Tone of voice
What is Tone of Voice?
Tone of voice (TOV) isn’t what a brand says, it’s how it says it.
Most TOVs contain writing principles and tips that, when followed, help give a brand a consistent voice.
Why’s that important? Well, if we’re showing up consistently, looking the same and sounding the same, people will be more likely to recognize and trust our brand. They’ll start to listen to what we have to say. And (whisper it) they might even begin to like us…
When should I use these guidelines?
In short, these guidelines should be followed whenever you’re writing as Stack Overflow, the brand.
If you’re writing or communicating as yourself — in a personal email to clients, or in messages to colleagues for instance — you don’t have to follow this tone of voice; you can write how you would naturally.
You can also use your own tone of voice when personally addressing communities on Stack Overflow from your own profile. In fact, it’s often very important for these communities to know that a message is coming from a real person working at Stack Overflow, so using your own tone of voice can help — especially if it’s one people are familiar with.
All that said, much of our TOV contains what amounts to good, straightforward writing tips. So feel free to adopt these tips in your own writing if you think they’ll help you.
Simple, Spirited, Syntax
The software and tech industries have developed a pretty peculiar way with words.
Somewhere along the line, we started mistaking density for depth. Buzzwords for real benefits. And marketing fluff for actual stuff.
In a blur of innovation, things got excessively leveraged, supercharged, accelerated and delivered. And in a rush to achieve “intelligence”, we lost sight of what the word really means — especially in our writing.
But…
If there’s anything our platforms, products and communities have shown us since our inception, it’s that real intelligence isn’t just about sounding smart, or having the answer to a question, or the solution to a problem.
Real intelligence is about knowing your stuff and being able to explain it, too. Clearly. Concisely. With a character that cuts through, but still invites conversation.
We want to push our industry back to the roots of that kind of communication.
To do that, we’re adopting a simple, spirited syntax. A studious elegance in sentences that’s hard-won but lightly worn — that’s a breath of fresh air in an industry that, at times, feels all smoke, mirrors and adjectives. We’re not going to lie: it takes a little bit of practice to do. And it’s not always the most noticeable when it’s done well. But then, just like good code, a good solution or a good product, that’s kinda the beauty of it…
Here’s how we do it…
Writing Principle 1: Simple
Simple doesn’t mean basic. It means clarity earned through rigor. We think about the reader first, cut the needless formality and bring the most essential ideas out concisely.
Try to be normal, not formal
We know it’s hard. Especially in the software and tech industries, and especially if you’re writing for “serious businesses” — but try your best to write normally rather than formally.
Word choice plays a huge role in this. For some reason, we seem to think business audiences prefer terms like “utilize” over “use”, “require” over “need”, or “garner” rather than “get”. But we’ll let you into a secret: the people reading those messages are normal people, too. And they’d probably prefer a simpler style!
If you’re not sure how normal or formal you’re being, read what you’ve written aloud. If it sounds like something you’d say in real life, you’re on to a winner.
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Get to the point
Protect our audience’s flow state, and their time, by keeping copy short, actionable and to-the-point. Figure out what’s most important for your reader to understand or do, and lead with that.
You can explain context or reasoning after, if you like, but keep it concise. That way people will find the information they need, and we’ll make sure we get our message across before they’re onto the next task or tab.
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Get the knowledge you need to solve problems and craft code that works. No vague ideas or random suggestions. Just verified, definitive answers from experienced developers.
When you encounter problems in programming, finding the right information to solve them can feel impossible. Most information is unverified, and it seems like everyone has a different opinion. That’s why at Stack Overflow you won’t find guesswork and confusion. You’ll only find verified, definitive answers from experienced developers — so you can get the knowledge you need to solve problems and craft code that works.
Avoid feature stuffing and marketing fluffing
Put simply: don’t ship bloat.
Beyond normal and formal words there’s this crop of verbs and nouns that everyone in our space seems to use to describe their products or services. Supercharge. Accelerate. Deliver. Leverage. Innovation. Productivity. Efficiency.
We get the appeal: they do sound kinda impressive. But if we’re honest with ourselves, deep down we know they don’t mean very much. Avoid this stuff like the plague. Instead, dig deeper. Try and pinpoint what the benefit really is for a reader, and express it simply.
Check out the Spirited section for more tips on making our writing a little more…interesting.
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Writing Principle 2: Spirited
Spirited is where our human touch kicks in. It means we bring warmth, curiosity and the occasional dry aside. But we don’t perform this part of our voice. We let it show up naturally, when it helps to land the point, or when the moment feels right.
Subvert some expectations
Don’t be afraid to ruffle a few feathers or challenge conventional wisdom. Stack Overflow is built on the idea that if there’s a better way to do something, do it — and say so. Question industry mantras. Push back on those buzzwords and tired ways of explaining things. And reframe the cliches and familiar terms and phrases.
Done well, this kind of writing earns trust, gives us an air of expertise and authority and, importantly, is just easier to read!
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Opt for a disarming honesty
If there’s no expectation to subvert, no convention to challenge or no feather to ruffle (and sometimes, there really isn’t) just be really, really honest. It’s a rarity in brand writing, and it stands out for that very reason. You can reference the overbearing nature of a lot of the writing in our space, and provide a succinct and honest counterpoint to it.
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Show some wit, but not at the expense of others
A little bit of wit goes a long way, especially in technical spaces where a moment of levity can lift the whole experience. A dash of pedantry, a well-placed aside, or a deft ending to a message can really put some spirit in our writing, when the time’s right.
But always remember: there’s a line. It’s about inviting the reader to be in on the joke,not putting them in their place.
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Know when to celebrate and motivate
We’re not in the business of hype. Especially empty hype. But we do believe in recognizing progress. And there’s a whole heap of Stack Overflow knowledge and breakthroughs to be proud of — and plenty more to come.
If we’re excited about something, we let it show. If we believe in something, we’re not afraid of having that optimism come through. And if there’s an opportunity for celebration, we grasp it.
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Here’s to changing the world, one question at a time.
Writing Principle 3: Syntax
Syntax is how it all comes together. Not just grammar, but rhythm, structure, flow. These are the telltale signs that someone has thought a message through, and has considered how it might be received.
Respect the reader’s stack
Like computers, readers have a limit on how much they can process and remember — so don’t overload them with information. There’s a few handy things you can do to help them out here, especially if you’re writing mid to longer-form copy:
Structure and scanability
Write and structure your content in a way that lets people scan and get the most important information. Headlines and subheads are your friend here, as are bullet points, if you’re throwing a lot of information at them.
Density
Writing can feel dense if you’re using lots of formal language or the marketing fluff we’ve already highlighted. But also when you’re trying to cram too much into sentences and paragraphs. A good guideline is to try and develop no more than 1–2 ideas per paragraph.
Control your sentence lengths
Try to keep your sentences to a maximum of 30 words. There’s a lot of research that tells us the moment they go over that, they instantly become harder to understand. And within that limit, try to vary your sentence length. A nice mixture of short, mid and longer sentences creates rhythm and keeps monotony at bay.
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Stay active (most of the time)
We use the active voice as much as possible to make it clear who’s acting — and to use fewer words and create faster-moving copy.
That said, in certain situations the passive voice can help soften a message. This can be particularly true in-product, for time-sensitive messages, or things like error messages. Using the passive voice in these instances can avoid attributing blame unnecessarily.
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Practice precision, especially in-product
Sometimes, precision is the best way forward. Especially in-product, where much of the writing should feel invisible — guiding, not distracting. This is where clarity trumps charm, and where every word has to earn its place.
Precision can matter more in some business and brand settings, too. If the moment calls for clarity over color, dial down the “spirited” nature and focus on the “simple” stuff.
Learn more about how we dial these aspects of our voice up and down in different settings in the “Brand Volume” section.
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Brand Volume Across Channels
In everyday conversations, the way you speak flexes depending on what you’re saying and who you’re saying it to. Our brand tone of voice should flex in the same way.
Depending on the channel, audience and context of our writing, we can turn the different pillars of our voice up and down.
For example in some situations we can sound more Spirited, while in others we should prioritize keeping things Simple. Our Syntax pillar doesn’t really change – everything we write should be well thought out and readable.
There are no hard rules around this. It’s about reading the room and thinking about what’s appropriate. But here’s some rough guidanceto follow.
When to turn up Simple
B2B
When we’re speaking to businesses, our messaging needs to feel professional. So we should focus on Simple over Spirited. The good news is that most B2B messaging is so stuffed with marketing fluff that clear, simple copy is enough to help us stand out and get our message across.
In product
In-product copy is there to guide, not distract. So simplicity is king. That said, there can still be moments where Spirited shines through, for example in a success message or during onboarding.
Support
Someone reading our help center may be feeling frustrated or trying to fix an urgent problem. We should prioritize our Simple pillar to make sure the information they find is clear and easy to understand.
When to turn up Spirited
B2C
Consumers are used to brands talking to them in more relaxed and informal ways, so it’s appropriate for us to bring a little more wit and charm.
Social Media
On social media, our content needs to stand out and get noticed. Turning up the Spirited part of our voice can help.
Email Marketing
As a one-to-one channel, email marketing helps us build relationships with our customers. Leaning into our Spirited side helps keep our emails engaging, and humanizes us as a brand.