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ChineseBuilding a Brand Voice Document
打造品牌声音文档
A thorough voice reference covers the following areas. Use this structure to help teams articulate their voice from scratch or to interpret an existing voice configuration.
一份详尽的品牌声音参考文档涵盖以下领域。可借助此结构帮助团队从零梳理品牌声音，或解读现有品牌声音配置。
Brand Personality Profile
品牌人格画像
Describe the brand as though it were a human being. What character traits define it?
Example: "Our brand is the sharp-but-generous mentor — someone who breaks down hard ideas in plain language, takes genuine pride in your progress, and never condescends."
将品牌拟人化描述。哪些特质定义了它？
示例："我们的品牌是敏锐且慷慨的导师——能用直白语言拆解复杂概念，为你的进步由衷自豪，且从不会居高临下。"
Communication Attributes (3-5)
沟通属性（3-5个）
Each attribute needs four elements to prevent ambiguity:
- A plain-language definition of what it means in practice
- A boundary statement explaining what it does NOT mean
- A sample sentence that embodies the attribute
- A sample sentence that violates the attribute
每个属性需包含四个要素以避免歧义：
- 用直白语言说明该属性在实际中的含义
- 界定该属性不代表的内容
- 体现该属性的示例语句
- 违背该属性的示例语句
Target Audience Profile
目标受众画像
- Primary and secondary audiences the brand addresses
- Core concerns and motivations of each audience
- Level of domain expertise to assume
- Communication expectations and preferences
- 品牌面向的主要及次要受众
- 各受众群体的核心顾虑与动机
- 预设受众的领域专业水平
- 受众的沟通预期与偏好
Messaging Pillars (3-5)
信息支柱（3-5个）
- The recurring strategic themes the brand reinforces
- Relative priority among pillars (which leads in any given context)
- How each pillar maps to an audience need or pain point
- 品牌反复强化的战略主题
- 各支柱的相对优先级（不同场景下的主导支柱）
- 每个支柱如何对应受众需求或痛点
Contextual Tone Range
语境语气范围
How the voice flexes across situations while remaining unmistakably the same brand. See the Tone Modulation section below.
品牌声音保持一致的前提下，如何根据场景灵活调整语气。详见下方「语气调节」章节。
Editorial Style Rules
编辑风格规则
Concrete grammar, punctuation, and formatting standards. See Editorial Standards below.
明确的语法、标点与格式标准。详见下方「编辑规范」章节。
Vocabulary Controls
词汇管控
Approved and prohibited terms. See Vocabulary Governance below.
认可与禁用术语清单。详见下方「词汇管理」章节。
Defining Communication Attributes
定义沟通属性
Attribute Spectrum Reference
属性光谱参考
Positioning attributes on a continuum helps teams calibrate. Common spectrums include:
| Dimension | End A | End B |
|---|---|---|
| Register | Formal, institutional | Relaxed, conversational |
| Expertise | Authoritative, expert | Collaborative, peer-level |
| Warmth | Empathetic, personal | Direct, no-nonsense |
| Technicality | Precise, specialized | Plain, universally accessible |
| Intensity | Bold, high-energy | Calm, understated |
| Levity | Playful, witty | Serious, measured |
| Orientation | Forward-looking, innovative | Established, reliability-focused |
将属性置于连续光谱中有助于团队校准。常见光谱维度包括：
| 维度 | A端 | B端 |
|---|---|---|
| 语体风格 | 正式、机构化 | 轻松、口语化 |
| 专业定位 | 权威、专家型 | 协作、同行型 |
| 温度感 | 共情、个性化 | 直接、务实 |
| 技术深度 | 精准、专业化 | 直白、通俗易懂 |
| 强度 | 大胆、高能量 | 沉稳、低调 |
| 趣味性 | 活泼、诙谐 | 严肃、克制 |
| 发展导向 | 前瞻、创新 | 成熟、重可靠 |
Attribute Documentation Template
属性文档模板
For every selected attribute, record:
[Attribute Name]
- In practice: [concrete behavioral description]
- Not to be confused with: [the common misinterpretation]
- Sounds like: [example sentence demonstrating it well]
- Does not sound like: [example sentence that crosses the line]
Example:
Welcoming
- In practice: inclusive, clear, free of jargon, equally respectful to newcomers and veterans
- Not to be confused with: oversimplified, excessively informal, or lacking depth
- Sounds like: "Getting set up takes about five minutes — here is how."
- Does not sound like: "Yo! Even a total beginner can figure this out lol."
针对每个选定属性，记录以下内容：
[属性名称]
- 实际应用：[具体行为描述]
- 请勿混淆：[常见误解]
- 正面示例：[完美体现该属性的语句]
- 反面示例：[违背该属性的语句]
示例：
友好包容
- 实际应用：具包容性、表述清晰、无行话，对新手与资深用户一视同仁
- 请勿混淆：过度简化、过于随意或缺乏深度
- 正面示例："完成设置约需5分钟——操作步骤如下。"
- 反面示例："哟！就算纯新手也能搞定哈哈。"
Tone Modulation
语气调节
The brand voice is the constant; tone is the variable that adjusts based on context. Tone represents the emotional calibration applied to the voice.
品牌声音是恒定的；语气是根据语境调整的变量。语气代表施加于品牌声音的情绪校准。
Tone by Communication Channel
按沟通渠道调整语气
| Channel | Tone Shift | Illustration |
|---|---|---|
| Blog | Educational, conversational, exploratory | "Here is a walkthrough of how this works and why your team should care." |
| Professional, thought-provoking, compact | "Three takeaways from running 50 campaigns last quarter." | |
| Twitter/X | Sharp, concise, occasionally playful | "Your landing page gets 3 seconds. Spend them wisely." |
| Email marketing | Personal, supportive, action-oriented | "We built something we think will save you real time." |
| Sales materials | Assured, benefit-focused, evidence-backed | "Teams on our platform cut reporting overhead by 40%." |
| Help documentation | Patient, sequential, unambiguous | "If this error appears, follow these steps to resolve it." |
| Press releases | Formal, factual, newsworthy | "The company announced today the general availability of..." |
| Error states | Understanding, constructive, non-blaming | "We hit a snag on our side. Our team is already investigating." |
| 渠道 | 语气调整 | 示例 |
|---|---|---|
| 博客 | 科普性、口语化、探索性 | "本文将详解其工作原理，以及你的团队为何需要关注。" |
| 专业、启发思考、简洁 | "上季度50场营销活动的三大核心收获。" | |
| Twitter/X | 犀利、凝练、偶尔活泼 | "你的着陆页只有3秒时间，请明智利用。" |
| 营销邮件 | 个性化、支持性、行动导向 | "我们打造了一款工具，相信能为你节省大量时间。" |
| 销售材料 | 自信、聚焦价值、有数据支撑 | "使用我们平台的团队将报告耗时减少了40%。" |
| 帮助文档 | 耐心、按步骤、无歧义 | "若出现此错误，请遵循以下步骤解决。" |
| 新闻稿 | 正式、客观、具新闻价值 | "公司今日宣布正式推出……" |
| 错误提示场景 | 理解包容、具建设性、不指责 | "我们这边出现了一点问题，团队已在排查。" |
Tone by Scenario
按场景调整语气
| Scenario | Tone Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Product launch | Confident, enthusiastic, forward-looking |
| Service disruption | Transparent, accountable, empathetic |
| Customer win | Celebratory, specific, customer-centered |
| Industry thought leadership | Nuanced, evidence-driven, authoritative |
| New user onboarding | Encouraging, clear, welcoming |
| Unwelcome news (price changes, deprecations) | Honest, respectful, solution-focused |
| Competitive positioning | Self-assured, factual, never disparaging |
| 场景 | 语气调整 |
|---|---|
| 产品发布 | 自信、热情、前瞻 |
| 服务中断 | 透明、负责、共情 |
| 客户成功案例 | celebratory、具体、以客户为中心 |
| 行业思想领导力 | nuanced、有数据支撑、权威 |
| 新用户引导 | 鼓励、清晰、友好 |
| 负面通知（价格调整、功能下线） | 诚实、尊重、聚焦解决方案 |
| 竞品定位 | 自信、客观、绝不贬低对手 |
The Dial Principle
动态调节原则
Voice attributes remain constant. Tone turns their intensity up or down depending on the moment. For a brand that is "confident and warm":
- At a product launch, confidence takes the lead
- During an outage, warmth takes the lead
- Neither quality vanishes; the emphasis shifts
品牌声音属性保持恒定，语气根据场景调整各属性的强度。以“自信且温暖”的品牌为例：
- 产品发布时，自信为主导
- 服务中断时，温暖为主导
- 两种特质均不会消失，只是侧重点转移
Editorial Standards
编辑规范
Grammar and Mechanical Choices
语法与格式选择
Consistency matters more than any single choice. Document and enforce these decisions:
| Decision | Alternatives | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Serial comma | Include / Omit | "fast, reliable, and secure" vs. "fast, reliable and secure" |
| Heading capitalization | Sentence case / Title case | "How to get started" vs. "How to Get Started" |
| Contractions | Permit / Avoid | "we're" vs. "we are" |
| Em dash style | No surrounding spaces / Spaces | "this—and more" vs. "this — and more" |
| Numeral rules | Spell out one through nine / Always use digits | "five features" vs. "5 features" |
| Percentage notation | Symbol / Word | "50%" vs. "50 percent" |
| Date styling | Month DD, YYYY / DD/MM/YYYY / other | "January 15, 2025" |
| Time styling | 12-hour / 24-hour | "3:00 PM" vs. "15:00" |
| List punctuation | Terminal periods / No periods on fragments | "Set up your account." vs. "Set up your account" |
一致性比单一选择更重要。需记录并执行以下决策：
| 决策项 | 可选方案 | 示例 |
|---|---|---|
| 牛津逗号 | 包含 / 省略 | "快速、可靠、安全" vs "快速、可靠和安全" |
| 标题大小写 | 句首大写 / 每个实词大写 | "How to get started" vs "How to Get Started" |
| 缩写形式 | 允许 / 避免 | "we're" vs "we are" |
| 破折号格式 | 无空格 / 两侧加空格 | "this—and more" vs "this — and more" |
| 数字规则 | 1-9拼写 / 全部用阿拉伯数字 | "five features" vs "5 features" |
| 百分比表示 | 符号 / 单词 | "50%" vs "50 percent" |
| 日期格式 | 月 日, 年 / 日/月/年 / 其他 | "January 15, 2025" |
| 时间格式 | 12小时制 / 24小时制 | "3:00 PM" vs "15:00" |
| 列表标点 | 末尾加句号 / 片段不加句号 | "Set up your account." vs "Set up your account" |
Formatting Conventions
格式规范
- Heading hierarchy rules (when H1, H2, H3 are appropriate)
- Bold vs. italic purpose (bold for emphasis, italic for titles or introducing terms)
- Hyperlink text standards (always descriptive; never "click here")
- Image alt text requirements
- Code formatting norms (for technical brands)
- Use of callout or highlight boxes
- 标题层级规则（H1、H2、H3的适用场景）
- 粗体与斜体的用途（粗体用于强调，斜体用于标题或术语引入）
- 超链接文本标准（始终具描述性；绝不使用“点击此处”）
- 图片替代文本要求
- 代码格式规范（适用于技术品牌）
- 提示框或高亮框的使用规则
Punctuation and Emphasis Policies
标点与强调规则
- Exclamation marks: use sparingly, never consecutively
- Ellipses: avoid in professional content
- All-caps: prohibited for emphasis; use bold instead
- Emoji: prohibited in professional channels; acceptable in social where context warrants
- 感叹号：谨慎使用，绝不连续使用
- 省略号：专业内容中避免使用
- 全大写：禁止用于强调；改用粗体
- 表情符号：专业渠道禁止使用；社交渠道视语境而定
Vocabulary Governance
词汇管理
Standardized Terms
标准化术语
Maintain an authoritative list of correct forms alongside common mistakes:
| Approved Form | Incorrect Form | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| sign up (verb) | signup (verb) | "signup" is the noun/adjective form |
| log in (verb) | login (verb) | "login" is the noun/adjective form |
| set up (verb) | setup (verb) | "setup" is the noun/adjective form |
| No hyphen; industry standard | ||
| website | web site | Single word; modern convention |
| data is (singular) | data are | Unless publication style mandates plural |
维护权威术语清单，标注正确形式与常见错误：
| 认可形式 | 错误形式 | 理由 |
|---|---|---|
| sign up（动词） | signup（动词） | "signup"是名词/形容词形式 |
| log in（动词） | login（动词） | "login"是名词/形容词形式 |
| set up（动词） | setup（动词） | "setup"是名词/形容词形式 |
| 无需连字符；行业标准 | ||
| website | web site | 单字写法；现代惯例 |
| data is（单数） | data are | 除非出版风格要求复数形式 |
Product and Feature Naming
产品与功能命名
- Canonical capitalization for every product name
- Rules for when to use the full name vs. an abbreviated form
- Whether "the" precedes product names
- How version numbers appear in copy
- Trademark and registration symbol usage (where required and where to omit)
- 每个产品名称的标准大小写规范
- 全称与缩写形式的使用规则
- 产品名称前是否加“the”
- 版本号在文案中的呈现方式
- 商标与注册符号的使用规则（何时需要、何时省略）
Language Inclusivity
语言包容性
- Default to gender-neutral pronouns (they/them for individuals of unknown gender)
- Eliminate ableist expressions ("crazy", "blind spot", "lame")
- Favor person-first phrasing where relevant
- Steer clear of culturally-bound idioms that resist translation
- Prefer "straightforward" or "simple" over "easy" — difficulty is subjective
- 默认使用性别中立代词（未知性别个体用they/them）
- 消除歧视性表达（如“crazy”“blind spot”“lame”）
- 相关场景下优先使用“以人为本”的表述
- 避免使用难以翻译的文化特定习语
- 优先使用“直白”或“简洁”而非“简单”——难度具有主观性
Technical and Industry Terminology
技术与行业术语
- Catalogue which specialized terms the audience grasps without explanation
- Identify jargon that must always be defined or replaced with plain language
- Specify which acronyms require full expansion on first use
- Build an audience-segmented glossary for terms with different meanings across reader groups
- 梳理受众无需解释即可理解的专业术语
- 识别必须定义或替换为直白语言的行话
- 指定首次出现时需完整展开的缩写
- 为跨受众群体有不同含义的术语建立分受众词汇表
Competitive and Market Language
竞品与市场语言
- Define your preferred framing for your product category
- Establish how competitors are referenced (by name or generically)
- Identify competitor-coined terms to avoid, so you do not reinforce rival positioning
- Codify your preferred differentiation phrasing
- 定义产品类别的首选表述框架
- 确定竞品的提及方式（直呼其名或泛指）
- 识别需避免的竞品创造术语，以防强化对手定位
- 明确差异化表述的标准措辞