Copywriting Tone, Voice, and Style

Here’s what you need to know about copywriting tone, voice, and style.

For small businesses and solopreneurs, words are your most powerful marketing weapon. When you get them right, they trigger emotional responses, create connections, differentiate. (Plus, unlike video/design, words are cost-effective yet infinitely customizable.)

But crafting the right message isn’t just about what you say or the way you say it—it’s about how you make your audience feel.

Enter copywriting tone, voice, and style—crucial elements of your copywriting strategy.

There’s just one thing: the path to effective copywriting is often riddled with obstacles big and small that can quickly derail your brand’s communications.

I’ve reflected on years of client conversations and found a clear pattern emerges in terms of the most common roadblocks non-copywriters experience navigating tone, voice, and style.

😕 Conceptual confusion

• Terms like “tone,” “voice,” and “style” become interchangeable, and mess with your brain. For the life of you, you can’t make heads or tails of how they actually differ.
• Creating your brand’s image and then translating that idea into a corresponding communication style can be a struggle.
  For example: how do you communicate a “whimsical academic” image for a stationery company designing and selling playful-meets-intellectual notebooks, planners, and writing instruments for young women?
• Missing how every word choice subtly shapes audience perception.
  For example: “expensive” (negative, restrictive) versus “investment” (positive, strategic, value-oriented) or “cheap service” (implying low quality, minimal effort) versus “affordable solution,” which suggests a smart, economical choice.

🖋️ Application traps

• Inconsistent messaging across different platforms, which confuses potential customers and reduces recognition.
  For example: taking a professional and data-driven approach to your LinkedIn then a casual, funky approach on Instagram.
• Using a one-size-fits-all approach that falls flat—you come across as generic at best and inauthentic at worst.
• Oscillating between overly formal and uncomfortably casual communication depending on who’s doing the writing.

⬛ Strategic blind spots

• Underestimating language’s immense power—how they trigger memories, activate emotional states, and influence decision-making.
  Fun fact: did you know that language choice can set off the release of neurochemicals like oxytocin (trust) and cortisol (stress)?
  Just consider the following wording: “You’re running out of time to solve this complicated problem” versus “We’re here to help you understand and solve this challenge.” How do you respond to them? One leaves you feeling 😩 while the other has you feeling 🙂.
• Failing to recognize how tone builds (or breaks) customer trust.
  For example: a customer support email that sounds cold and indifferent versus one that’s genuine and empathetic:
  • “Your technical issue #4572 has been logged. Standard resolution time is 5-7 business days. Please wait for further communication.”
  • “We understand how frustrating technical problems can be. Our team is dedicated to getting you back up and running as quickly as possible, and we’ll personally guide you through resolving this issue.”
• Inadvertently creating a disconnect between your brand promise and communications.
  For example: a “customer first” brand that relies on AI content and impersonal automated responses. 👀 Or a wellness company using aggressive, shaming language.

😩 Technical limitations

• Maybe you haven’t had much exposure to persuasive communication techniques. Maybe you’re not familiar with marketing psychology and how to harness that insight. Or maybe you’re more comfortable using industry jargon. Either way, limited writing skills end up holding back your brand’s potential.
• Sometimes, you’re thrown in the deep end, tasked with content writing when it’s just not your forte. You don’t have a clear framework for defining your brand’s unique personality, whether its core traits or communication dos and don’ts.
• How do you balance your technical mindset with emotional storytelling? How do you simplify a complex idea into a simple message? How do you bridge your business goals and audience’s desires? Many have difficulty translating their vision into compelling language that their target audience will “buy” into.

Frankly, these challenges aren’t just writing problems—they’re business problems that can cost you customers, credibility, and opportunities.

So, whether you’ve been tasked with your first copywriting project or, better yet, get to outsource your content needs, here are the copywriting tone, voice, and style basics you need to know to get started.

Copywriting tone

You know the old saying, “it’s not what you say but how you say it?”

That’s what we mean when we discuss tone.

It’s the emotional aspect of your communication—the mood or feeling behind your words. And, as you can imagine, tone changes based on context. (Things like your audience, environment, the publication/platform and the situation at hand.)

Here are a few verbal communication examples:

• You might use a cutesy, high-pitched tone talking to your fur baby— and a stern one to tell puppy off for chewing another pair of shoes to bits and pieces.
• The tone you use to share bad news isn’t the same as the tone you’d use for happy occasions.
• And the way you would talk to your boss or clients isn’t the same as the way you talk to your best friend or mother.

Copywriting tone is essentially the same as the tone of your voice except in written form. Among others, word choice and syntax influence how your tone comes across.

To put that into perspective, consider the following:

If you’re announcing the launch of a new product, you might use an energetic and upbeat tone. On the other hand, if you’re announcing the discontinuation of a service, or even layoffs, you certainly wouldn’t do so with excitement. You might take a regretful or somber tone instead.

In the written context, that could look like this:

Product launch for Gen Z work attire

WORK OOTDs REDEFINED. 🔥

Introducing SWITCH — the wardrobe that says ‘professional’ without saying ‘boring’ or ‘basic’.

Blazers that breathe. Pants with personality. Style in every stitch.

We’ve designed clothing for corporate confidence, from Zoom calls to coffee runs to after-work hangouts.

Drop happening next week. Get ready to SWITCH! 💁‍♀️✨

Dog grooming service discontinuation

To our beloved pet families,

After careful consideration, we will be discontinuing our in-clinic dog grooming services effective August 15th.

While we are discontinuing these services to redirect our team’s expertise towards expanding our emergency veterinary care and specialized medical treatments, we also know how much you have appreciated the convenience and comprehensive care of our grooming services over the years, and understand that change can be uncomfortable.

Should you need it, we’re happy to recommend trusted local groomers who can continue providing the grooming care your pets deserve.

Our commitment to your pets’ health remains our top priority.

Thank you for your kind understanding.

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✅ Develop a memorable brand voice and style
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Note: Some call it “tones of voice”, “tone of voice in writing” or “copywriting tone of voice”. Others call it “brand tone” or “brand tone of voice”. At the end of the day, everyone’s referring to the same concept.

Examples of tone

Copywriting voice

What about your copywriting or brand voice?

I like to think of it as your brand’s personality. It’s what helps you stand out, and what makes it easy for people to quickly recognize your brand. Much like putting a face to a name!

Brand voice is consistent, unique to you, and represents your brand’s core characteristics.

Going back to our Gen Z work attire brand – their core characteristics might be:

• Confident
• Aspirational
• Playful

For the vet clinic, core characteristics might include:

• Compassionate
• Professional
• Trustworthy

Brand voice is incredibly important, which is why it’s best practice to define your brand’s personality before you start writing.

Here are a few more examples.

For a tech brand:

• Forward-thinking
• Disruptive
• Precise

For a wellness brand:

• Minimalist
• Empowering
• Calm

For a fashion brand:

• Inclusive
• Rebellious
• Fun

For a pet brand:

• Responsible
• Eco-conscious
• Approachable

For professional services:

• Reliable
• Transparent
• Self-assured

Whatever your brand’s personality, your brand voice and tone should reflect those traits in its copy.

Copywriting style

Think of style as the strategic approach—the packaging of your brand’s message—behind your marketing communications.

To be more precise:

• How you structure and deliver your message
• Includes grammar, sentence length, technical complexity, the use (or not) of emojis/memes/gifs/contractions/slang
• Appeals to your brand’s target audience

When you come up with your framework, that might look like this:

• Sentence structure: short, punchy sentences
• Technical complexity: simplified, accessible language anyone can understand
• Emotional intensity: high energy, always optimistic
• Grammatical approach: conversational, rule-bending
• Visual elements: emoji- and meme-friendly

Let’s give you a more concrete example of how style can change depending on your guidelines.

Basic fact: Our software saves money for small businesses.

• Option 1: We just turned saving money into an art form. Your wallet’s new bestie has arrived! 💸
• Option 2: Our software demonstrates measurable cost optimization through advanced algorithms.
• Option 3: Transforming financial friction into fluid potential. Your budget just got superpowers.

Same message, different styles. You get the idea, right?

But wait! There’s more.

There are four writing styles, each serving its own purpose, worth knowing.

Expository writing style

This style is used when you want to explain a concept or convey information. It’s objective, logical, and does not include personal opinions. Instead, it focuses on factual information about a topic and may include statistics or other forms of evidence to back points up.

Best for:

• How-To Articles
• Business Writing / Technical Reports
• Explainer Video Scripts

Descriptive writing style

This style is used when you want to make it easy for readers to visualize something. You’re painting a picture – stimulating the imagination – using words. This is where you bring out the big guns: metaphors & similes, sensory writing, personification, and all the other writing skills your high school English teacher taught you.

Best for:

• Travel Guides
• (Certain) Product Descriptions
• Edutainment-style Blog Posts

Persuasive writing style

Use this style of writing when you want to convince your audience to believe or do something (take action). Unlike expository writing, you can share your opinions to justify a certain position or clarify your stance on a topic.

Best for:

• Sales Materials
• Advertisements
• Email Campaigns

Narrative writing style

The narrative style is about world-building and storytelling. You’ve got characters, conflict, settings, a resolution and so on.

Best for:

• “About Us” & “Our Story” Copy
• Customer Success Stories
• Case Studies

Put your copywriting skills to the test

You’ve learned the intricacies of copywriting tone, voice, and style. Now it’s time to put that knowledge into action. 😉

Let’s practice crafting communication for these fictional brands using specific tones and voices.

Challenge: Tone and Voice Adaptation

For each brand, you’ll:

1. Select a specific tone from the given options
2. Create a short piece of copy according to the prompt
3. Ensure the message aligns with the brand’s core characteristics

Brand 1: Nova Smart Tech – Sustainable Tech Startup

Core characteristics:

• Innovative
• Eco-conscious
• Empowering

Possible tones to choose:

• Optimistic
• Serious
• Witty

Prompt: Craft a sales one-pager announcing a new solar-powered smartphone that reduces e-waste. Focus on the reduced carbon footprint and how they can be used off-grid or in emergency situations like when there’s a power outage.

Brand 2: Howl – Holistic Pet Wellness Brand

Core characteristics:

• Nurturing
• Scientific
• Compassionate

Possible tones to choose:

• Caring
• Educational
• Encouraging

Prompt: Create a sales email campaign for a new line of organic, vet-developed supplements containing probiotics and omega oils for dogs.

Brand 3: Lumilux Bridal – Luxury Bridal Hair Styling Studio

Core characteristics:

• Romantic
• Sophisticated
• Transformative

Possible tones to choose:

• Polished
• Elegant
• Refined

Prompt: Create a social media caption targeting brides-to-be that captures the studio’s commitment to sophisticated, personalized bridal hair styling. Your message should reflect the brand’s luxurious approach to engagement photo shoots and wedding day beauty.

Are you struggling to apply tone, voice, and style to your copywriting?

How’d you do with the challenge?

If you found yourself wrestling with tone, voice, and style—you’re not alone. Mastering copywriting is an art and science that takes years to perfect.

The good news? You don’t have to go it alone.

Defining your brand’s copywriting strategy typically requires 40+ hours of grunt work and iteration. I compress this complex process for you—saving you weeks of research, analyses, drafting, and refining.

Here’s how I can help you:

✅ Brand Voice Guidelines: Transform your brand’s personality into a crystal-clear communication blueprint your entire team can implement across communication channels.

✅ Content Audit: Uncover and resolve hidden messaging gaps that could be costing you customers.

✅ On-brand Content: Turn content writing from a time-consuming, stress-inducing process into your competitive advantage.

Book Your Free 30-Min Insight Call to Get Started!