Creating brand voice guidelines for a complex architecture can be challenging, but not impossible. You need to consider the different layers, audiences, and goals of your content, and align them with a consistent and coherent voice that reflects your brand identity and values. In this article, we will show you how to approach this task in six steps.
The first step is to define your brand voice, which is the personality and tone of your content. Your brand voice should be based on your brand mission, vision, values, and target audience. You can use adjectives, examples, and dos and don'ts to describe your brand voice and how it differs from your competitors. For example, you might say that your brand voice is professional, innovative, and friendly, and that you avoid jargon, slang, and sarcasm.
Defining your target audience is one of the first steps you should take to define your brand voice. Ask them what they find intriguing about your brand. Expand and then refine your brand voice accordingly.
The second step is to map your content architecture, which is the structure and hierarchy of your content. Your content architecture should reflect your business goals, user needs, and content types. You can use tools like sitemaps, wireframes, and content models to visualize your content architecture and identify the main sections, categories, and elements of your content. For example, you might have a home page, a services page, a portfolio page, and a blog page, each with different subpages and components.
The third step is to identify your content layers, which are the levels of detail and complexity of your content. Your content layers should match the user journey, the content purpose, and the content format. You can use tools like content audits, analytics, and user feedback to evaluate your content layers and determine how they affect your content quality and performance. For example, you might have a headline layer, a summary layer, a body layer, and a call-to-action layer, each with different goals and metrics.
The fourth step is to adapt your brand voice to each layer, which is the process of adjusting your tone, style, and language to suit the context and expectations of your content. Your brand voice should be consistent across all layers, but not monotonous or rigid. You can use tools like voice scales, tone matrices, and voice profiles to define and apply your brand voice to each layer and ensure that it is appropriate and effective. For example, you might use a more formal and authoritative tone for your headline layer, a more informative and engaging tone for your summary layer, a more conversational and creative tone for your body layer, and a more persuasive and urgent tone for your call-to-action layer.
Adapting the brand voice to each layer of content is like being a skilled chef who knows exactly how to season different dishes. While the core ingredients (or brand values) remain consistent, the flavor (or tone) must be adjusted to suit each dish (or content layer). This nuanced approach ensures each piece resonates with its intended audience, whether it's the assertiveness in headlines, the engaging depth in body content, or the compelling urgency in calls-to-action, crafting a harmonious yet dynamic brand narrative.
The fifth step is to test your brand voice guidelines, which is the process of evaluating and validating your brand voice across your content architecture. Your brand voice guidelines should be clear, practical, and flexible, and enable your content creators to produce consistent and coherent content. You can use tools like surveys, interviews, and usability tests to collect feedback from your internal and external stakeholders and measure the impact of your brand voice on your brand awareness, reputation, and loyalty. For example, you might ask your content team, your clients, and your users to rate your brand voice on a scale of 1 to 5 for criteria such as clarity, relevance, and personality.
The sixth and final step is to update your brand voice guidelines, which is the process of revising and improving your brand voice based on your test results and changing needs. Your brand voice guidelines should be dynamic and adaptable, and reflect your brand evolution and growth. You can use tools like content calendars, style guides, and editorial reviews to monitor and maintain your brand voice and ensure that it is aligned with your brand strategy and goals. For example, you might add, remove, or modify some of the adjectives, examples, and dos and don'ts that describe your brand voice and how it applies to your content layers.