The best way to do that is with tone of voice guidelines that set—and maintain—the standard.
Here's how to build tone guidelines that help everyone write in your brand's true voice.
What are tone of voice guidelines?
Tone of voice guidelines spell out how your brand talks to customers. They're rules for writing that capture your brand's personality, whether that's playful, serious, friendly straight-talking or a combination.
Think of them as a cheat sheet for writers, as well as anyone else in the business. These guidelines show what words to use, what jokes (if any) work well and how formal to be. They help everyone from your social media person to your technical writers and even Dave in accounts sound like they're all from the same company.
Good guidelines include:
- Words that fit your brand
- Words to avoid
- Sample sentences showing the right tone
- Examples of the wrong tone, rewritten the right way
- Tips for writing in different situations (like customer service vs marketing)
They're not about cramping anyone's style and trying to get people to conform. Instead, think of them more like guardrails that keep your brand's voice on track while letting employees add their own flair within those boundaries.
Why your brand needs clear tone guidelines
Strong brands don't change their personality with every platform. But without tone guidelines, that's exactly what happens. Your Instagram might be making jokes while your website sounds like a legal document.
The problem is your customers will notice. Mixed messages make them question if they really know your brand. And when trust falters, a dip in sales could very well follow.
Just look at brands like Monzo or Mailchimp. Every interaction feels familiar because their writers know exactly how the brand should talk to customers. From quick tweets to lengthy help guides, the voice stays steady.
Monzo, for example, has a tone of voice that's clear and simple, yet friendly. When they explain complex banking terms, they break them down without being patronising. Their app notifications sound like a helpful friend giving financial advice, not a stuffy bank manager lecturing you about money. This tone is consistent across the brand, from blog articles to UX copy.
Good tone guidelines make your brand feel more human and trustworthy by keeping its personality consistent across every touchpoint.
Building your tone of voice guidelines
Start by looking at your brand values, as they shape how you should sound. A company focused on innovation might use more modern language, while one built on tradition might lean toward a more classic tone.
Ask yourself:
- Who are we talking to?
- What makes our brand different?
- How would our ideal customer describe us to a friend?
- What words do our customers use when they talk about our product?
Then study your most successful content. Which social posts get the most engagement? What emails have the highest open rates? The language in these pieces often shows what resonates with your audience.
Record actual phrases customers use in reviews or support chats too. Their words tell you how they think about your product, and how you should talk about it back to them.
The key parts of tone guidelines
"Can we add some emojis to make this more fun?" 😅🦝🏜️🚀
Without clear guidelines, you'll hear questions like this a lot. Some writers will want to go casual, others formal. Your guidelines need to give solid answers about what's right for your brand. Perhaps emojis form a core part of your tone, but you’ll need to define this so others don’t have their own interpretations.
Your guide should tell writers exactly what your brand sounds like. Mailchimp does this brilliantly and tells writers to be "informal but not sloppy" and "confident but not cocky." These paired words paint a clear picture.
At minimum, cover these basics:
- Your brand's personality traits (are you serious, playful, bold?)
- Specific words and phrases to use
- What to avoid (like industry jargon or slang)
- Examples of your tone in different situations
- Grammar and style preferences
And remember that shorter is often better. A 50-page tone guide might be thorough, but no one will read it. Aim for something brief that writers can check quickly while working.
Showing what good looks like
"Thanks for reaching out! We're totally stoked to help!"
Would your brand ever write that? Your tone guidelines need to answer this question clearly.
The best way to show writers and other employees what works (and what doesn't) is through real examples. Here's how payment app Wise handles refunds:
❌ Wrong: "Your refund request has been received and will be processed within 3-5 business days."
✅Right: "We got your refund request. You'll have your money back in 3-5 days."
See the difference? The second version sounds human. It's clear and friendly without being overly casual.
Pick common writing situations in your business, like welcome emails, error messages or product descriptions. Write an example of each in your brand voice, then add a "wrong" version to show what to avoid.
Making your guidelines stick
Some companies create beautiful tone guidelines that sit in a shared folder, gathering digital dust. Nobody uses them. The writing stays inconsistent. The brand voice stays muddled.
Review actual content
Set up monthly content reviews where writers look at real emails, posts and web pages together. Pick pieces that nail your tone and ones that miss the mark. Looking at genuine examples helps writers spot the small details that shape your brand's voice.
Train new writers properly
Don't just send new team members a PDF of guidelines. Pair them with experienced writers who can show them how your brand voice works in practice. Let them practise with real writing tasks and get feedback before their work goes live.
Keep guidelines visible
Put your core tone principles where writers see them daily, like on desk cards, Slack channel headers or project briefs. The more your team sees these reminders, the more natural your brand voice becomes.
Test and update regularly
Check if your guidelines still match how customers talk about your brand. If you notice gaps or confusion, update them. Guidelines should grow with your brand.
How often should I update my tone of voice guidelines?
Once you’ve got a solid tone of voice guidelines down and everyone in the company reads and understands it, you’ll need to think about how often you refresh it. After all, brands change over time, and the tone of voice evolves too.
Check your guidelines every six months to see if they still work. Look for:
- New types of content you're creating
- Phrases that feel dated
- Writing situations your guidelines don't cover
- Platform-specific needs you've spotted
Big company changes often signal it's time for updates too. Maybe you've launched in new countries, started selling to different customers or changed your brand strategy. Your writing should match where your company's heading.
You don’t need to rewrite everything. Instead, small updates keep your voice fresh while staying true to your brand's core personality.
Brands that nail their tone of voice
So, who’s out there acing their tone of voice? From Monzo to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a wide variety of brands have crafted tone of voice guidelines that form part of their core identity.
Let's look at some brands whose tone guidelines actually work, and you can hear their distinct voice in everything they write.
Monzo's banking with personality
Monzo had the tough job of making banking sound human. Their guidelines push writers to break down complex financial terms without talking down to customers. When they tell you your card's been declined, it sounds like a friend letting you know, not a bank telling you off.
Mailchimp's smart but simple approach
Mailchimp writers know exactly who they are: smart but not showy, casual but not sloppy. Their guidelines help writers explain technical information about email marketing while sounding like they're chatting over coffee. No jargon, no corporate speak.
Slack keeps it human
Even their error messages have personality. Slack's guidelines help writers turn every message—from welcome screens to system updates—into a natural conversation. They manage to sound professional without being stiff, and friendly without trying too hard.
University of Leeds leads with clarity
Their guidelines show how academic writing doesn't have to be stuffy. Writers keep the university's authority while making complex topics clear to everyone, from new students to research partners. It's proof that traditional institutions can sound approachable.
RNLI balances serious with engaging
How do you write about saving lives while catching younger readers' attention? RNLI's guidelines nail this balance. Their writers keep the weight of their mission while using language that pulls in new audiences. Every word counts when you're trying to grab attention and save lives.
These brands show what happens when tone guidelines really work. They create a voice so natural that customers would know who's talking even without a logo.
Can AI help create a brand tone of voice guidelines?
AI seemingly has a role in everything now, and that certainly can be the case for your guidelines. It can help kickstart your tone guidelines by analysing your existing content and spotting patterns in your writing. Tools can pick up on words you use often, how formal you sound and what makes your writing unique.
Specialist tools like our Brand Assistant work with professional writers who understand both AI and brand voice. They blend AI's ability to spot patterns with human knowledge of what makes writing feel authentic.
But AI shouldn't write your guidelines alone. You need human insight to capture your brand's true personality and understand the subtle differences between sounding friendly and sounding unprofessional, or being direct without being rude.
Think of AI as a helpful first draft. It can show you patterns and possibilities, but you need human judgement to turn those insights into guidelines that really work.
The right tone
Tone of voice guidelines keep your brand's personality consistent across all your content, from tweets to customer service emails. They give writers clear rules about language, style and formality while leaving room for creativity. When done right, they create a voice customers recognise anywhere.
