How to Define Your Unique Brand Voice & Stand Out

When we talk about voice, we instantly think of speech. But when we talk about your brand voice, we’re talking about elements more than “speech”

In the digital space, defining a unique brand voice is essential for making a lasting impression on your audience. Your brand voice is more than just the words you use—it’s the personality, tone, and feeling that comes through every communication, setting you apart from competitors and allowing your audience to connect with you on a deeper level.

Creating a brand voice that’s uniquely yours is not a day’s job. And in this article, we’ll be diving into actionable steps and practical tips to define a brand voice that stands out and resonates with your audience.

1. Begin with Your Brand’s Core Values

Your brand voice starts with your core values; that is the guiding principles that reflect what your brand stands for. These values should be at the heart of every piece of communication. To establish a strong brand voice, you must first be crystal clear on your brand’s purpose and what makes it tick.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What does my brand believe in?
• How does my brand contribute to society or solve problems?
• What emotions should my brand evoke?

Take Patagonia, a brand renowned for its environmental consciousness. Its voice reflects a commitment to sustainability, which is deeply embedded in every campaign and message. Their core values resonate in their storytelling, making them not just a clothing brand but a movement toward ethical consumerism.

Pro tip: Your brand values aren’t just for internal use. They should shine through in your communications and define how you engage with your audience.

2. Know Your Audience Intimately

Defining your unique brand voice goes hand in hand with understanding your audience. To craft a voice that resonates, you need to know who you’re talking to. What are their pain points, interests, and communication styles?

Here’s how to approach it:

• Create detailed buyer personas that outline the demographics, preferences, and behaviours of your audience.
• Engage with your audience on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to understand their language and tone.
• Leverage analytics tools like Google Analytics and social listening tools to monitor your audience’s feedback and sentiment.

A good example is Slack, which has cultivated a voice that’s casual, friendly, and solution-oriented to match its target audience of tech-savvy professionals. By focusing on the user experience, Slack’s tone feels personal, whether you’re interacting with their customer service or reading a product update.

Key Insight: Knowing your audience ensures your messaging always hits the right note and appeals to their needs, resulting in stronger engagement.

3. Define Your Tone and Language

Your tone is the emotional inflection and touch behind your brand voice, and it must be consistent across all your communication channels, though it may adapt slightly depending on the context (e.g., a playful tone for social media but a more formal tone for client emails). 

The language you use should also be tailored to your audience; friendly, professional, humorous, or authoritative, depending on the persona you’re speaking to.

Example of varied tone usage:

• Dove uses a compassionate, empowering tone, especially in campaigns like “Real Beauty,” where they speak to their audience’s desire for authenticity and self-acceptance.
• Old Spice, on the other hand, uses a humorous, over-the-top tone that appeals to its target audience of younger males.

Your tone must align with your values while still being adaptable to different content types or platforms.

4. Build a Consistent Messaging Framework

Once you’ve defined your tone, it’s crucial to build a messaging framework that maintains consistency across all touchpoints. Whether it’s social media, email newsletters, or blog content, your voice should feel unified. To achieve this, create a framework that includes:

• Key messaging themes: These are your brand’s main talking points that convey your mission (e.g. luxury, sustainability).
• Supporting messaging: Additional information or data that backs up your key points (themes that are beside your main messaging but still in alignment with your brand value). 

A great example of messaging consistency is Airbnb. Their voice emphasises belonging, and this theme is echoed across their website, advertisements, and social media. Whether they’re discussing community or showcasing their listings, the sense of belonging is always the core message.

Actionable Tip: Develop a brand style guide that outlines your tone, key phrases, and even visual elements that support your voice. This ensures consistency, especially when multiple people manage your brand’s content.

5. Leverage Storytelling

Every brand has a story, even the brands you consider boring. And how you tell it can define your brand voice. 

Storytelling not only humanises your brand but also builds emotional connections with your audience.

• Customer success stories are a powerful way to highlight how your products or services have made an impact.
• Behind-the-scenes content allows your audience to see the human side of your business, creating transparency and trust.

Example: Nike is a master at storytelling. Their campaigns, such as “Dream Crazy”, go beyond selling shoes—they tell stories of struggle, empowerment, and triumph. This storytelling approach reinforces Nike’s brand voice of inspiration and perseverance.

Storytelling Tip: Use real customer experiences or employee narratives to add authenticity to your brand’s story. Show, don’t just tell, what your brand stands for.

6. Visuals Matter Too

Your brand voice isn’t just about words; it’s reflected in your visuals as well. The colours, fonts, and imagery you choose should reinforce your voice. For instance, a brand with a youthful, energetic voice may use bold colours and modern, playful fonts, while a more formal brand may stick to classic, elegant designs.

• Coca-Cola, known for its lively, fun-loving voice, consistently uses bright red tones and dynamic imagery that evoke happiness and excitement.
• Hermès, on the other hand, is more understated, using simple, sophisticated imagery that reflects their luxury status.

Pro Tip: Maintain a visual style that aligns with your voice to ensure your audience can instantly recognize your brand, even without words. You can choose a unique colour as well as fonts. 

For more on how to choose your brand’s visual language, check out Canva’s visual branding guide.

7. Adapt and Evolve

While consistency is key, don’t be afraid to adapt your brand voice as your business grows or as trends shift. Gathering feedback and staying in tune with your audience’s changing preferences can help you evolve without losing your core identity.

• Example: Starbucks regularly updates its messaging to reflect current social issues like sustainability and inclusivity. This flexibility keeps the brand relevant while staying true to its core values of community and social responsibility.

Evolution Tip: Keep track of audience sentiment and digital trends through tools like social media analytics or customer feedback surveys to ensure your brand voice remains fresh and engaging.

Conclusion

Defining your unique brand voice is an ongoing journey that requires introspection, audience understanding, and a commitment to authenticity. By following these steps, you can create a brand voice that not only stands out but also fosters genuine connections with your audience.

So, are you ready to create your unique brand voice shine? Follow this guide to create a memorable brand experience that resonates deeply with your audience. 

Don’t forget to leave a comment on what step you’re going to execute today.