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In this video, we’re going to do a quick exercise that will help you evaluate your brand personality.
New terms:
- Personality trait spectrum - The range between two opposite personality traits used to determine a brand personality - For example: fun vs. serious, or casual vs. formal
Website Examples:
Further Reading:
12 Brand Personality Types To Consider For Revved-Up Retention
5 Ways to Define Your Brand Personality
Okay, in this video we're
gonna do a quick exercise
0:00
that will help you evaluate
your brand personality.
0:02
So think about your website or app and
the UX content you create for it.
0:06
Or, if you don't have a site,
0:11
think about the type of personality
you would like to have.
0:12
Take a look at these pairs
of personality traits.
0:16
Each pair represents a spectrum, and your
personality could fall anywhere on it.
0:19
The left, the right,
or anywhere in between.
0:24
For example, casual or formal.
0:28
When you write copy, product descriptions,
0:32
or create other UX content, would you
say it's casual and conversational,
0:34
like you're talking to your best friend
and you're comfortable saying whatever?
0:40
Or do you keep things more formal,
on a professional level,
0:44
practicing proper grammar like you're
speaking to a very important executive.
0:48
Or do you fall somewhere in between?
0:54
Take a few minutes here and
consider your website and
0:57
app with each of these traits in mind.
1:00
Feel free to pause the video and
download our exercise and
1:03
mark where you fall on each scale, but
don't think too hard about each one.
1:06
Pick a spot that feels right and move on.
1:11
Do you like to keep things casual or
strike a more formal tone?
1:15
Do you prefer to be stylish or
more conservative?
1:19
Are you spontaneous or
prefer to plan things out?
1:23
Is your brand fun or
is it serious business?
1:27
Are you warm and friendly, or
more detached from your users?
1:30
Maybe you're kinda quirky and
unconventional, or
1:34
you might prefer to do things in
a conventional, more familiar way.
1:37
And are you inclusive interested in
including or being available to everyone?
1:41
Or are you more exclusive focusing only
on a select group of users or customers?
1:47
Once you've completed this exercise,
here's how you can interpret the results.
1:54
If you find you've marked yourself
more towards the left hand traits,
1:59
things like casual,
spontaneous, fun, and quirky,
2:03
then you have definitely got a more
modern energetic kind of identity.
2:06
If you create UX content
with these traits in mind,
2:11
it will probably be fun friendly and
inviting for your audience.
2:14
This kind of personality is
often seen with start-ups, or
2:19
newer companies,
trying to appeal to younger audiences,
2:22
who, big surprise,
also demonstrate these personality traits.
2:26
If your choices are more
toward the right-hand traits,
2:31
more conventional, formal,
and more of a planner,
2:33
then your personality is one
that's more grounded and serious.
2:37
Your approach may be more conservative
2:41
because you're trying to appeal to
a specific type or group of users.
2:44
Ultimately, being professional and
more formal is an asset for you,
2:48
so you embrace that.
2:52
This kind of personality
is used more with older,
2:54
established companies who target audiences
looking for a stable, reliable brand.
2:57
It is worth noting that while some of
these traits might sound negative on
3:03
the surface, it's all about perspective.
3:06
Sometimes it makes a lot of sense to
be conservative to show stability and
3:09
build trust, like within the healthcare
industry, or if you're trying to promote
3:13
your app to manage stocks and
other financial holdings.
3:17
Other times it helps to be exclusive
because you want to promote an image of
3:21
luxury or extreme high quality to
a very focused niche audience.
3:25
You need to be true to who you are and
who you're trying to target.
3:30
But if you find your measurements in our
exercise fall in the middle of each scale,
3:35
it might signal that you're not too
sure about what your personality is.
3:41
You're not exactly one trait or
3:45
the other, which means your communications
probably don't show much of a personality.
3:47
UX content like that is usually boring and
forgettable.
3:53
You need to resonate with your audience.
3:58
And creating an emotional response
requires a strong connection
4:01
with a compatible personality.
4:05
So think about your audience and
what their personalities are like.
4:07
When you interact with them,
in person or on social media,
4:12
are they serious and formal,
quirky and fun, snarky and
4:16
intelligent, or
maybe they're passionate and direct.
4:21
Think about traits that feel natural for
you,
4:26
a personality that fits
you without forcing it.
4:28
And use those traits to create some UX
content with a new kind of edge to it.
4:31
That content has a much better chance
of resonating with your audience.
4:36
So review these ideas
about a brand personality.
4:41
And go through the exercise
to see where you and
4:44
your brand fall on the various
spectrums of attributes.
4:47
Seeing this all mapped out
can be a helpful way for
4:51
you to understand the kind of approach you
should be taking with your UX content.
4:54
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