What is Tone-of-Voice?
- It’s one of the “markers” of Brand Personality - How a brand communicates including the choice of words, communication style and emotional tone
- Includes all the words used (written or spoken), including websites, emails, brochures, packaging, scripts, and presentations, etc.
- It influences how the listener will feel about the brand’s message you want to get across
Steps to Creating a Tone-of-Voice Guide
- Review the Brand Personality
- Decide where the brand’s tone-of-voice fits on 4 dimensions:
- Funny to Serious
- Casual to Formal
- Irreverent to Respectful
- Enthusiastic to Matter-of-Fact
- Add descriptors to clarify what you mean for each dimension
- Create a do’s and don’ts list – including specific situations
- Write a sentence that summarizes the main points of the tone-of-voice
Tone-of-Voice Dimensions
- Created by Nielsen Norman Group
- Use it to define where the brand’s tone-of-voice fits on 4 dimensions
- Can be at an extreme or somewhere in the middle
4 Dimensions:
- Funny or Serious
- Causal or Formal
- Irreverent or Respectful
- Enthusiastic or Matter-of-Fact
Add Descriptors
- Help Clarify what you mean for each dimension
Dimensions | Example Descriptors |
Funny | Slapstick, deadpan, satire, self-deprecating, witty, humorous, quirky, sarcastic |
Serious | Dry, weighty, pressing, urgency, grave |
Casual | Conversational, friendly, fun, nostalgic, informal, everyday |
Formal | Authoritative, conservative, smart, elegant, conventional, official |
Irreverent | Edgy, provocative, sarcastic, snarky, unapologetic |
Respectful | Caring, nostalgic, sympathetic, polite, reverent, gracious |
Enthusiastic | Upbeat, cheerful, fun, happy, romantic, trendy, upbeat, engaging |
Matter-of-Fact | Coarse, frank, informative, literal, plain, simple, practical |
Add Do’s and Don’ts
- Provide specific examples of what people should and should not do
- What types of words to use
- Specific situations and how you respond to them
- Who you are talking to
- What exceptions there are to those situations
- The goal of the communication (news piece or how-to article)
Finalize the Tone-of-Voice Guide
- Add the visual of where the brand fits along each dimension
- Add the Do’s and Don’ts
- Write a sentence that summarizes the main points of the tone-of-voice