AI content tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help you scale faster, but without the right AI brand voice guidelines, your messaging can quickly drift off-brand. A clear and structured approach to tone, phrasing and prompts is key to ensuring AI-generated content still sounds like you.
Unlike a traditional brand voice guide (which is built for humans), a AI Brand Voice Guidelines are structured to help machines understand how your brand should sound. It’s clear and prompt-friendly, helping you keep content consistent, on-brand and unmistakably yours.
Here’s how to build one from scratch (or adapt your current voice guide) in 6 clear steps:
1. Voice Snapshot (Tone + Personality)
Start by distilling your brand’s voice into 3–5 adjectives, then explain what those words mean in practice. AI doesn’t understand nuance unless you give it examples and guardrails.
For example: Voice Adjectives – Warm, witty, direct, confident, human
Description:
We sound like a smart, approachable expert. Helpful but never preachy. Confident without being arrogant. Our tone is grounded, natural and just a little clever—like someone you’d actually want to have a conversation with.
How to use in a prompt:
“Write as a brand that is warm, witty, and direct. Speak like a smart friend. Avoid fluff, get to the point quickly, and use casual language that still feels informed.”
2. Writing Style Guidelines
This is about the mechanics: sentence structure, rhythm, formatting and phrasing. Give your AI clear instructions on how you like things to sound and flow.
Do:
- Use short, punchy sentences
- Write in active voice
- Use contractions (we’re, not we are)
- Start strong, no vague intros
- Include metaphors or analogies when helpful
- Break up long paragraphs for easy reading
Don’t:
- Use corporate jargon (“synergies,” “leveraging,” “innovative solutions”)
- Write in passive voice
- Sound like a press release
- Overuse generic motivational phrases
- Ramble or bury your main point
In Practice:
Incorrect “A new feature was launched to improve operational efficiency.”
Correct “We launched a small fix that saves teams hours every week.”
3. Preferred Language & Phrasing
List the phrases you love and the ones you never want to see again. This helps AI stay consistent with the “little things” that make your voice yours.
Phrases we use:
- “Let’s be honest…”
- “This isn’t fluff – it’s strategy.”
- “Small win. Big impact.”
- “Think smarter, not louder.”
Phrases we avoid:
- “Unlock your true potential”
- “Industry-leading solutions”
- “We’re beyond thrilled to announce…”
- “At the forefront of innovation”
Let the model know: If it sounds like it belongs in a brochure, skip it, for example.
4. Audience Insight
AI needs to know who it’s talking to. The more specific, the better the results.
Example: Our audience is made up of mid-career marketing leaders at growth-stage B2B companies. They’re smart, strategic and allergic to fluff. They don’t need the basics, they want actionable ideas, sharp insights and clarity they can use right now.
Prompt tip: “Write for experienced marketers who value clarity over cleverness. Speak like a peer, not a coach. No need to explain the obvious, get to the good stuff.”
5. Emotional Range
Explain the emotional tone behind your words, what kind of feeling the content should carry.
Example: We’re optimistic but not cheesy. Confident, not cocky. Serious when it matters, but not afraid of a dry joke or unexpected twist. If it sounds like a press release, we rewrite it.
We aim to sound: Grounded, real, thoughtful, occasionally playful
We avoid sounding: Hyped-up, overly emotional, robotic, scripted
We want readers to feel: Respected, curious, clear-headed, slightly energised
6. Collaborate, Don’t Delegate: How to Use AI as a Partner
Treat AI like a creative partner not a content vending machine. Here are three easy ways:
1. Use AI for rough drafts, not polished copy
Let it help you get started, explore directions, or rephrase ideas. Then you make it sound like you.
2. Prompt like a brief, not a task
Bad: “Write a blog post about burnout.”
Better: “Write a candid blog post about burnout for startup founders. Empathetic, not preachy. Keep it under 500 words. End with a thought-provoking question.”
3. Edit like a creative, not an approver
Don’t just fix typos. Shape the rhythm, rework key lines, and inject your voice. AI gives you 80% you make it great.
Your AI Voice Brief Checklist
- Tone: [3–5 adjectives + clear description]
- Style Rules: What to do, what to avoid
- Language: Words you use, phrases you ban
- Audience: Who you’re talking to and how they think
- Emotion: The feeling behind the words
- Prompts: Frame them like briefs
- Governance: Keep review simple and scalable
AI doesn’t replace your voice it instead reflects what you teach it. A well-crafted Brand Voice Brief makes sure that no matter how fast you move or how much you scale, your brand still sounds like you.
Catch up on the replay of the latest OxPe AI Exchange where we went through how to build your AI Tone of Voice Brand Guide. Explore the full OxPE AI Exchange series to stay sharp on all things AI, branding and strategy.