How to build a brand voice that resonates online, even for small shops and enterprises

Your brand voice is more than just a writing style, it’s the personality, tone, and consistency behind every message your business sends. For small UK shops and enterprises, a distinctive and authentic brand voice isn’t optional; it’s essential to stand out, build trust, and make meaningful connections online.

1. Why Brand Voice Matters

• Recognition and Trust: A clear brand voice creates consistency that helps customers recognise your brand even before they see your logo. According to Sprout Social, originality in content (which includes voice) is a top factor in standing out online.

• Loyalty Through Transparency: Nearly 94% of consumers say brand transparency is crucial to their loyalty. A compelling voice that aligns with your values and communicates honestly builds that trust.

Source: sproutsocial.com

2. Steps to Crafting a Resonant Brand Voice

a) Define Your Foundations

• Clarify Your Core Values and Mission

  • Identify the beliefs and mission that drive your business - are you friendly and approachable? Professional and knowledgeable? Determining this anchor guides your voice.

• Understand Your Audience Personas

  • Take time to know who your customers are. What language do they use? What tone do they respond to? Use surveys, social listening, or customer feedback to gather insights.

b) Audit Your Current Communications

• Review All Communication Channels

  • Gather examples from your website, social media, emails, and customer service. Look for inconsistencies (e.g., posts that are overly formal vs. others that are casual).

• Spot What Resonates

  • Identify which messages, formats, or tones get the highest engagement, clicks, or shares.

c) Use the “Three-Word Test” & Voice Chart

• Summarise Your Voice in Three Words

  • As a team, pick three adjectives that represent your brand’s personality e.g., friendly, reliable, authentic. Then describe what each look, sound, and feel like in practice.

• Create a Voice Chart or Guide

  • A simple table: traits, do’s, don’ts. For example:

Trait	Do’s	Don’ts
Friendly	Use “we’re here to help”	Avoid jargon or stiff tone
Authentic	Share behind-the-scenes stories	Don’t sound salesy
Professional	Proofread, use clear info	Avoid slang in formal content

d) Train & Embed Across Touchpoints

• Share Guidelines with Everyone

  • Whether it’s you, a content creator, or a freelancer, ensure everyone has access to the voice guide and knows how to apply it.

• Tailor Tone by Channel

  • While your core voice stays consistent, your tone may vary e.g., more casual on TikTok, more formal on LinkedIn.

e) Measure, Iterate, Evolve

• Regularly Audit Content Performance

  • Use analytics to track engagement, click-throughs, sentiment. What voice styles are performing best?

• Refresh and Refine

  • Set periodic reviews (quarterly or bi-annual) to revisit your voice—customer expectations and market contexts change, and your voice should evolve too.

Source: sproutsocial.com

3. Putting it into Practice: Tips for Small UK Shops

1. Start Small – Pick 1-2 traits that define your personality (e.g., “welcoming” and “straight-talking”) and emphasise them.

2. Use Local Language and References When Appropriate – Acknowledging regional culture can strengthen your connection.

3. Tell Stories – Even simple anecdotes (“Why we opened on this street,” “Our favourite community moment this month”) reinforce personality and genuineness.

4. Consistent Across Touchpoints – From your shop window poster to your Facebook caption to your email footer, make your brand voice recognisable everywhere.

5. Get Feedback – Ask a few loyal customers how they’d describe your business voice; you might be surprised by what stands out to them.

   
   

Conclusion

A strong brand voice is a high-impact, low-cost way to elevate your small business. It builds recognisability, trust, and connection. At Aditi Digital Marketing, we help small brands develop and consistently express a voice that resonates with their customers online.

If you’d like help charting out your brand voice or crafting messaging strategy, reach out! We’d love to help your personality shine.