This article presents 8 tone-of-voice samples that were designed using the 4 tone-of-voice dimensions. We used the samples in a study that evaluated how various qualities of tone of voice affect brand and website perception.
The 8 tone of voice samples are organized in pairs. Within each pair, the samples are nearly identical in terms of the topics covered, but use a different tone of voice.
|
Pair |
Tone-of-voice samples |
|
|
Auto insurance |
Alpha |
Beta |
|
Checking account |
Delta |
Gamma |
|
Security system |
Theta |
Kappa |
|
Hospital |
Epsilon |
Zeta |
In the results tables presented for each sample pair, bold text indicates the larger amount if the difference between the two samples is statistically significant at p < 0.05. All user ratings were provided on a 1–5 scale, with 5 indicating the strongest agreement that the website or organization had a stated quality.
Auto Insurance: Samples
Alpha
Alpha Insurance was inspired by Progressive and GEICO — two insurance companies that try to use a fun brand personality to distance themselves from their competitors in a traditionally serious industry.
Alpha: Full Text
You’ve already earned a discount on auto insurance
It’s true! You’re getting a discount just for starting your auto insurance quote online. Sign documents online, and you could save another $50. That’s two discounts already on top-notch auto insurance…and you’re just getting started!
You’ll find that our ALPHA car insurance customers are a happy bunch. With our world-class service and speedy claims process, who can blame them?
More car insurance discounts built in to your quote!
We offer many more built-in car insurance discounts. You’ll automatically get these during your auto insurance quote no matter if you buy online or on the phone. Just get a free car insurance quote, and we’ll find all these savings for you. You won’t have to do or say anything else. Easy.
You can pretty quickly rack up hundreds in savings. But if you want to save even more during your car insurance quote (and who wouldn’t?) then see more on how to save on auto insurance.
Discounts for teen drivers
Add your fresh-out-of-driver’s-ed teen to your family plan. ALPHA will provide extra discounts, just for being safe while they learn behind the wheel!
Beta
Beta Insurance was inspired by more traditional, mainstream insurance companies.
Beta: Full Text
Enjoy Quality Car Insurance Coverage.
BETA car insurance gives you quality protection at a great price. Every policy comes with the support of a knowledgable and friendly BETA agent. With personal attention and service, you’ll have the information you need to choose the car insurance coverage that makes the most sense to you.
Cut Your Premium, Not Your Coverage.
With BETA, you'll enjoy quality protection and a variety of auto insurance discounts. Your lifestyle, driving habits and policy management preferences are just a few of the many factors considered when determining which discounts are available to you.
Young Driver Safety Program
The freedom of a driver’s license also brings responsibility. To help young drivers stay safe on the road, BETA offers the Young Driver Safety Program. This program gives drivers under the age of 25 the opportunity to earn a premium discount as they learn about driving and practice behind the wheel.
Auto Insurance: Results
|
|
Alpha |
Beta |
|
Tone |
Funny, casual, irreverent, enthusiastic |
Serious, matter-of-fact |
|
Friendliness |
4.2 |
3.9 |
|
Trustworthiness |
3.7 |
4.0 |
|
Desirability |
3.6 |
3.6 |
Checking Account
Delta
The inspiration for Delta Bank comes primarily from Ally Bank. Its checking-account pages are serious, yet slightly personal and conversational.
Delta: Full Text
Interest Checking Account
Everything you need and want from a bank: online and mobile banking services, a debit MasterCard, and standard checks. And those are just a few of the features included at no charge.
Features | Interest Checking done right
- No monthly maintenance fees
- 24/7 live customer care - talk to a real person
- Use any Allpoint® ATM in the U.S. for free, plus we reimburse up to $10 per statement cycle for fees charged at other ATMs nationwide
- Deposit checks remotely with Delta eCheck Deposit
- Send someone money using Popmoney
Want to know more? Download our Straight Talk Product Guide
Delta Bank | It’s good to be different
With Delta Bank, you get everything you expect from a traditional bank and more:
- Peace of mind. No hidden fees. No maintenance fees. No minimum balance required
- Move money. Transfer funds between your Delta and non-Delta accounts, and pay anyone with Popmoney
- Get cash. Use any Allpoint ATM in the US for free.
- Keep track. Access your account anytime, anywhere with online and mobile banking
- Pay bills. Set up one-time or recurring payments.
Gamma
Gamma Bank was inspired from traditional banks with dry, unadorned copy.
Gamma: Full Text
Gamma Bank Interest Checking Account
Open an account today to get multiple interest-bearing accounts and complimentary and discounted services.
An interest-bearing checking account with tiered rates.
- No monthly maintenance fee when you meet balance or account qualifications. See Fees for more details.
- An additional 3 Gamma Bank Interest Checking® accounts and up to 4 linked savings accounts
- No fees for standard checks and incoming domestic wires
- No transfer fee for overdraft protection transfers from a linked savings or second eligible checking account
- Online and mobile banking
- Online Bill Pay
- Payment Reminders
- Customizable Alerts
- Debit card with $0 Liability Guarantee and chip technology
- Keep the Change Savings Program, where everyday purchases add up to savings
- Affinity Banking to show support for a cause, school, organization or team
Compare all checking accounts ->
Checking Account: Results
|
|
Delta |
Gamma |
|
Tone |
Serious, casual |
Serious, formal, matter-of-fact |
|
Friendliness |
3.9 |
3.2 |
|
Trustworthiness |
4.2 |
3.9 |
|
Desirability |
3.8 |
3.4 |
Home Security System
Theta
Theta’s copy was taken almost entirely from ADT security systems. This company attempts to use a humorous and casual tone to set it apart from competitors.
Theta: Full Text
A THETA SECURITY sign in your front yard tells criminals, “Don’t even think about it.”
Our home security systems protect your family and your belongings.
It’s 2016. You should be able to arm your home from anywhere.
Arm your Theta system from anywhere, using your smartphone or computer. Check on your security as easily as you check your email.
Who’s keeping your home safe? You and this army.
Sensors on your doors and windows connect to your alarm, and to our trained professionals, so you don’t have to worry.
Where there’s smoke, there’s us.
Our advanced smoke and heat sensors sound the alarm at the first signs of a fire. Even during power failures, we’ll contact fire and paramedic units for you.
Keep your friends close and your enemies locked out.
While you’re out of the house, you can use our mobile app to let trusted repairmen in. You control who gets in and when.
Instant temperature and climate control. No sweat.
Theta now works with Nest. If you have a Nest smart thermostat, you can set the temperature using the Theta mobile app.
Spot trouble from a mile away. Or a thousand miles away.
Choose from a variety of cameras to keep an eye on what matters most. Watch live feeds from your mobile device.
Kappa
Kappa was inspired by security-system websites that adopt a serious tone of voice for their messages about home security.
Kappa: Full Text
Make home feel safe again.
We’re passionate about protecting your world.
On-the-go mobile control
You’ll have access to advanced system control from your smartphone or computer.
24/7 monitoring & police dispatch
In an emergency, every second counts. We constantly monitor sensors on entryways.
Advanced smoke & fire detection
Add smoke detectors to your Kappa Safe system to protect against fire.
Convenient remote lock control
Let service providers like dog walkers in your home, even when you’re not there.
Temperature control
Connect Kappa Safe to your smart thermostat to change the temperature.
Video surveillance
Add cameras to your Kappa Safe system to record and watch live video streams.
Home Security System: Results
|
|
Theta |
Kappa |
|
Tone |
Funny, casual, irreverent, enthusiastic |
Serious, respectful, matter-of-fact |
|
Friendliness |
3.7 |
3.2 |
|
Trustworthiness |
4.0 |
3.7 |
|
Desirability |
3.7 |
3.3 |
Hospital Patient Care
Epsilon
Epsilon Health was inspired by formal copy from traditional hospital websites, which prioritize communicating prestige.
Epsilon: Full Text
(Before you ask: Yes, that use of “juxtaposed” does come from a real-life hospital website, from a page targeted at patients and visitors.)
Patient Care Overview
Epsilon Health is dedicated to providing patients and visitors with excellent service. For over four decades, Epsilon Health has met the health care needs of the local community. Juxtaposed with clinical excellence and cutting-edge research, Epsilon takes pride in innovative treatments. Epsilon provides exceptional patient care at five medical center locations.
Whether you are planning to come to Epsilon Health for an upcoming procedure, or just want to know more, you can get the information you need here.
Preparing for a Stay
At Epsilon Health, patients can expect superior care from highly qualified doctors and healthcare specialists.
It is important to understand the Patient Rights and Responsibilities. Patients are responsible for the security of any personal items.
For any additional questions or concerns, call 919-555-4832.
For hospital admission, bring:
- Health insurance information
- A valid photo ID
- Co-payment / co-insurance
- Recent lab or diagnostic results
For a stay, bring:
- Eyeglasses, dentures, or other assistive devices
- A list of all current medications and dosages
- (Optional) clothing to wear when returning home
Zeta
A humorous patient-care page for a hospital would be unrealistic (and offensive), so the difference between the samples in the hospital pair is a bit subtler than, for example, that between Alpha Insurance and Beta Insurance. Zeta was based primarily on hospital websites that aim to be more approachable and conversational.
Zeta: Full Text
Better Patient Care is Our Priority
At Zeta Healthcare, we don’t just treat diseases, we treat individuals. We put our patients’ priorities at the center of our care. We strive for breakthrough discoveries so that we can improve people’s lives.
Our Zeta Healthcare team takes pride in our individualized approach to our patients. From primary care to the most complex conditions, our clinical programs in 5 locations cover comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health services.
Preparing to Stay with Us?
Thank you for choosing Zeta Healthcare for your medical care. We realize that hospitals can sometimes seem overwhelming, particularly when you’re ill. We’re here to help. From the moment you arrive at Zeta Healthcare, you’re in the best of hands—those of our expert, caring staff.
Take a moment to review your rights and responsibilities as a patient. Please note that you are responsible for the security of any personal items you bring with you.
If you have any concerns or questions, you can call us at 919-555-4884.
For hospital admission, bring:
- Health insurance information
- A valid photo ID
- Co-payment / co-insurance
- Recent lab or diagnostic results
For a stay, bring:
- Eyeglasses, dentures, or other assistive devices
- A list of all current medications and dosages
- (Optional) clothing to wear when returning home
Hospitals: Results
|
|
Epsilon |
Zeta |
|
Tone |
Serious, formal, respectful, matter-of-fact |
Serious, casual, respectful, enthusiastic |
|
Friendliness |
3.6 |
4.1 |
|
Trustworthiness |
4.0 |
4.1 |
|
Desirability |
3.5 |
3.7 |
Relative Effects of Trustworthiness and Friendliness
A multiple regression analysis of our survey data with friendliness and trustworthiness as the independent variables shows that both factors are statistically significant predictors of desirability (willingness to recommend). However, trustworthiness is a much stronger predictor of desirability, across all the industries. We can see this when we examine the equations determined by regression analysis for each industry (where d=desirability, f=friendliness, and t=trustworthiness). Each coefficient in the regression equation is significantly different from 0 (The p-values for each coefficient are all below 0.002).
|
Bank |
d = 0.33f + 0.63t |
|
Insurance |
d = 0.15 + 0.24f + 0.62t |
|
Hospital |
d = 0.1 + 0.35f + 0.59t |
|
Security |
d = -0.04 + 0.26f + 0.71t |
Because we used only two tone samples for each industry, we can’t draw any reliable conclusions about the differences in the effects of friendliness and trustworthiness between the industries. Across all industries, however, the average effect size for trustworthiness on desirability is 2.2 times that of friendliness.
Conclusion
We created 8 different samples of website content across 4 industries, to demonstrate a variety of tone-of-voice approaches to online content. For more information on how we studied these writing samples, see:
- The four dimensions of tone of voice
- The impact of tone of voice on users (forthcoming article)
To learn more about these topics, attend our full-day training courses on writing for the web.
You are welcome to reuse our writing samples and wireframe designs in your own research studies or for educational purposes. All we ask is that you credit Nielsen Norman Group and provide a link to this web page as the source.
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