Why Your Business Needs a Social Media Brand Voice (and How to Develop One)
If your business’s social media feels like it’s all over the place (or worse, totally BLAH) it might be time to define your brand voice. You know, that thing that makes your posts sound unmistakably YOU.
Whether you’re just getting your business off the ground or you’re refreshing your online presence, having a consistent, clear brand voice can help you connect, stand out, and actually engage your people. And the good news? You don’t have to sound like a robot or a corporate script.
Let’s break down what a brand voice really is, why it matters, and how to find yours.
What Is a Brand Voice, Anyway?
Your brand voice is the unique way your business “speaks” online. It’s your tone, your language, your personality. It shows up in your captions, DMs, blog posts, email subject lines… aka everywhere.
Think of it like your brand’s vibe at a dinner party. Are you the bubbly, fun one? The chill, laid-back friend? The confident expert dropping knowledge bombs between bites of charcuterie?
When your brand voice is clear and consistent, people remember you. When it’s confusing or scattered, they scroll right on by.
Why It’s So Important (Especially on Social Media)
Let’s get real—social media is noisy. Thousands of businesses are showing up every day trying to grab attention. The ones that stop the scroll? They sound human, consistent, and genuine.
Here’s what a strong social media brand voice can do:
Build trust: Consistency makes you feel reliable and familiar
Create connection: When your audience feels like they know you, they stick around
Set you apart: Your voice is your fingerprint. No one else can replicate it no matter how hard they may try
Make content easier to create: When you know how you “sound,” writing posts becomes way faster and easier
How to Develop Your Brand Voice
Ready to make your content feel more like YOU and less like a mash-up of random ideas? Here’s how to start:
Know Who You’re Talking To
Before you figure out how to talk, figure out who you’re talking to. What do your ideal customers care about? What makes them laugh, click, or buy? Are they casual and chatty or more professional and polished?
Example: If your audience is full of creative entrepreneurs, your tone might be playful, empowering, and full of GIFs. If you’re talking to corporate execs, it may be polished with a hint of approachability.
Choose 3-5 Brand Voice Traits
Think of your brand like a character. What are its defining qualities? Choose 3-5 adjectives that describe your voice.
Here are some examples:
Friendly, Bold, Helpful
Witty, Casual, Clever
Calm, Professional, Encouraging
Warm, Confident, Playful
At Create/Captivate, we lean into bold, friendly, and informative with a little wink and sparkle.✨
Create a Do/Don’t List
This is super helpful when writing content or onboarding someone to help with your social. Set boundaries around your tone.
DO:
✅ Use contractions and conversational language
✅ Add emojis (in moderation!)
✅ Keep it real and relatable
DON’T:
🚫 Use stiff, jargon-heavy language
🚫 Write like a press release
🚫 Be inconsistent from post to post
Write Like You Talk (But Cleaner)
Yes, you’re running a business. But you’re also a real person talking to other real people. Don’t overthink it. Read your captions out loud. Do they sound like you? If not, tweak ‘em.
You can still sound polished and personable. Think “professional but with a personality.”
Create a Brand Voice Cheat Sheet
This can be as simple as a Google Doc with:
Your brand voice traits
Example captions that feel so you
Words and phrases you love to use
Words you want to avoid
This becomes your social media style guide (and trust me), future-you will thank you for it.
Real Talk: What Happens When You Don’t Have a Voice
Without a defined brand voice, your posts might feel…
Generic and forgettable
Inconsistent and confusing
Off-brand and scattered
Like they were written by three different people in a group chat
Your audience might not trust what you’re saying because they don’t feel like they know who you are. And when trust goes out the window, so does engagement.
Need Help Defining Yours?
If you’re sitting there thinking, “This sounds great but… where do I even start?”… I’ve got you.
🎯 Ready to turn your brand voice into a full-blown strategy? Grab our Social Media Strategy Workbook! It’s packed with prompts, planning pages, and insider tips to help you craft content that sounds like YOU and actually works. 🛒 Snag your workbook now and start showing up with clarity, consistency, and confidence.
