A few years ago, I was in charge of presenting a big marketing strategy deck to a senior executive. My team and I prepared a script that went something like this:
“In Q3, we’ll deliver a unified editorial calendar. Subject matter will reinforce key audience pain points. We will increase paid media investments to leverage this series in integrated campaigns.”
It sounded so impressive in my head, but the executive just wanted clarity. She asked, “So, what is it exactly? A blog series we promote in paid?”
Oops.
In that moment, I realized the words I was using were all wrong. I wasn’t just doing this in meetings. I was adopting this voice in all the brand’s content I was creating, too.
I call that jargon-filled approach “content voice.” And since that meeting, I’ve been on a mission to stop its spread — both in my work and at other brands. Let’s break down exactly what content voice means and how to avoid it, along with some real examples of brands that get it right.
Table of Contents
What is content voice?
Content voice is when brands use fancy-sounding jargon in the content they create for their audience instead of communicating simply. Here’s what it looks like IRL.
When I posted about content voice on LinkedIn, my comments section exploded with people who knew exactly what I meant. Content voice is saying “utilize” or “leverage” instead of “use.” It’s customers reading multiple paragraphs about what your product does but still not understanding it. When you read something written in content voice, you can tell it’s marketing content, making it feel less personal and valuable.
In my experience, speaking in your regular, non-content voice is a much better bet. Sticking to a clear, accessible voice for your brand is critical to make sure your internal and external stakeholders actually understand what you’re talking about.
Instead of complicated, inaccessible language, just use the same words you’d use to explain your idea to a friend over coffee. I know this might seem tough, especially in B2B. But your customers will thank you for explaining things clearly.
At the end of the day, we’re all human, so there’s no need to talk like a robot. Instead, just use regular, jargon-free words, and do your best to communicate as clearly (and as humanly) as possible.
Your voice should feel like a distinct logo.
So, you’ve cut all the jargon out of your style guide. That’s just the first step. Goodbye, content voice. From there, you have to build a brand voice that feels distinct in a sea of sameness.
Your brand voice should feel like a logo, memorable and distinct. Any time I interact with your brand, I should automatically recognize it from the words you use.
Your brand voice should be authentic to your offering and your audience. And it should span your social channels, blog content, company podcasts, and newsletters. Ideally, I’d be able to say, “I’d recognize that voice anywhere.”
5 Tips for Developing a Strong & Cohesive Brand Voice
How do you actually develop a voice like that? Here are some tried-and-true tips to help marketers develop a strong and cohesive brand voice.
1. Listen to understand.
Especially as a junior marketer, I often assumed that the point of communicating was to sound smart. It didn’t matter if I had no idea what I was talking about, as long as I sounded impressive.
But to develop a brand voice that’s clear and intelligible, it’s essential to actually understand the subject matter. And, that starts with really listening. So, when interviewing leaders or customers, ask plenty of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask the same thing multiple times to get the information you need. Then, once you really understand their answers, you can use that understanding to communicate more effectively.
2. Define niche terms.
In general, it’s best to use simple language that everyone can easily understand. But of course, you can’t always avoid niche terms.
When an industry-specific term is necessary, it’s okay to use it. Just remember to define the term, rather than assuming that everyone will already know what it means. You can define the same term in multiple pieces of content. Don’t assume everyone’s read everything you create.
3. Advocate for your audience.
Talking like a regular person may not seem all that counterintuitive, but I’ve found that sooner or later, you’re likely to run into some pushback. Whether it’s an overzealous colleague or an old-fashioned senior executive, it’s not uncommon for marketers to find themselves dealing with people trying to edit their work to make it more jargon-y.
If and when that happens, it’s vital to serve as an advocate for your audience. Of course, this conversation can be uncomfortable (even more so if it’s with your boss or someone who has a lot more experience than you). But if you explain that you’re just trying to make the content as clear as possible, then you should be able to get the buy-in you need.
That’s especially true for global audiences, many of whom may natively speak a different language than you do. Those folks will definitely appreciate when you avoid jargon-filled copy.
4. Use data to back up your approach.
Beyond just explaining that using regular language will naturally help more people understand what you’re saying, I bet you can also find data to support the benefits of this approach.
The metrics that matter most will depend on your unique industry and business context, but see if you can find evidence proving that using a regular voice leads to more time spent on your website, higher conversion rates, and other valuable improvements. In general, I’m guessing if you test regular voice vs. content voice website headings or landing page copy, the regular voice will win.
5. Lead by example.
Finally, if you’re in a leadership role, be proactive about your brand’s voice and tone. After all, junior writers and editors will be emulating you. If you use pompous, confusing language, they’ll get the message that sounding fancy is the way to succeed. But if you talk like a regular person, people will naturally follow your lead.
In addition, make sure to praise marketers for using clear language. When reviewing their content, always look for opportunities to simplify. You can also formalize brand voice guidelines, explicitly encouraging people to avoid corporate jargon and prioritize accessibility. But of course, people will only follow those rules if they see their leaders sticking to them, too.
Even if you’re not in a leadership role, you can still lead by example, though, and make a push inside your company for clearer language.
Examples of a Strong Brand Voice
So, what does this look like in practice? Here are a few examples of brands using a strong, clear voice without sounding pretentious.
Mailchimp: Striking the Balance Between Business and Pleasure
B2B brands have a tough mission. They need to be distinct and have personality while selling technical solutions. How can you possibly showcase a B2B offering without using jargon? Mailchimp finds a way.
The email marketing and automation platform strikes the right balance between helpful content and vibe. Its how-to guides give real steps that can help marketers create effective email campaigns, all while keeping jargon to a minimum.
On social, Mailchimp continues to lead with value, like in their LinkedIn carousels that offer deep, but brief, insights for the audience.
The Hustle: The No-BS Approach to Business
Newsletter The Hustle offers business news without content voice. The publication offers a “no-BS source for the business stories that matter.”
All of the brand’s content — from social media posts to the newsletter itself — has the same conversational tone. The brand‘s personality shines through in their subject lines too, with headers like, “Why everyone’s suddenly obsessed with pickleball.”
I see something punchy in my inbox and want to click through. And, once I get to the content, I know that I won’t need an MBA to understand it.
Canva: Keeping the Product Fun, Front, and Center
When I think of graphic design, I think creativity, fun, and finding clever ways to showcase a product. Canva captures that spirit. Instead of defaulting to content voice, the brand has a straightforward and casual tone. There’s no mention of in-the-weeds features. Canva just lets the product do the talking.
That approach is all over the brand’s copy, whether that’s on LinkedIn or billboards.
When it comes to brand voice, simpler is better.
At the end of the day, I’ve learned that simpler is almost always better. While niche terms have their place, putting on a fancy-sounding “content voice” tends to backfire: Instead of sounding smart, you just sound like you’re marketing something complicated.
Instead, I always recommend that marketers focus on clarity. That means using simple words and prioritizing accessibility. And when in doubt, just try to sound like a human.
