Most tone of voice guides say the brand is "friendly, confident and human". So does every other brand's. Adjectives don't help anyone write, because everyone reads them differently.
What helps is examples: a sentence the brand would write, next to one it wouldn't. Here's that format, with real voice examples from three of our example brands.
The format: trait, note, say, not
For each voice trait, write four things:
- A name, one or two words.
- A note on what it means for this brand.
- We say: a real sentence that shows it.
- Not this: the same idea written the wrong way.
The "not this" line does most of the work. It shows exactly where the line is.
Example 1: a guesthouse
Encosta Lenta is a seven-room guesthouse in the Douro valley.
Unhurried. Let time feel slow, and never rush guests toward booking or leaving.
We say: "Stay a little longer."
Not this: "We would be delighted if you chose to extend your booking by a little more time."
Plain and rooted. Describe the house and land plainly, the way a neighbour would.
We say: "An old schist house above the Douro, with breakfast from the garden and wine from the terraces below."
Not this: "A venerable schist dwelling set above the Douro, with garden breakfasts and wine from the terraces below."
The second "not this" is close to the original. That's on purpose. It shows that one fancy word ("venerable", "dwelling") is enough to break the voice.
Example 2: a software product
Ploverly is a booking and reminder app for small studios.
Calm and reassuring. Tell owners what got handled, not how. Reassure them that the spot is already sorted.
We say: "When someone cancels, the next person gets the spot. You find out after it's sorted."
Not this: "Upon cancellation, the next individual is allocated the vacancy. You are informed after resolution."
Software brands are especially prone to sounding like a manual. A voice guide is how you stop it.
Example 3: a product brand
Ceralva makes soy candles by hand in Porto.
Plainly precise. State facts like batch size and numbering directly, without extra adjectives.
We say: "Small batches of 60, numbered on the base."
Not this: "We hereby present our esteemed small batches of sixty, each individually numbered upon the base."
For a handmade product, precise details are more convincing than adjectives like "artisanal" or "luxurious".
How to find your own voice
You probably already have one. Look at what you've written when you weren't trying to sound like a brand:
- Your homepage headline and the line under it.
- An email to a customer that went well.
- Social posts that got good replies.
- The way you explain your business out loud.
Pick the sentences that sound most like you. Group them into two or three traits. For each, write a "not this" version that sounds like a generic company. That's your voice guide.
This is how Identitas builds the voice section of a book: the "we say" lines are sentences copied word for word from your own website, never written for you. Only the trait names, notes and "not this" versions are written, then checked against your site. Every "we say" line above came from the brand's own site.
How many traits?
Two or three. Five traits nobody remembers are worse than three everybody does. If two traits mean nearly the same thing, merge them.
Make it practical
Once the traits are clear, add short guidance for the writing that comes up most often:
- Buttons and links: use verbs that say what happens ("Book a stay", "Start free").
- Emails: how you open and close them.
- Error messages and apologies: what happened, what to do next, no blame.
- Words you never use: the corporate phrases that creep in.
Frequently asked questions
What is a brand voice?
The consistent way a brand writes and speaks: the words it picks, how long its sentences are, how formal it is. The personality stays the same everywhere, while the tone can shift a little with the situation.
What is the difference between brand voice and tone of voice?
Voice is the brand's personality and stays the same everywhere. Tone adjusts to the moment: a booking confirmation and an apology for a cancelled stay share a voice but not a tone.
How do I write a brand voice guide?
Pick two or three traits, explain each in a sentence, and show each one with a real line you'd write and a line you wouldn't. Real examples work much better than lists of adjectives.
See your own brand as a book.
Paste your website. The scan is free and takes about a minute.
