Hi First name / friend,

 

 

Raise your hand if you relate to this tweet: 👇

So it's not just me! Thank goodness.

 

Email-punctuation-mark etiquette is just one example of why tone of voice matters so much.

Did your parents ever tell you to “watch your tone” (in a certain tone of their own)?

 

Maybe you snapped back something like, “What? I just said, ‘Sure, I’d love to fold the laundry'!” 

 

It wasn't what you said — it was how you said it.

 

Same goes with copywriting. If you aren't careful how you phrase something, it could be perceived the wrong way. Your clients or customers could read it and think, Whoa, that's not how I would've put it. And their trust in you could take a hit.

 

Quick recap: Voice is how you sound in general. Tone is how you sound in a specific instance.

 

For example, your voice might generally be bubbly. But when you're crafting an apology to a customer for an unexpected shipping delay, your tone might be a bit less bright.

 

Tone can be defined by four main continuums (as outlined by Nielsen Norman Group): 

 

When it comes to online marketing, here are the tones I'd generally lean toward for various channels:

 

Context is key, of course. Along with the channel you're writing on, the topic you're writing about should dictate the tone of your copy.

 

 

With a wink,

Sarah 😘

 

P.S. Want more tips on using the right voice and tone? Check out my blog post on “Every Possible Way to Use Your Brand Voice in Your Online Marketing.” (Okay, it may not be every way, but it's at least 72 unique ideas.)