[Branding] Part 3: Defining Your Brand Voice and Messaging

Your brand voice should feel natural and aligned with your personality and your business. Here are some ways you could refine it. 

 

• Identify your core brand traits

 

Think about how you want people to see your brand, how you would want them to describe it to others. Choose three to five key traits that really define your unique voice.

For example:

• Professional, insightful, motivational. These fit thought leaders, coaches, motivational speakers.
• Warm, relatable, encouraging. Personal brands, lifestyle bloggers etc would fit these traits.
• Edgy, bold, witty. Would fit creative businesses, trend driven brands etc.

 

• Analyse your existing content

 

If you have been writing online for a while, look at your past content. 

• Do you naturally write in a formal or a more casual tone?
• Are you more poetic, direct, funny, or introspective?
• What words and phrases do you use often?

 

When I first started analysing my own writing, and especially my blog content, I realised that I naturally leaned toward a direct but conversational tone. I wasn’t trying to be overly polished or overly casual, I just wrote in a way that felt natural to me. Certain phrases, like 'more than just' or 'that being said,' kept appearing in my content without me even thinking about it. That was my voice, already present, just waiting to be refined. Instead of forcing a different style, I leaned into it. Whether that makes my brand feel authentic, I don’t know, but at least it feels like me.

 

• Align with your audience

 

Your audience absolutely plays a role in shaping your voice. For example, if you write for

• Poets and writers, a deep and expressive voice might resonate better than a bubbly, positive one.
• Creative entrepreneurs, motivational, inspiring tones might work best here.
• Horror fans, these people tend to gravitate to a darker, more atmospheric style.

 

Remember, this can change depending on the platform you use and the type of content you put out. Take for example, you wrote a how-to-guide. No nonsense, just the basics. Of course the tone of this is different than when you post something on Instagram where you might be more free, or more funny.

 

If you are forcing a tone that doesn’t fit, trust me, it won’t feel authentic.

 

So… how do you maintain consistency across all platforms?Well, I personally have created a kind of “Brand Voice Guide”. Just a Google document with examples of my preferred tone, words and style choices. This helps maintain consistency over time. That said, I hadn't actually opened it until today, but even though I don’t check it often, having a brand voice guide is a safety net. If I ever feel like my messaging is all over the place, I can refer back to it and realign.

 

Most importantly, your brand voice should feel natural to you and engaging to your audience across all platforms. 

 

For me this would look something like this: 

Platform-Specific Adjustments:

• Website & Blog: Thoughtful, well-structured, slightly formal but still conversational (or narrative-driven.)
• Social Media: Shorter, more conversational, engaging, often poetic.
• Patreon & Exclusive Content: Personal, behind-the-scenes, community-driven.
• Email Newsletters: Balanced between informative and personal.

 

Now let’s take a quick look at taglines, bios and brand messaging through the lens of what we have already covered today. If you choose to use any of these elements it’s useful to keep in mind that your tagline, bio and key messaging elements should reinforce your brand voice and make it clear who and what you are. 

 

• Crafting a strong tagline

A tagline is a short phrase that sums up the essence, the core, of your brand. There is just one that comes immediately to my mind “Nike: Just Do It.” I’m sure there are plenty more. 

 

I have been trying out taglines for the last year, but none that really feel wholly like me yet. Which is okay, branding is a journey, not a perfection contest, after all.

 

• Writing an engaging bio

Ah the bane of my existence, the bio. Even with everything I have learned so far, my bio tends to look somewhat different across platforms. I’m still testing the waters with both my bio and my tagline to see what resonates the most with my audience. Anyway, here is the knowledge I have gathered of what a bio should be.

 

• Concise (short) but informative.
• Reflect your brand personality, or who you (or your business) are
• Ideally, include a call to action. (Example: Join my patreon for exclusive content!)

 

• Brand messaging in action

Brand messaging is the heart of your identity. It’s how your brand communicates and connects with people. It’s the combination of your values, voice, and promises, wrapped into a message that resonates. Your core message should reflect what your brand stands for, what it offers, and why it matters. It’s more than just a slogan; it’s the emotional connection that ties everything you do together.

 

In short, your brand message is the story you tell that makes people feel something about your brand, whether it's trust, excitement, or belonging. It should be clear, consistent, and meaningful, connecting with your audience's needs and emotions in an authentic way. For example:

 

• Social media posts should reinforce your values
• Email newsletters should match your usual tone
• Website content should instantly reflect what you offer