Standards without a voice are not enough.
When many people write on behalf of the brand without a common voice rule, the brand will speak in different tones even though the visuals appear consistent.
Yes, if your brand communicates a lot with customers through text, then the tone should also be standardized, not just the colors and fonts. Most brand deviations today occur in captions, advisory messages, and posts, which are areas where visual control is lacking. To enforce tone guidelines immediately, write in pairs of examples: this is how it should be written, this is how it should not be written, along with a brief reason.
- education or content consulting service company
- multiple people writing captions and responding to customers
- has a dedicated content team or external writers
- brand primarily selling through images with few words
- not finalized the brand personality
Brand voice (the way the brand uses language, structures sentences, expresses attitude towards customers) is often overlooked in standards because people think standards only concern visuals. That is why most brand deviations do not occur in logos or colors but happen in captions, consultation messages, social media posts, places where color and font cannot reach.
Why is the voice standardized?
Brand guidelines serve to help different people express a brand consistently. If there are only visual rules without tonal rules, the guidelines can only control what the customer sees, not what they read and hear. Two brands with the same color palette and font can communicate entirely differently: one calm and straightforward, the other ornate and sensational. Readers perceive that difference immediately, even if it's not articulated.
Voice originates from brand personality. Therefore, this part is only solid when the personality has been established beforehand. Writing voice rules without a defined personality only results in a list of grammatical rules, not a personality.
When should it be included, when can it be simpler
Incorporate a consistent voice in mandatory groups when the brand is a service, consultancy, education, or content, when multiple people are writing captions and responding to customers, or when the brand hires external contributors. In these cases, different voices are bound to occur without a common rule.
Keep the voice minimal when the brand primarily sells through images, with few words, and only one person writes all content. In this case, a few short principles are sufficient; there is no need to write a complete system.
The way to write a tone guide so that non-professionals can apply it.
The most common mistake when writing a brand voice is using vague adjectives: friendly, professional, approachable. These words are not wrong, but no one can apply them because everyone interprets "friendly" differently.
The way to write more effectively is to use a pair of examples placed side by side:
- Should: "You need to finalize this part to move forward without getting stuck." Should not: "We kindly ask you to consider and respond as soon as possible."
- Should: "The logo should not stretch freely as it will lose proportion." Should not: "The logo is the soul of the brand and must be absolutely protected."
Writers imitate examples faster than they read theory. For each voice quality, a pair of right and wrong examples is enough for newcomers to understand and apply immediately.
The voice toolkit includes a consistent voice that remains unchanged across channels, with a tone that varies according to context. Document both and provide examples for each channel so that writers do not have to guess.
Content Marketing Institute · Frontify
Common errors when developing a voice
- Completely dropping the voice aspect because it was believed that standards only concern visuals, resulting in the text deviating without anyone realizing.
- Write the voice only using adjectives, without examples. The document looks complete but no one can apply it.
- Imitating another brand's voice because it seems appealing. If it doesn't match your personality, it will feel forced and unsustainable.
- Write the voice rules before finalizing the brand personality. The correct order is: personality first, voice second.
Sinh Vũ's viewpoint
In Sinh Vũ's handover, images and voice are included in the same category. The simple reason is that photos and captions need to maintain a consistent personality; they cannot convey two different messages. For service companies, this aspect is just as important as the color palette, as clients engage more with text than with the logo.
Sinh Vũ writes voice guidelines using examples of what to do and what not to do instead of adjectives, as most users are internal teams who are not professional writers. When the documents are specific enough, newcomers to the team can write in the correct voice from the first draft without needing much revision.
Decision checklist
Topic: Is it necessary to incorporate brand voice into the guidelines? Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
Content Marketing Institute · Style Guide: How to Write One. Frontify · Brand guidelines examples. Practical experience from Sinh Vũ.
Frequently asked questions
If the visual guidelines are already complete, is it necessary to add voice?
Visual guidelines control color, font, and layout, but do not control how the brand uses words, constructs sentences, or expresses attitudes toward customers. Two brands with the same navy blue and serif font can communicate entirely differently. If text occupies a large portion of customer touchpoints, omitting voice from the guidelines leaves a significant gap.
Without a content team, if you write alone, do you need a voice guideline?
When there is only one writer, the voice is usually naturally consistent as it stems from that person's way of speaking. However, when starting to hire collaborators, assigning tasks to new employees, or using writing support tools, voice guidelines will be needed immediately. Writing it down when you are still alone is easier because you remember clearly how you want the brand to sound.
Does brand voice mean writing in the same style everywhere?
No. Voice consists of two layers: a stable voice that remains unchanged regardless of context, and a tone that varies according to the situation. For example, a brand can always be straightforward and unembellished, but the tone in an educational piece will be calmer than in a social media caption. A good standard clearly defines both layers and provides specific examples for each channel.