Tone of Voice, what are the types to choose from.

Back to the corporate Tone of Voice, which I have already talked about in this article . I talk about it again, because whether you want to take care of your online communication yourself or decide to entrust the texts of your site to a professional, the tone of voice is a chapter that you will have to face and it is better to be as prepared as possible .
So, here I am today to tell you about the types of tone of voice that exist with their different characteristics .
Stop talking and let's get started.

Two families of tone of voice: formal and informal

As I have already had the opportunity to tell you, the tone of voice is your how , the way you decide to tell yourself online and it is what helps your potential customers choose you (together with an offer that rocks, obviously).
There are many declinations of tone of voice, which are modulated in different contexts and which we can enclose in two large families:

• formal tone of voice
• casual tone of voice

Which family is better to be part of? As always, it depends on the objectives, the public, the sector.

The formal tone of voice is a cold tone of voice, which puts distance between the writer and the reader. It conveys authority, solemnity and it is no coincidence that it is used in institutional settings. A formal tone of voice instills confidence, but if stuffed with corporate and bureaucratic terms it risks becoming soporific .

For example: The Company boasts prestigious skills, such as to respond effectively to the needs of the entrepreneurial fabric.
Do you hear the yawn coming?

Conversely, the informal tone of voice is welcoming, warm, shortens the distance between the brand and the public . Even in this situation, however, you must be careful to dose the words well, using ultra-colloquial sentences could make you appear unprofessional.

If you have a strong identity, a well-defined audience and a super recognizable tone of voice, then you can afford to have a conversational approach, even using slang.
If, on the other hand, you don't have an overwhelming personality, if you communicate to attract attention but without having a clear message behind it, you run the risk of not being credible.

Formal and informal, the thousand nuances

If only these two types of tone of voice existed in the world, it would be easier to create content, but also more monotonous.
Fortunately, we have more tones of voice available, which derive from the formal and informal, but with different nuances and declinations.

Bureaucratic .

Very formal. Thorny. Difficult to understand because full of technicalities and intricate structures. I advise against using it, whatever the context in which you find yourself, precisely to avoid complicating life for the reader. An example: Pursuant to art. 32 of Legislative Decree 50/2016 ("Code"), once the award has become effective, the contracting authority proceeds with the stipulation of the contract within 60 days or in the different term established by the lex specialis. However, successful awarding does not exclude subsequent self-defense intervention by the contracting authority, with the awarding being revoked . Whoever got the message right away, raise your hand.

Institutional .

Less cold than bureaucratic, formal, but still far from the common language. It is bombastic, made up of long periods, uses the impersonal and the reader is not called into question. We inform our kind customers... the student can send the documentation, they are classic examples of a tone of voice that goes in this direction. I also advise against this.

Professional .

It's a neutral tone of voice that becomes detached or welcoming depending on the words you choose. Usually the writer prefers the third person and never mentions the recipient directly, as Westwing does on its about page: Westwing offers the most exclusive furnishing solutions to make Italian homes more beautiful every day.

Colloquial .

It is an informal way of communicating that welcomes, puts you at ease, loves simple forms and easy understanding. He prefers tu and addresses the reader directly. Welcome to the outlet of your favorite brands, because it's not just a question of what you wear, but how you feel when you wear it, is what Privalia writes on its home page: clear, clean, pleasant.

Ironic .

Playful, cheerful, that leaves its mark, but it's not for everyone (if you're not an ironic type by nature, forget it).

Well, we've come to the end of this overview of different tones of voice. If you want to learn more independently, I suggest you read the book by Valentina Falcinelli “Testi che parla. The tone of voice in company texts” , if you need help, let's talk about it : helping you will be a real pleasure.