Voice and tone

How to use the Twilio voice and tonal qualities to communicate in our products.

Voice is the foundation of every written or spoken communication. Think of it as Twilio’s “identity.”

Tone modifies the voice to be appropriate for the situation. This usually means different words, punctuation, or syntax.

It’s the difference between how you’d speak to your best friend versus how you’d speak in a job interview. It’s always your voice — you sound the same — but you’d use a different tone.

Here are the Twilio voice principles, as defined by the Twilio brand team.

1. Conversational. We write how we speak, and that makes us approachable and relatable.
2. Thoughtful. We want our readers to feel like they belong, so our messages to them should always be cultured and intelligent. That’s why we write with a specific person or group in mind.
3. Reliable. Twilions are smart, tenacious, accurate and authentic. We know the ins and outs of the products and topics we’re writing about and we speak truthfully about those subjects.
4. Quirky. It’s possible to be professional, smart, grounded, easy to understand and fun all at the same time.

How do these voice principles translate to product content?

Conversational: Write like you’re talking to someone

• Use common words in simple, short structures.
• Avoid jargon and explain technical terms.

Thoughtful: Write for the person using the product

Users succeed when they achieve their goal efficiently and have a positive experience. Create content that meets our users where they’re at.

• Consider the user's situation and emotional state.
• Offer appropriate reactions, just as you would face-to-face.

Reliable: Write with precision and transparency

Users need our content to be accurate and honest. They rely on our products to do what we say they will, and they rely on the words to help them achieve their goals.

• Use consistent language for features and products.
• Give the user the info they need to make a decision.
• Be clear about what is and isn’t possible.
• Never suggest or claim that the product does something it can’t.

Quirky: Add a little character

Users spend a lot of time using our products. When it makes sense, have a bit of fun.

According to the Twilio brand team, our tone spectrum ranges across:

• Direct
• Balanced
• Casual

When deciding which of these tones to adopt, consider the user, the place in their experience, what they need, and their emotional state. In other words, put yourself in their shoes.

Here are some examples of when you might use each of these tones for in-product experiences:

• Encountering an error: This is likely a negative experience for the user, and they’re not looking for humor or chumminess. Instead, they’re likely expecting straightforward information about how to fix the problem.
• Accepting legal terms: This is a serious experience for the user. The user is likely looking for professional, clear information about the terms they’re about to accept.

Onboarding to a new feature: This is an experience that requires a largely instructive tone. The user wants to learn about how they can benefit from using the new feature, and we want them to feel confident doing so! A dash of motivation could be appropriate.

• First completion of a large or difficult task: The user is probably feeling happy and relieved to have made it through the task - a bit of celebration is warranted!