VOICE,
TONE &
Style.

01Why This Document Exists

This document explains how Tolu sounds. It is for anyone who writes, edits, plans, reviews or approves content for Tolu.

The goal is simple:

The content can change. The topic can change. The format can change. The audience problem can change. But the voice should stay recognisable.

02The Simplest Description of Tolu's Voice

Tolu should sound like:

She knows what she is talking about. But she does not talk down to people. She does not try to sound like a textbook. She does not use big words just because she knows them. She does not make every post sound like a medical lecture.

She explains things clearly. Then she tells people what they can do.

03The Personality Behind the Voice

Tolu's content should feel:

There should be a sense that Tolu is saying:

Not:

That difference matters.

04The Expert Who Doesn't Need to Prove It

Authority does not have to come from complicated language. In fact, strong expertise often sounds simple. A person who understands something deeply should be able to explain it clearly.

Simple. Clear. Still authoritative.

05The Three Words That Guide Everything

If the team remembers only three words, they are:

Every piece of content should pass through these three filters.

If the answer is no, rewrite it.

06Reading Level

All Tolu content should be written around a 12–13-year-old reading level. This does not mean the content should sound childish. It means the writing should be easy to understand.

The audience should spend their energy understanding the idea — not the writing.

07Simple Does Not Mean Dumb

This is important. We are not removing intelligence from the content. We are removing unnecessary difficulty.

The second version still teaches something real. It is simply easier to understand.

08Tolu's Core Message

The brand needs a message that can sit underneath everything. The core idea is:

Tolu's content should help people understand that health is not only about eating “good” or “bad” foods. It is about understanding what the body needs and making practical choices that support it.

09The Message We Want People to Take Away

After following Tolu for a while, the audience should begin to understand:

10The Message Is Not “Eat Perfectly”

The brand should never make people feel that health requires a perfect diet. Avoid creating unnecessary fear around:

The focus should be on better choices, useful habits and understanding the body.

11Tolu Is Not a Weight-Loss Brand

Weight loss can appear when it naturally connects to gut or hormone health. But it is not the centre of the brand.

Do not turn Tolu into:

The positioning is:

Weight-related topics should connect back to that focus when they are used.

12Tolu Is Not a General Wellness Page

Avoid turning the brand into a random collection of:

• Weight loss tips · fitness tips · motivation
• Generic healthy eating · generic self-care
• Random recipes · generic lifestyle advice

There needs to be a clear connection to gut and hormone health. The audience should know why Tolu is talking about something.

13The Brand Should Feel Useful

The audience should leave a post with something. It could be:

The audience should not finish a post and think “Okay… that was interesting” — then do nothing. The better reaction is:

14Tolu's Voice Has Four Main Traits

15Talk to One Person

Even when the post is being seen by thousands of people, the writing should feel personal.

This makes the content easier to connect with.

16Use “You” Often

Tolu's writing should usually speak directly to the reader. Use:

This makes the content feel like advice rather than a lecture.

17Use “I” When It Adds Personality

Tolu can use “I” when sharing:

• Professional observations
• What she sees often with clients
• A lesson from her work
• A personal thought or opinion, clearly framed as such

That feels personal and authoritative. But do not force “I” into every post.

18Use “We” Carefully

“We” can create a sense of community.

But do not use “we” so often that the writing feels like a corporate brand speaking. Tolu is a person. The content should feel like a person.

19Sentence Style: Short

Prefer short sentences.

This style is easy to read on a phone.

20But Not Choppy

Do not turn every paragraph into:

That can feel robotic. Mix short sentences with slightly longer ones. The goal is natural rhythm.

21Paragraphs Should Be Short

Social media is usually read on a phone. Do not create huge blocks of text.

One idea per paragraph. Usually 1–3 sentences per paragraph. For carousel slides, even less.

22Use Active Language

Strong writing is usually direct writing.

23Avoid Professional Filler

These words and phrases are not always wrong — they are simply often unnecessary. Say the thing.

24Avoid Corporate Language

Do not make Tolu sound like a health company brochure.

25Don't Talk Down to People

Simple writing does not mean treating the audience like they are stupid.

26The Tone Changes With the Content

Tolu has one core voice. But her tone can change depending on the job of the post:

The voice stays the same. The tone changes based on the job of the post.

27Tone: Educational

When teaching something, Tolu should sound clear, calm, patient, confident.

Get to the point.

28Tone: Practical

When giving advice, become more direct. Use phrases like:

This makes the content feel useful.

29Tone: Corrective

When correcting a common mistake, Tolu can be firm.

Then explain. The goal is not to shame the reader. The goal is to correct the idea.

30Tone: Contrarian

This is important to Tolu's content strategy. When the post is built around a contrarian idea, the tone can be more challenging.

The statement should be strong. The explanation should be responsible.

31Tone: Encouraging

Tolu should encourage without becoming generic.

32Tone: Personal

When Tolu talks about something she has seen in her work, she can sound more conversational.

This sounds like a real person with experience.

33Tone: Serious Health Topics

For serious topics, do not use exaggerated or playful language just to get attention. The hook can still be strong — but the content should become calm and responsible.

• Avoid unnecessary fear.
• Avoid implying that one food or habit causes a major medical condition without proper evidence.
• Avoid making diagnoses.
• When appropriate, encourage the reader to speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

34Explain the Idea Before Naming the Term

The rule is:

The reader understands the idea before hearing the term.

35Technical Terms Are Allowed

We should not remove every professional term. Some terms are useful:

The rule: use the technical word when it helps. Explain it when the audience may not know it. Never use jargon simply to sound professional.

36The “Explain It Like This” Rule

Whenever a technical term appears, ask:

If not, explain it.

Simple. Then continue.

37Avoid Overpromising

Tolu should not promise that one food, supplement or habit will fix everything.

The exact wording should match the strength of the evidence.

38Don't Turn Every Symptom Into a Diagnosis

A symptom is not automatically a diagnosis.

39Don't Use Fear as the Main Hook

Strong content does not require panic. We can create tension without fearmongering.

The second still creates curiosity without making an extreme claim.

40Message Hierarchy

When writing a post, think in this order:

This keeps the content audience-first.

41The Title Is Not the Summary

This is one of the most important writing rules. The title does not need to explain the entire post. Its job is to make the person want to read.

42The Title Should Create a Gap

A strong title often creates a question in the reader's mind.

That gap creates the reason to continue reading.

43Title Types We Should Use

44Clickbait Rules

Clickbait is allowed. Misleading content is not. The title may exaggerate the curiosity — never the truth.

45Don't Write Generic Hooks

Avoid:

These are too broad. Ask: what specific thing would make someone stop?

46Stronger Hook Examples

47The First Slide and the Title Work Together

The title gets attention. The first slide should make the reader feel:

Do not waste the first slide repeating the title in a weaker way. Move the idea forward.

48Carousel Writing Style

Because carousels are currently a major part of Tolu's content, every slide should have one job. A strong carousel usually follows:

The exact number of slides can change. The structure should serve the idea.

49One Slide = One Main Idea

Do not put five ideas on one slide.

50Carousel Text Should Be Easy to Scan

Use:

Avoid walls of text. The audience is scrolling.

51Examples Should Do Real Work

Examples are not decoration. Use them to make the advice easier to apply.

52Use Local Food Naturally

Use familiar foods when they make the advice more useful — not to prove a point about where the audience lives.

That is more useful than pretending rice does not exist. Notice how it talks: like one person giving another person advice — simple words, no labels, no lecturing.

53The “Never Say Nigerian” Rule

The content is created for Nigerians — but real people don't talk about their own lives that way. You don't sit across from a friend and say “5 Nigerian foods for your gut.” You say “5 foods that are probably already in your kitchen.”

The localness should be felt, not announced. The audience recognises rice, beans, egusi, ugu and swallow instantly. Naming the country adds nothing — and it makes the content feel like it was written about them instead of for them.

54Avoid Moralising Food

Do not describe foods as clean, dirty, good, bad, guilty, sinful, toxic — unless the context truly requires a technical meaning. Food should not be treated like a moral test.

Use instead:

This creates a healthier way of talking about food.

55Avoid “You Should Never”

Be careful with absolute language.

56Don't Make Everything About Removing Foods

Tolu's content should not constantly tell people what to stop eating. There should be a healthy balance between:

The audience should leave feeling they have options — not a longer list of foods they are afraid to eat.

57Avoid Repeated Content Phrases

The team should watch for phrases that start appearing in every post. They are not banned — they simply should not become the brand's automatic writing pattern. Fresh ideas need fresh language.

58Fresh Conclusions, Fresh Advice

If the last slide of every post is some version of “drink more water,” “watch what you eat,” or “build your plate differently,” the audience will stop reading the endings — and eventually the posts.

Before publishing, ask: “Have we given this exact conclusion recently? In this same territory?” If yes, dig one level deeper for the action that is specific to this topic:

59Don't Overuse “Your Body Is Telling You…”

This type of phrase can become vague.

Specific is better.

60Don't Use Empty Reassurance

Avoid “Don't worry, you're not alone” unless the post genuinely needs that emotional support. Do not add reassurance just to make a post sound warm. Tolu's warmth should come from being helpful and understanding.

61Tolu's CTA Style

Calls to action should feel natural. Do not turn every post into “DM ME NOW!” Match the CTA to the purpose:

The CTA should make sense for the post.

62The Free Guide

Tolu has a Free 5-Day Gut and Hormones Reset Guide. It can be used as a natural next step when relevant — but do not mention it in every post. The content should first be useful on its own.

The guide should feel like an extension of the content, not an interruption.

63Sales Content

When Tolu talks about 1:1 coaching, consultations, meal plans or other services, the tone should stay helpful.

64Sound Authoritative Without Sounding Arrogant

Authority should come from the quality of the explanation.

65How to Correct Misinformation

Do not attack people. Attack the idea.

66Humour

Light humour can be used occasionally — but it should not become the brand's main personality. Tolu is a health professional; the content should remain trustworthy.

A little personality is good. Turning every post into a joke is not.

67Emojis

Use sparingly. Emojis can help break up content, but they should not carry the message. Avoid filling captions with:

The writing should be strong enough without them.

68Punctuation

Keep punctuation clean and simple. Do not overuse:

Caps can be useful for a title or emphasis. They should not be the entire writing style.

69Headlines Can Be Punchy

Titles can be short, direct, slightly dramatic, curiosity-driven, contrarian.

That is fine. The body should then become clear and useful.

70Captions Should Not Repeat the Carousel

The caption should add something. It can:

• Add context
• Give one extra tip
• Explain why the post matters
• Ask a useful question
• Give the CTA

Do not simply copy all the slides into the caption.

71Not a School Essay

Even when teaching a complex topic, avoid Introduction → Background → Discussion → Conclusion.

This is social content. Write for the platform.

72The “Say It Out Loud” Test

Before publishing, read the post out loud. Ask:

If the answer is no, rewrite it. If a sentence sounds unnatural when spoken, it probably needs simplifying.

73The “Friend Explanation” Test

Imagine Tolu is sitting across from someone who asks:

Would she answer using the same words as the draft? If not, change it. The final copy should feel like a good explanation from a knowledgeable person — not a copied article.

74The “12-Year-Old” Test

Read every important sentence and ask:

If not: replace the word, shorten the sentence, add an example, or explain the term.

Do not simplify the science incorrectly. Simplify the language.

75The “Save” Test

Ask: “Would I save this?” If the answer is no, ask why. Maybe:

• It is too general.
• It has no clear action.
• It does not teach enough.
• It is interesting but not useful.
• It is missing examples.
• It needs a checklist or a better structure.

Fix that before publishing.

76The “Scroll” Test

Ask:

If not, the title needs work. Do not protect a weak title just because the content underneath is good. The title is the door.

77The “Promise” Test

Ask: “Does the post deliver exactly what the title promised?”

78The Tolu Writing Formula

When writing most educational content:

This is not a rigid template. It is a writing guide.

79The Most Important Writing Rule

That keeps the content audience-first.

80Before & After

81How Tolu Should Handle Uncertainty

Health information is not always black and white. When the evidence or situation is more complex, Tolu can say:

This is not weakness — it is responsible communication. But do not turn every sentence into “maybe, possibly, potentially…” Be clear where the evidence allows clarity.

82How to Handle “Everyone Says…”

This is useful for content. It creates a natural setup for a contrarian explanation.

83How to Use Contrarian Writing

Contrarian writing should follow three moves:

The contrarian statement gets attention. The explanation earns trust. The action earns the save.

84Never Chase Shock Value Without Value

A shocking title with weak content is not a strategy.

85The Balance Between Curiosity and Trust

Tolu needs both.

The target:

86The Voice Should Grow With the Audience

As the audience becomes more educated, Tolu can gradually introduce deeper concepts.

The writing can become deeper. But it should remain clear.

87Content Should Build Trust Over Time

Not every post needs to sell. Some posts should make people think:

Together, those experiences build the brand.

88Consistent, Not Repetitive

The audience should recognise Tolu without feeling like they have seen the same post 20 times.

89The Internal Editing Rule

When editing Tolu's content, do not automatically make it sound “more professional.” Instead, ask:

Professional does not mean complicated. A good edit often makes the sentence shorter.

90The Internal Approval Rule

Before approving content, the team should be able to answer:

If we cannot answer these clearly, the content is not ready.

91The Tolu Voice in One Paragraph

92The Tolu Message in One Paragraph

93The Tolu Writing Style in One Paragraph

94The Final Voice Checklist

Before anything goes live, ask:

If the answer is yes across the board, the content is much closer to the Tolu standard.

95The Tolu Standard

That is the voice. That is the tone. That is the writing style. That is the standard for Tolu's content.