GLOBEWICK
Building a Brand Voice That Survives Multiple Writers
To keep one brand voice across many writers, write it down as a short, practical guide: 3 to 4 voice traits, each with "we are / we are not" examples, a word list, before-and-after rewrites, and rules for each channel. Then make it easy to use, with templates, examples of approved content and one person who reviews drafts against the guide. Vague adjectives like "friendly and professional" are not a voice guide. Writers need examples they can copy.
Why voices drift with more authors
Every writer brings their own habits: sentence length, formality, humour, favourite words. Without a shared reference, each one fills the gaps differently. Add freelancers, agencies, sales teams writing emails and AI tools drafting copy, and within months the brand sounds like six different companies. Customers notice even when they cannot say why, and trust drops.
What to put in a brand voice guide
1. Three or four voice traits, with limits
Pick traits that describe how you sound, and define each by what it is not:
| Trait | We are | We are not |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | Give the answer first | Blunt or dismissive |
| Expert | Use real numbers and examples | Full of jargon |
| Warm | Talk to one person as "you" | Over-familiar or full of slang |
2. Before and after examples
This is the most useful section. Show a typical off-brand sentence and the on-brand rewrite:
- Before: "We leverage cutting-edge solutions to drive synergistic growth outcomes."
- After: "We run your Meta and Google ads and report what they make you each week."
Include 5 to 10 pairs covering headlines, ads, emails and social captions.
3. A word list
List words you use and words you avoid. For example: say "customers", not "consumers"; say "price", not "investment"; never use "game-changer", "revolutionary" or "unlock". Note spellings too, such as British or American English, and how you write numbers and currency.
4. Tone by situation
Voice stays the same while tone shifts. Show how the voice sounds in:
- a launch or sale (more energy)
- a complaint reply (calm, no jokes)
- a technical help article (plain and precise)
- social captions (shorter, more personal)
5. Channel rules
Practical limits for each channel: headline length, emoji use, hashtag counts, sign-offs in email, how formal LinkedIn posts should be.
How to make writers actually use it
- Keep it short. Two to four pages that people read beat a 40-page PDF nobody opens.
- Give templates. Starting points for product descriptions, ads and emails lock in structure and tone.
- Keep a "best of" library. A folder of approved pieces each writer can copy from.
- Onboard every new writer. A 30-minute walkthrough and one edited test piece.
- Use one editor. One person reviews drafts against the guide until a writer is consistently on-brand.
- Give AI tools the guide. If your team uses AI to draft, paste the voice guide and examples into the prompt, then edit the output by hand.
How to check consistency
- Every quarter, put 10 random pieces from different writers side by side and remove the names. Can you tell who wrote what? If so, the voice is drifting.
- Score each piece 1 to 5 on each voice trait.
- Update the guide with new examples whenever a common mistake appears.
Voice and positioning go together
A consistent voice is how your positioning becomes recognisable. If customers cannot tell your brand from a competitor's by reading a caption, check both. See how to know if your brand positioning is working.
FAQ
What is the difference between brand voice and tone?
Voice is your consistent personality. Tone is how that personality adjusts to the situation, such as a sale versus an apology.
How long should a brand voice guide be?
Two to four pages of traits, examples and rules is enough for most brands. Examples matter more than descriptions.
How do you manage multiple authors under one brand voice?
Use a short guide with examples, templates, a library of approved content and one editor who reviews new writers until they are consistent.
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