Brand Voice & Tone
How Hardal communicates - the principles behind our writing, what we avoid, and why it matters.
How we write is part of who we are. Every customer email, landing page, social post, and docs article either builds trust or erodes it. This page is for anyone writing as Hardal - or writing about Hardal.
The core principle
Write the way you'd explain something to a smart friend who works in marketing or engineering - not like you're trying to impress a procurement committee.
That means:
- Clear and specific. Concrete examples beat abstract claims every time.
- Direct. Say what the thing does. Don't make the reader infer.
- Honest. Including about limitations. Our audience has been burned by over-promising vendors before.
- Conversational. Contractions are fine. Short sentences are fine. Starting with "But" or "And" is fine.
- No jargon for jargon's sake. Use technical terms when they're the right terms. Not to sound impressive.
What Hardal sounds like
| We sound like this | We don't sound like this |
|---|---|
| Opinionated | Diplomatic to the point of saying nothing |
| Honest about tradeoffs | Marketing-speak that avoids hard truths |
| Specific and practical | Abstract and generic |
| Direct | Formal and corporate |
| Slightly irreverent | Trying too hard to be funny |
| Confident | Arrogant |
Words and phrases we avoid
| Instead of... | Say... |
|---|---|
| "empowers teams to" | say what they can actually do |
| "seamless integration" | explain why it's easy |
| "robust solution" | say what's strong about it specifically |
| "leverage" | use |
| "utilize" | use |
| "best-in-class" | show, don't claim |
| "streamline" | speed up / simplify |
| "holistic" | describe the actual parts |
| "unlock value" | say what value, specifically |
| "cutting-edge" | describe what's actually new |
If you catch yourself writing any of these, stop and ask: what does this actually mean? Then write that instead.
Active over passive
Passive voice makes copy feel weak and evasive.
Active: Hardal sends your event data server-to-server.
Passive: Event data is sent server-to-server by Hardal.
The active version is shorter, clearer, and more confident.
Headlines and titles
Lead with the specific benefit or capability - not the product announcement.
| ā Do | ā Don't |
|---|---|
| "Server-side tracking that survives Safari ITP" | "Introducing our new server-side solution" |
| "Set up sGTM on your domain in under a day" | "Streamline your measurement infrastructure" |
| "Your conversion data - without the ad blockers" | "Unlock better marketing attribution" |
| "We don't store your customers' data" | "Privacy-first analytics platform" |
Writing about privacy
Privacy is our core. We don't treat it as a buzzword or a compliance checkbox. When we write about it:
- Be specific about what we do (and don't) store
- Explain the regulatory context where relevant (GDPR, KVKK, iOS ATT)
- Don't use "privacy-first" as a marketing adjective unless you're prepared to explain what it means in that context
A claim like "privacy-first analytics" means nothing without context. "We hash email addresses before they leave your server, and we never store them on ours" means something.
Writing about competitors
We don't trash competitors. We can be specific about technical differences when it's relevant and accurate - "unlike client-side solutions, server-side tracking doesn't get blocked by Safari's ITP" is fair. Personal attacks on other companies are not.
Tone shifts by context
The core voice stays consistent, but the register shifts:
| Context | Tone |
|---|---|
| Docs and setup guides | Matter-of-fact, step-by-step, no personality required |
| Blog posts and case studies | More conversational, can include perspective |
| Customer emails | Warm but direct - not overly formal, not too casual |
| Error messages | Clear, specific, not apologetic ("Can't connect - check your API key") |
| Social media | Most relaxed, can be playful, still specific |
The hotdog
The š emoji is ours. It's a reference to mustard (our name), not a brand strategy. Don't over-explain it. Don't force it into contexts where it feels out of place. When it fits, it fits.
A note on Turkish
Hardal is a Turkish company with global ambitions. Most external-facing content is in English. When writing in Turkish (for local customers, events, social posts), keep the same principles - direct, specific, honest. Don't switch to a more formal register just because it's Turkish.