There are so many brands available to potential clients. Even as social media platforms promote video and short form content, effective copy remains a critical tool for standing out from the crowd. Developing a distinctive brand voice is the cornerstone of great copy and a strong blog that drives leads.

What is brand voice?

Brand voice is the distinctive way in which your brand communicates. It’s how your brand’s personality translates into words. Just like you would know your best friend from the way they talk, you should be able to do the same for your brand.

I find it helpful to break down voice into three components. (Yes, I know my English teacher is showing.)

• Word choice: Does your brand swear like a sailor? Do you use words like “chic,” “elevated,” or “gorge”? 
• Style: Do your sentences flow like a river swollen by spring rains, carrying readers from one thought to the next? Or do you cut to the chase?
• Tone: Are you friendly? Bold? Nostalgic?

Check out this example from California clothier Nooworks.

In a brief description of a new print, the company conveys that it’s funky, cool, and maybe even countercultural in a retro way. Phrases like “consciousness expanding” and “trip out” let you know that you are not on The Gap’s website. You’re hanging with the cool art school kids.

Why does brand voice matter for your blog?

Your brand voice should be consistent in all of your communications, including your blog posts. Remember that some potential clients will first encounter your brand when they come across your blog post on a SERP. (That’s the whole point of blogging!) Not only will a distinctive voice help you stand out, but it will also resonate with your ideal clients. Don’t waste the opportunity to build your brand and draw the right people in. 

Knowing your brand voice before you start writing can help counter writer’s block too. You move away from wondering how you should say something. Instead you can ask more productive questions: What is my goal? How would my brand express that?

Another benefit to having a clear brand voice for your blog? It makes outsourcing easier. A good copywriter should be able to emulate your brand voice so that anything they write is consistent with your website and social media. I have a thorough four-part process for profiling clients’ brand voices at the start of any project.

How do you stay consistent? 

Cultivating a consistent brand voice across your website, blog, and social media will strengthen your brand and better connect you with your dream clients. One of my favorite tricks to do this is to create a brand word bank. Start small. Think of ten on-brand words that conveys your unique voice. Keep on hand when you’re writing copy.

In Part 2 of this blog series, I’ll share the methods I use to effectively capture and deploy my copywriting clients’ unique brand voices.