How to Match Content with the Client’s Tone

With many businesses relying on outsourced SEO and content services, getting a thorough understanding of the client’s tone and their individual voice can help them stand out from competitors. But how do you achieve this? Are there certain writing practices to perform? With an expert content team at Sherbet Donkey, we know a thing or two about getting our client’s tone of voice right. Whether it’s a monthly blog, landing page or an about us webpage, adapting the content to the right tone can be the difference between a customer making a purchase or looking elsewhere.

Why content tone matters

Writing in the correct tone of voice is a lot like playing an instrument – Nirvana famously played many of their songs in Drop D tuning to reach that famous alternate rock sound, and to match Cobain’s voice. Now imagine that tone as standard, without the distinct heavy rock and roll paired with the gravelly vocals; it wouldn’t be the same, would it?

So, if your client has outlined their tone as enthusiastic, and has many existing pages using commercially focused sentences, and then new content comes in and sells their services or products in a mundane, boring and unenthusiastic way, this will look glaringly inconsistent and, more than likely, the client won’t be happy!

Key steps to matching content with the right tone

So, what are the best ways for a content writer, or team, to go about matching the web content with the client’s preferred or existing tone?

Study the brand – personality and voice

Before leaping headfirst into a new webpage, study the client’s existing content to understand their core values, mission and personality. Look for consistent use of any phrases or words and any other patterns in how they communicate.

For example, a client who specialises in motor trade insurance would want to be approachable, knowledgeable and informative to help those who don’t have the first clue about acquiring this type of cover but also writing in an authoritative manner so those already in the know receive straight-to-the-point solutions on affordable insurance. Compare this to, say, a paintballing company, who’s all about action, fun and games, the content will be more informal and use colloquial language, humour and persuasive sentences to entice a broader audience to grab a gun and start blasting!

Who’s the target audience?

With the personality and voice figured out, this will typically lead to a better understanding of the target audience. With more formal tones it is more than likely the audience is quite corporate, while younger audiences or readers looking for consumer-friendly products will respond well to a more conversational tone. If your target audience is the average Joe who doesn’t know the first thing about laser cutting, you’re not going to jump into technical language of the product features without explaining anything about it. The best thing to do is present the information, acronyms and jargon in a simple format and explain how they benefit users.

Using the right level of formality

Even if you’ve figured out the brand’s target audience, balancing the right level of formality can still be tricky. A more relaxed, informal tone can build a sense of connection with the audience, while a formal-focused website helps convey authority and expertise.

To write more formally: Utilise precise language and industry terminology to demonstrate expertise and professionalism, and always ensure sentences are grammatically correct (although this goes for all types of content writing!).

To write more informally: Conversational content using contractions, colloquialisms and emotive language helps portray the client and services as approachable, almost like speaking to a friend rather than writing a detailed report.

Certain phrases can be altered depending on formality. For example, instead of writing, ‘get in touch with us…’ which sounds like a command, ideal for a more formal tone, consider changing it to something like, ‘talk to our friendly team…’ which is more inviting and conversational.

If the client is a mix of both, aim for a good balance by using professional language but also keeping the content accessible.

Sentence structure and rhythm

When conducting your preliminary research, assess how the website’s existing copy is written. Is it short, snappy and concise? Does it ask questions that get the reader thinking and engaged?

Or is the content written more long form to provide information before jumping into commercially focused sentences to try and drive conversions and sales? Longer-form content presents a more laid back, friendly and reflective tone which is better for businesses that want to present a sense of natural flow and pacing.

It’s often best to read content out loud to hear how it flows and note down the variations in sentence length. If the client frequently uses short sentences, reflect this in your content writing.

Writing content that evolves with the client

As businesses grow, so will their tone and values to meet new audience expectations, which means staying in open communication with them is vital to be able to refine content as their brand voice matures. This goes for new pieces you’re writing as well as updating existing pages, which is a key strategy in good SEO practices.

This can be done by regularly reviewing content and any updates from the client, in addition to communicating with the client about any changes they desire.

With company growth comes an enhanced reputation among a wider audience base, so shifting to a prideful voice which showcases knowledge and authority will help present them as such. While some may not understand technical jargon, presenting the reader with this in a way that is accessible, again, builds trust and an incentive for them to find out more.

Get your content tone right with Sherbet Donkey

At Sherbet Donkey, we have effective and proven methods that get your web content aligned with your brand’s tone and voice. Whether you’re building a new website which requires completely new copy to entice readers or you’re looking for a refresh of existing content to align better with your business, we can help.

With our content department working closely with SEO, the design team and our development wizards, your website can reach the top results of Google searches, helping you stand out from competitors to make sales and build lasting client relationships – just like we do with ours.