Tone of Voice
Tone of Voice
Section titled “Tone of Voice”How we write is as important as how we look. Our tone of voice expresses our personality consistently across every touchpoint.
Brand personality
Section titled “Brand personality”We are:
| Trait | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Clear | We say what we mean, simply and directly |
| Helpful | We guide, don’t dictate. We educate, don’t sell |
| Human | We write like a person, not a corporation |
| Confident | We speak with conviction, not arrogance |
| Warm | We’re approachable, not cold or clinical |
We are not: complicated, pushy, robotic, timid, or cold.
Voice vs Tone
Section titled “Voice vs Tone”- Voice is constant — it’s our personality. We’re always clear, helpful, and human.
- Tone adapts to context — more celebratory for a launch, more serious for an error message, more enthusiastic for a welcome.
Writing principles
Section titled “Writing principles”Be concise
Section titled “Be concise”✗ In order to proceed with the account creation process, it is necessary to...✓ To create your account, you'll need to...Use active voice
Section titled “Use active voice”✗ The form can be submitted by clicking the button below.✓ Click the button to submit the form.Avoid jargon
Section titled “Avoid jargon”✗ Leverage our best-in-class omnichannel solution to drive synergistic outcomes.✓ Use our tools to reach customers wherever they are.Be specific
Section titled “Be specific”✗ Your request has been processed successfully.✓ Your report is ready — 3,421 rows exported.Context-specific tones
Section titled “Context-specific tones”| Context | Tone shift | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing site | Confident, inspiring | ”Everything you need to ship great work.” |
| Product UI | Concise, helpful | ”Invite teammates to collaborate” |
| Error messages | Direct, reassuring | ”That link expired. Request a new one below.” |
| Documentation | Clear, instructive | ”First, install the package using npm.” |
| Email / Social | Warm, conversational | ”We just shipped something we think you’ll love.” |
Words we use
Section titled “Words we use”| Instead of | Use |
|---|---|
| Utilize | Use |
| Commence | Start |
| Terminate | End / Stop |
| Facilitate | Help |
| Request | Ask |
| Authenticate | Sign in / Log in |
| Navigate to | Go to |
| Configure | Set up |
Words we avoid
Section titled “Words we avoid”- Superlatives without proof: “best”, “fastest”, “easiest”
- Buzzwords: “disruptive”, “innovation”, “next-gen”
- Over-promises: “never”, “always”, “guaranteed”
- Blame language: “you failed to”, “you didn’t”, “invalid”