Why your audience can hear your brand (even if you don't know it)
Picture this: You're scrolling through Instagram and see a caption that makes you smile. No logo in sight, but you know it's from that brand you love. And do you know why? It’s because you recognised their voice before you even saw their name.
Your brand voice is everywhere, and your audience is listening.
Welcome to my new Rubie Jo Creative series: Things your audience notices, even if you don't. This is where I'm making branding beyond the visuals fun and easy to understand for entrepreneurs and business owners, wherever you are on this wild ride of running a business, along with some tips you can use for your business right away. ↓
Entry 001: Your brand voice
Your brand voice is one of the most important elements of your business, and I'd go as far as to say it's more important than your visuals (coming from a designer, I know, so controversial).
Your audience hears your brand in every word you write, from social media captions to website copy. This shapes how people see you and builds a powerful foundation of trust, connection, familiarity and reputation. When your voice sounds the same everywhere, people feel like they know you before they even see your logo.
In a world where visuals can start to look the same, a strong and consistent brand voice makes you truly stand out.
While visuals are what draw people in, your strong and consistent brand voice is what makes you truly unique. You could have the best visuals in the world, but people always remember how you made them feel and that is the true power of your brand voice.
Places where your brand voice appears
Your insta is like a mini website…
Your brand voice shows up pretty much wherever there's words:
Printed media like brochures, leaflets, adverts, posters
Social media captions and how you chat with your audience
Customer journeys like email marketing, purchasing journey
Website copy, product descriptions, blog posts
So, how do you choose to sound?
Whether you mix styles or stick to one approach, keep your brand values front and centre and choose what feels most natural to your business. Use words your audience uses. Listen, engage and adjust.
Your voice will evolve over time and always remember to sound like YOU. Your voice is the one thing no one can take.
Here are some different brand voice styles to consider:
Playful - Perfect for creative businesses, children's brands or lifestyle companies wanting to feel approachable and fun
Cheeky - Works well for disruptive brands or businesses challenging the status quo in their industry
Professional - Ideal for consultants, legal services or B2B companies where credibility is needed
Refined - Great for luxury brands, high-end services or businesses targeting sophisticated audiences
Friendly - Universal appeal, especially good for service-based businesses building personal connections
Conversational - Perfect for coaches, educators or anyone wanting to feel like a trusted friend
Uplifting - Good for wellness brands, motivational coaches or businesses focused on positive transformation
Your simple brand voice checklist:
Save this for your next brand voice check-in so your audience know it's you without seeing your logo:
Read my brand voice where it appears
Does my voice sound the same everywhere?
3-5 words that sum up my brand feel
Create a "words I'll never use" list
Test + tweak with real audience feedback
Ticket stamped for entry 002 soon, what should we explore next?
Rubie x
Feel like your brand voice is all over the place?
I help business owners build a brand that sounds like YOU everywhere - then help create the visuals to match ;) Know you need help but not sure where to start? Let's talk it through here.
