How can you evaluate a brand's messaging and positioning to stand out in the market?

2 How to prepare for a brand identity audit?

Before you start a brand identity audit, you need to have a clear understanding of your brand strategy, which defines your brand's vision, mission, values, positioning, value proposition, target audience, and competitive advantage. You also need to have access to relevant data and information about your brand's performance, such as customer feedback, market research, sales figures, web analytics, social media metrics, and media coverage. Additionally, you need to have a team of stakeholders and experts who can help you conduct the audit, such as brand managers, marketers, designers, copywriters, researchers, and consultants.

3 How to conduct a brand identity audit?

A brand identity audit can be divided into four main steps: data collection, data analysis, data synthesis, and data presentation. In the data collection step, you gather all the materials and sources that reflect your brand's communication strategy and visual identity, such as your website, social media profiles, brochures, advertisements, packaging, newsletters, videos, podcasts, and testimonials. You also collect feedback from your customers, employees, partners, and competitors through surveys, interviews, focus groups, or online reviews. In the data analysis step, you review and evaluate your brand's materials and feedback according to various criteria, such as clarity, consistency, relevance, differentiation, authenticity, appeal, and engagement. You use tools and frameworks such as SWOT analysis, brand personality analysis, brand voice analysis, brand style analysis, and brand image analysis to assess your brand's performance and perception. In the data synthesis step, you summarize and organize your findings and insights into key themes and patterns that highlight your brand's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You also identify and prioritize the gaps and issues that need to be addressed and the actions and solutions that need to be implemented. In the data presentation step, you communicate and share your results and recommendations with your team and stakeholders through a clear and concise report or presentation that includes your brand identity audit objectives, methodology, findings, insights, and action plan.

4 How to implement a brand identity audit?

A brand identity audit is not a one-time project, but a continuous process of monitoring and improving your brand's messaging and positioning. After you complete a brand identity audit, you need to follow up and execute your action plan, which may involve revising your brand strategy, updating your brand guidelines, redesigning your brand assets, creating new content, launching new campaigns, or testing new channels. You also need to measure and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of your actions, such as tracking your brand awareness, recognition, loyalty, preference, advocacy, and equity. You should conduct a brand identity audit regularly, at least once a year, to keep your brand relevant, consistent, and competitive in the market.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?