Create a brand voice profile for AI writing tools
Create a portable brand voice profile for ChatGPT, Claude and other AI tools, with rules, examples, exclusions and a reusable template.
A brand voice profile is a practical specification for how an organisation or person communicates. For AI writing tools, it should contain observable rules, approved examples, exclusions and a review method. A list of adjectives is not enough.
The profile below is portable across ChatGPT, Claude and other tools. Adapt it to the provider's current instruction format and your data policy.
Copyable brand voice profile template
1. Identity and purpose
Brand or voice owner: [name]
What we do: [plain-English description]
Why we publish: [educate, explain decisions, support customers, generate qualified demand]
Primary audiences: [roles, knowledge level, geography where relevant]
This profile applies to: [LinkedIn posts, captions, newsletters]
It does not apply to: [legal notices, crisis communication, regulated advice]
2. Voice principles
Choose three or four principles, each with evidence.
| Principle | Do | Do not |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | State the subject and answer early | Begin with broad scene setting |
| Evidence-led | Name the source, example or limitation | Use invented statistics or authority |
| Calm | Explain disagreement fairly | Manufacture outrage |
| Practical | Give a decision, step or example | End with abstract encouragement |
3. Point of view
Use of I and we: [rules]
How we express opinion: [for example, distinguish observation from fact]
How we disagree: [address the strongest version, explain conditions]
How we handle uncertainty: [say what is known, inferred and unverified]
4. Language rules
Preferred terms: [list]
Terms requiring definition: [list]
Prohibited phrases: [list of clichés and unsupported superlatives]
Spelling: British English
Sentence style: [varied length, active voice, technical level]
Formatting: [paragraph length, list use, headings, emojis]
Punctuation: [house style]
5. Evidence and claims
- Link the primary source for current platform, policy or pricing claims.
- Never create a statistic, quotation, customer result or personal experience.
- Mark unsupported details as
[SOURCE NEEDED]. - State material limitations.
- Do not name a customer without documented approval.
- Do not infer sensitive personal information.
6. Channel adjustments
LinkedIn: [professional context, post length, link practice]
Instagram: [visual role, caption style, accessibility]
Facebook: [community context, link and conversation style]
Threads or X: [short-form structure, thread rules, reply practice]
Keep the underlying position consistent while changing the presentation.
7. Calls to action
Educational: [save the checklist, read the source, consider the question]
Commercial: [who the offer suits, next step, no manufactured urgency]
Avoid: [comment bait, vague "get in touch", repeated booking links]
8. Positive examples
For each example, include:
- the text;
- the channel and audience;
- why it represents the voice;
- details that must not be copied into unrelated content.
9. Negative examples
Include a poor excerpt and annotate the failure:
[Example]
Reason to reject: [generic claim, invented experience, wrong formality, excessive promotion, unclear source]
10. Approval and risk
Routine reviewer: [role]
Escalate when: [customer claims, legal topics, crisis, synthetic media, major announcement]
Source retention: [where notes and links are stored]
Review date: [date]
Profile owner: [name or role]
Turn the profile into an AI instruction
Do not paste the profile and simply say "write a post". Add a task-specific brief.
Follow the brand voice profile below. Use only facts contained in the source notes and linked sources. Do not invent experience, quotations, examples or results. The intended reader is [reader]. The post should help them [job]. Produce [format and length]. If evidence is missing, identify the gap instead of completing it.
Then provide:
- the voice profile;
- the source material;
- the task;
- the output format;
- the review checklist.
Clear separation makes it easier to update stable voice rules without mixing them into every assignment.
Example: from vague profile to usable profile
Vague:
Our voice is authentic, bold, friendly and innovative.
Usable:
State the practical point within the first two sentences. Use British English and ordinary professional vocabulary. Challenge weak practices without insulting the people using them. Support current claims with primary sources. Prefer one detailed example to five broad tips. Do not use "game changer", "unlock", "elevate" or "revolutionise". End with a decision or next step, not a slogan.
The second version gives a writer and reviewer something observable.
Create channel variants without creating different personalities
Channel adaptation should change format and context, not basic values.
For example, a LinkedIn post may explain a professional trade-off in 250 words. An Instagram carousel may turn the same idea into six visual steps and use the caption for evidence. A Threads version may state one observation and invite a narrow reply.
SignalGenie can maintain profile-level context and adapt approved ideas for connected destinations. Review each version because character limits and audience conventions can change the meaning.
Score every draft
Use a five-point rubric:
| Criterion | 1 | 3 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Unsupported or wrong | Mostly supported | Fully traceable |
| Voice | Interchangeable | Some recognisable traits | Clearly matches examples |
| Specificity | Abstract | One concrete detail | Evidence, example and boundary |
| Audience fit | Wrong level | Generally relevant | Solves a defined reader problem |
| Edit effort | Rewrite needed | Moderate edit | Ready after proofread |
Set an acceptance threshold. Keep the notes from rejected drafts so the profile improves through evidence rather than preference alone.
Common mistakes
- Including every historic campaign, even when the voice has changed.
- Using only adjectives.
- Forgetting factual and legal boundaries.
- Treating a founder's voice as the whole company voice.
- Asking the model to invent examples "in our style".
- Updating the prompt without rerunning test tasks.
- Uploading sensitive material without checking provider controls.
- Assuming one profile fits support, sales, social and policy writing.
The training guide explains how to select examples and run repeatable evaluations.
Use the AI slop diagnostic for exclusions and the LinkedIn AI guide for a platform-specific evaluation task.
Frequently asked questions
Is a brand voice profile the same as a style guide?
It can be part of one. A style guide often covers grammar, visual identity and naming. A voice profile concentrates on communication choices, examples and boundaries that a writer or AI system can apply.
Can I use the same profile in ChatGPT and Claude?
Yes as source material, but each product has different instruction, project and data-control features. Follow the provider's current documentation and test outputs separately.
Should I include competitor examples?
Avoid using another brand as the target voice. Use your own approved material. Competitor examples can help explain what to avoid, provided you use them fairly and do not copy protected expression.
How long should the profile be?
Long enough to remove ambiguity, short enough to maintain. A focused two-to-five-page profile with examples is often more usable than a 40-page brand document.
Who should own the profile?
Assign a person or role with editorial authority and access to legal, product and customer stakeholders. Without ownership, conflicting edits accumulate.
Sources and further reading
- Prompt engineering guide, OpenAI.
- Prompting and examples, OpenAI.
- Writing with ChatGPT, OpenAI Academy.
- Train AI on your brand voice, Get Signal Genie.