when sending a newsletter, but also straightforward vocals and copywriting when necessary.

To learn more, check out the Mailchimp Content Style Guide. A goldmine!

The Mini Worlds: your dose of good cheer

The Mini Worlds, manufacturer of eco-responsible toys and more... uses an enthusiastic and casual tone. The vocabulary used reinforces the feeling of closeness and good cheer that emanates from both long content and microcopy (Super, incredible, code MINICOOL). A well-crafted tone suited to its target! We love it!

And you? What is your brand's Tone of Voice ? Shall we discuss it?