4. Document everything and be consistent

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For instance, an organic social post requires a different tone than responding to a customer complaint or question. A light-hearted tone is appropriate for organic posts, but a professional, concerned tone is more applicable for customer care responses. In terms of social networks, you wouldn’t use the same tone on Twitter and LinkedIn because one is more casual than the other.

Identify common scenarios you come across as a brand and categorize them into the different tones you would take on, along with making distinctions by network.

For example, at Sprout, we’ve developed voice and tone cash app data guidelines for our brand voice across various scenarios, such as the difference between more formal media statements and casual social responses. We break done uses cases for tone by the situation:

Screenshot from Seeds brand guide describing the voice and tone of Sprout when talking to media, posting on social and handling customer issues.
We also provide guidelines by audience and content type:

By audience and role matrix from Seeds brand guide. The matrix describes how to use Sprout voice and tone across several audiences including leaders, managers and practitioners.
Content type matrix from Seeds brand guide. The matrix describes how to use Sprout voice by content type, user typer, goal and tone.
Just like your visual brand guide and social strategy, your brand voice needs to be documented. A brand style guide, like Sprout’s Seeds, will help multiple departments. It exists as a reference for anyone who writes in the brand’s voice, keeping social media posts and marketing copy in check and consistent.