How Content Marketing Defines Your Brand’s Voice

Posted on November 30, 2017 in Branding

What makes up your brand’s voice?

Is it the sound of you or your employees on the phone when you’re talking to a client? Is it the words you write for a press release? Is it the jingle that goes along with your latest TV spot?

Your brand’s voice is all of the above, and yet so much more. It’s EVERY ad you release, every blog post, every status update, and every conversation you have with a client – all combined to form the feelings, thoughts, and images that come to people’s mind when they think of your brand.

That includes your content marketing. See, content marketing is not only a big part of your brand’s voice…it IS your brand’s voice. No exaggeration.

Let’s dive into the nuts and bolts of why content marketing is so important for your brand’s voice, as well as how you can use it to your advantage.

Your content and your brand’s voice are one and the same.

Every single piece of content ever produced and released by your company serves as something of an ambassador for your brand. You don’t get to choose when your content speaks with your brand’s voice – it is ALWAYS speaking with your brand’s voice.

All of your content clues audiences in to who you are, what you care about, and how you do business. Every time someone consumes your content, they will come away with a slightly different opinion of your brand – for better or for worse. It may even be subconscious, but it all leaves an impression.

Now here’s the important part…

If 5 new customers read your blog without knowing anything else about your company, what would they think? In other words, how does your content reflect your brand?

In short, is your content strengthening or weakening your brand’s voice? How can you make sure it’s the former?

Your content should be consistently reinforcing your brand’s voice.

The golden rule of branding is consistency, and it’s no different with content marketing. When you’re creating and sharing a large amount of content, it’s easy to lose track of your goals and objectives. Here’s how to tighten the bolts and keep a consistent, strong voice:

First things first, never underestimate the KISS rule: Keep It Simple Stupid. It’s easier to maintain consistency with your brand’s voice if you stick to a simple, “so true, you can feel it in your gut” message.

Consider some of the great slogans:

There’s a reason these phrases are burned into our brain. Each of these messages carry a straightforward, barebones message that’s easy to understand, easy to remember, and easy to internalize.

Once you have a simple message in mind, create ALL of your content so that it’s oriented around that message.

Every single last piece of content should be hammering that point home for your audiences. Never let up, and never stray from that simple message. It’s imperative that you critically examine every piece of content to see if it is truly reinforcing your brand’s voice.

Any content that isn’t reinforcing your brand’s voice is watering it down. It will distract audiences from the main point and weaken your brand’s voice over all.

Bottom line? Your messaging and your voice in your content needs to be the same, all the time, PERIOD.

Your brand voice can (and should) evolve over time as your company matures.

Every company changes and evolves as time passes. These changes necessitate evolutions in your brand – and that’s a good thing!

Think about Dove. Fifteen years ago, Dove was like any other personal care brand selling soap, shampoo, etc. But in 2004, they launched the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, revamping their whole brand and heralding a new era of success.

The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty focused on bolstering women’s self-esteem and encouraging audiences to feel comfortable with their bodies as is. Of course, the campaign was a huge hit and is now considered one of the best ad campaigns of the 21st century.

Dove didn’t pull the campaign out of thin air – they reacted to evolving public sentiments about women’s bodies and notions of beauty. They tapped into the budding movement of body-positivity, and achieved great success as a result.

Point being, don’t be afraid to let your voice and your content evolve. Every business should strive to keep their brand relevant, modern, and attuned to the concerns and attitudes of the present.

Actions speak louder than words when defining your brand.

Your audience isn’t just listening to you, they’re watching you. It’s critical that you keep in mind that your actions are just as important as your words in establishing your brand.

Take Chick-Fil-A. Their storefront in the new Atlanta Falcons’ 1.6 billion dollar stadium is closed every Sunday, no matter what. There’s no telling how many millions of dollars they’re losing by keeping the store closed, but it sends a message.

It lets people know that as an organization, they are 100% serious about their faith. Without speaking a word, Chick-Fil-A is demonstrating their belief that Sundays are for rest and worship, and that it’s more important than millions of dollars in additional revenue to them.

All in all, it’s very important to consider how your actions and ways of doing business affect your brand and public perception. Remember, your customers are always watching.

How do YOU channel your brand’s voice through content marketing? Give us a call to talk content marketing and your brand’s voice today.