I’m super-excited this week to have teamed up with new online lingerie boutique The Confectionery to deliver their social media marketing campaign, blog and SEO copywriting on a freelance basis.
It’s a bit of a departure from the norm as my digital background to date has primarily involved the family market. I earned my ‘digital stripes’ regularly writing for a website aimed at local families (check out my portfolio here), and I’m very well versed at addressing that particular audience. I’ve typed the words ‘family fun’ and ‘discover what you can do…’ about a million times, which is great, but change can sometimes be a good thing – as any writer worth their salt will know.
So, I’ve had to switch it up a bit in terms of tone of voice. Actually – not just a bit – a lot!
I’ve swapped inoffensive and neutral for something ever so slightly naughty – and it’s pretty exciting (and I’m purely talking about the writing here – nothing else!)
Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY comfortable in the ‘family zone’. It’s an audience I ‘get’, and through my writing I am talking to people just like me. I am literally having a conversation with myself. So, it’s kind of easy….
But the real skill of a writer is being able to understand an audience and switch tone to suit. And to that end, it’s critical that businesses have a brand tone of voice that resonates with their target audience.
Give your brand a voice…
If your brand could speak, what would it say? How would it say it? Is it formal, or informal? Is it chatty? Or does it like to hold something back? What is its personality? Is it passionate or reserved? An expert in its field?
All these traits should be reflected in your brand voice and the tone used across your content – from your website homepage and blog, to your social media posts.
Consistency is key – inconsistency sends mixed messages to your audience. If your brand voice is easily identifiable, you’ll be positioning yourself as an authority in your niche – which is surely the ultimate goal.
Take some time to sketch out your brand voice – it’ll pay dividends later. Even if you just define three key personality attributes that fit with your business and consider how they might be conveyed through the content you are producing, you’ll be well on your way.
As for me, well its one extreme to the other – a bit like baggy mum pants by day and corsets and stockings by night! Well at least it keeps me on my toes…..
Caroline 🙂
If you need help to develop your brand voice or you need to inject your brand voice into your content, get in touch! You can check out The Confectionery here.