Embedding brand tone guidelines into prompts

Embedding brand tone guidelines into prompts is a great way to ensure consistency across all content. When you’re crafting prompts or writing content for your brand, the tone should align with your brand’s identity, messaging, and audience. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you embed brand tone guidelines into prompts effectively:

1. Define the Brand Voice

First, clearly define the tone and voice of your brand. This will typically consist of a few key adjectives that describe the brand’s personality. For example:

• Friendly

• Professional

• Playful

• Authoritative

• Empathetic

• Confident

Make sure to specify whether the tone should change depending on the context. For example, customer service messages might require a more empathetic tone, while marketing content might be more energetic and playful.

2. Incorporate Specific Guidelines

Provide specific tone instructions based on the content type. For example:

• For blog posts: Should the tone be casual and conversational or more formal and informative?

• For product descriptions: Should they focus on clarity, excitement, or luxury?

• For social media: Should posts feel witty, friendly, or inspirational?

3. Create Consistent Prompts

Build prompts that consistently reflect the tone. For example, if your brand tone is friendly and approachable, prompts could include instructions like:

• “Write this in a conversational, friendly style that makes the reader feel like they are talking to a trusted friend.”

• “Keep it lighthearted, but informative, using casual language without being too informal.”

If the tone is professional and authoritative:

• “Make the content feel authoritative but not pompous. Maintain a professional yet approachable style, keeping the language clear and concise.”

4. Provide Context

The more specific you can be about the context, the better the tone will align. You might say:

• “This is a product page for a high-end luxury item, so the tone should convey exclusivity and elegance.”

• “This is an informational blog post on a technical subject, so use a formal yet accessible tone with clear explanations.”

5. Include Do’s and Don’ts

You can list examples of what fits within the tone and what doesn’t. This helps the AI (or writer) understand your expectations better.

• Do’s: Friendly, clear, concise, empathetic, engaging, professional

• Don’ts: Overly formal, sarcastic, overly casual, long-winded, aggressive

6. Adjust for Specific Platforms or Audiences

Specify if the tone needs to change depending on where the content will be used. For example, the tone for LinkedIn may be more formal than for Twitter or Instagram.

Example Prompt with Brand Tone Embedded:

• “Write a blog post about the importance of self-care for busy professionals. Use a friendly, empathetic tone, speaking directly to readers who are likely stressed and overwhelmed. Be encouraging and relatable. Keep the language simple and approachable, but authoritative enough to build trust. Avoid jargon or overly technical terms. The tone should feel like advice from a close friend who understands their struggle.”

By embedding these tone guidelines directly into your prompts, you help ensure that the content consistently reflects your brand’s identity across all channels.