Tone of voice

A tone of voice describes how a company speaks or communicates. The document can go by many names – tone of voice, brand guidelines, writing guidelines, author’s guide or simply corporate wording. Sometimes such a guide includes writing formats (see style guide [verlinken]), sometimes even a glossary list (see terminology [verlinken]). Others focus on laying out the rules for overall mood, target audiences and tone.

But let’s be specific: What topics should be considered when creating a tone of voice? Here’s a typical list:

• Introduction and purpose of tone of voice: why is a consistent tone of voice important for brand identity, and which communication channels should it cover (website, social media, email, print, support, etc.)?
• Brand personality, mission, vision: what are your values? Describe your brand with adjectives, for example: “elegant”, “adventurous” or “stylish”. A comparison may help: “If our brand were a person, it would be …” Include typical characteristics and values you want to convey, such as “trust”, “humour” or “youthfulness”.
• Target audiences: who are your different audiences – B2B or B2C, teenagers or adults? Which channels do they use, and how should they be addressed?
• Style and tone: What is the general tone of the communication? Does your company prefer a matter-of-fact, precise manner of writing or are you leaning more toward a playful and humorous style? Do you want your texts to be accessible to all audiences or targeted at specialists? Should passive voice or modal verbs be avoided in order to make the language sound more active? Can emojis be used?
• Writing rules: perhaps your company policy is to avoid exclamation marks or you always capitalise proper names. What about gender-inclusive language? Do you address clients in an informal or formal style? This section could be part of a separate style guide or writing guide, but many companies include it as a chapter in the tone of voice document.
• Special instructions per channel: How do your rules apply across different channels? You might write differently on TikTok than you do on LinkedIn or in newsletters. You may dislike emojis in general but allow them on Instagram. Perhaps your management does not want to use gender-neutral language in legal texts but thinks it is appropriate for the website.
• Dos and don’ts: Many companies include specific examples in their tone of voice guide – such as dos and don’ts or tips and templates for various text types like social media posts, newsletters and customer service emails. Employees appreciate clear examples!

As you can see, there are many points to clarify to ensure your language remains consistent – regardless of who is communicating and where.

How is a tone of voice also useful for translations? Easy: when you send texts out for editing or translation, the linguist will appreciate having as many basic rules as possible to rely on. That way, even texts that are edited outside of your company follow your core guidelines. This saves time, stress and costs by reducing the need for revisions and feedback rounds.