How to Develop Your Unique Brand Voice on Social Media as a Small Business
Updated: Nov 22
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Bonus Tip 💡: Lighten Your Load with Social Media Management Apps
In a world saturated with online content, establishing a unique brand voice can be the key to making your small business stand out on social media.
Unique brand voice can be the key to making your small business stand out
According to a study by Sprout Social, 64% of consumers want brands to connect with them, and 55% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand with a distinct personality and consistent voice across channels. In other words, building a recognizable brand voice can not only improve your brand’s relatability but also directly impact your bottom line.
Before diving into how to build your brand voice, let’s first explore what it is and why it matters for your business.
What Exactly is a Brand Voice?
Profile by bloomscape on Instagram
Above, Bloomscape, a small business specializing in plant delivery, has established a calming and encouraging voice that reflects its mission of making plant care accessible and enjoyable. Through its posts, Bloomscape’s voice comes across as nurturing and reassuring, addressing common challenges that plant owners face while sharing useful tips for care.
A brand voice is the unique style and personality your brand expresses
A brand voice is the unique style and personality your brand expresses through its content, whether that’s in tweets, newsletters, or TikToks. It’s the distinct flair or tone that makes your audience recognize your brand even before they see your name attached.
Think about some of the brands you follow online – chances are, you could identify their content just by the way it sounds and feels. This consistent personality across platforms is what’s known as a brand voice.
As a small business, developing a voice that resonates deeply with your audience can help you build trust and stand out in a crowded digital landscape.
The Importance of a Brand Voice
A strong brand voice is essential for building a memorable and relatable identity on social media. It helps convey your brand’s personality, values, and mission in a way that resonates with your audience.
A strong brand voice is essential for building a memorable and relatable identity on social media
With a consistent brand voice, your business stands out in a crowded marketplace, building trust and familiarity with potential customers. When your voice is clear and recognizable, followers are more likely to engage with your content, remember your brand, and feel a genuine connection, which can lead to increased loyalty and sales.
Here’s a straightforward guide on developing and defining your brand voice for social media, with practical, easy-to-follow steps tailored for small businesses.
1. Define Your Brand Personality
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Before diving into the specifics of language and tone, think about the personality you want your brand to convey.
Consider asking yourself these questions:
What do you want customers to feel when they interact with your brand?
How would you describe your brand as if it were a person? Friendly, professional, witty, or inspiring?
What values does your business prioritize?
This foundation will help you create a more genuine connection with your audience. For example, if your brand centers around wellness, a calm and encouraging voice may be more fitting. On the other hand, if you’re a tech startup, an innovative and energetic tone may suit better.
2. Understand Your Audience
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Your audience plays a crucial role in shaping your brand voice. Dive deep into the demographics, preferences, and pain points of your target customers.
Some key considerations:
Conduct surveys or polls to learn more about what your audience wants from your brand.
Use social media analytics to understand what content resonates with them most.
Audience interaction: Pay attention to how your audience interacts with your posts - do they appreciate humor, or are they more responsive to informative, formal tones?
Creating a voice that aligns with your audience’s expectations will help you build trust and improve engagement.
3. Create a Brand Voice Guide
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To keep your brand voice consistent across different platforms, team members, or even marketing campaigns, create a simple brand voice guide.
This document should cover:
Tone: Outline when your brand should be playful, serious, or empathetic, depending on the context or platform.
Language and Vocabulary: Identify the types of words your brand should use. Are there specific phrases or jargon that match your brand?
Examples of Dos and Don’ts: Provide examples of on-brand versus off-brand language to make it easier for anyone managing your social accounts to stay consistent.
This guide can be an essential reference for new team members or agencies you work with, helping them instantly understand and apply your voice to new content.
4. Practice Consistency Across Platforms
Blog post highlighted on Hookle's channels
While each social media platform has unique formats and user expectations, your brand voice should still feel consistent. Above Hookle has published a blog post, and highlighted it not only on social media but also across other channels, including Google Business Profile and their newsletter.
For instance:
Instagram: Showcase visual storytelling in a friendly, conversational tone, fitting the platform’s casual and image-driven culture.
LinkedIn: Maintain a more professional, polished tone while still integrating your brand personality.
TikTok: Embrace the platform’s playfulness if it aligns with your brand, using humor or trends creatively.
Regardless of where you post, consistency builds familiarity and trust. Small shifts in tone are fine, but your brand should be recognizable everywhere it appears.
5. Use Engaging and Relatable Language
Profile by Appsumo on TikTok
Above a great example is AppSumo, whose brand voice combines approachable, down-to-earth language with a touch of humor. Their messaging style is direct, informal, and centered on empowering entrepreneurs through practical advice and useful tools.
Small businesses have the advantage of connecting with their audience in a more personable way. Avoid overly complex terms or jargon, and speak in a language your audience can relate to.
Key tips:
Use conversational language that feels approachable.
Add personal touches, like referring to your team by name or sharing behind-the-scenes stories.
Show empathy - understanding your audience’s challenges and addressing them with compassion is a great way to build rapport.
A relatable and down-to-earth tone helps create a loyal customer base that views your brand as more than just a business.
6. Experiment and Adapt
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Building a brand voice is an ongoing process. Social media trends change, and as a small business, you’ll need to stay agile.
Key tips:
Test different tones or types of content and monitor engagement metrics to see what resonates best.
Adjust as you go, based on feedback and audience reactions. What works on one platform or during a specific season may not work in others.
Embrace new trends that fit your brand but ensure they align with your established voice.
Your brand voice isn’t set in stone. It’s important to adapt while staying true to your brand’s personality.
7. Incorporate Visuals that Match Your Brand Voice
Profile by Oatly on Instagram
Above Oatly, an oat milk company, may no longer be a small business, but it’s a great example - their visuals perfectly align with their brand voice at every level, from marketing and ads to font choices. Your visual style should be an extension of your brand voice.
For example:
Color Scheme: Choose colors that reflect your brand’s personality. Soft pastels may convey calmness, while bold colors can communicate energy.
Fonts: Typography can have a subtle yet significant impact. Playful fonts convey friendliness, while serif fonts can appear more formal.
Imagery and Filters: Select images or graphics that align with your brand’s message. For instance, if your brand is centered around nature, earthy, green-toned visuals may suit your brand.
When your visuals match your brand voice, it strengthens your brand’s identity and makes a lasting impression.
8. Monitor and Gather Feedback
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Listen to what your audience is saying. Monitoring comments, direct messages, and tagged posts is a great way to gauge how your brand voice resonates.
Key tips:
Engagement Metrics: Look at engagement on different types of posts. If a specific tone or approach is driving higher engagement, consider emphasizing it more.
Customer Feedback: Customers may give feedback about your brand’s messaging directly or indirectly. Take it as constructive input to fine-tune your voice.
Surveys and Polls: Don’t hesitate to ask your audience for their opinion on your content style. This can offer valuable insights on what works well and what doesn’t.
9. Make Use of a Brand Voice Cheat Sheet for Each Platform
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Each platform has unique demands, so creating a “cheat sheet” for each can simplify the process.
For example:
Facebook: Friendly and slightly informative, as it’s a platform for both entertainment and education.
Twitter: Concise, witty, and timely. Twitter thrives on snappy, real-time conversations.
Pinterest: Inspirational and aspirational, fitting a platform focused on ideas and aesthetics.
Instagram: Visual and authentic; keep the tone conversational and engaging to foster community and connection.
Google Business Profile: Professional and straightforward, highlighting key information and customer benefits.
LinkedIn: Professional yet personable, suited for building authority, sharing expertise, and networking.
TikTok: Fun, creative, and trend-focused; aim for a lighthearted and engaging tone that captures attention quickly.
Tailoring your tone to each platform while retaining your brand’s core voice ensures a cohesive presence across all channels.
Tip: Some AI-powered social media management apps offer a feature where you can choose the tone for your posts. With tools like Hookle, you can even specify any brand voice or tone you want, and it will create a social post accordingly.
Lighten Your Load with Social Media Management Apps
Maintaining a consistent and impactful brand voice takes time, especially across multiple platforms. Using a social media management app like Hookle can help small business owners streamline this process.
Hookle allows you to manage all your social media channels from a single dashboard
AI-powered Hookle’s intuitive platform allows you to manage all your social media channels from a single dashboard, making it easier to schedule posts and maintain your brand’s voice consistently. With built-in analytics, you can also monitor what content resonates best, helping you refine your voice over time.
Developing your brand voice on social media may seem daunting at first, but by following these steps and leveraging tools like Hookle, you can build a memorable and relatable presence without overwhelming yourself.
Don’t just take our word for it - try it yourself! Download Hookle for free today and start making your brand’s voice heard!
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