A brand audit is a comprehensive review of all aspects of a company’s branding strategy and execution. It assesses what is working well and what could be improved, in order to maintain or strengthen the brand’s position in the market.
An audit should be conducted periodically, depending on the business’ needs, but typically at least once every three years. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about conducting an audit for your business.
Contents
- What is a brand audit and why is it important?
- When should a business conduct a brand audit?
- Brand audit template – how to conduct a brand audit
- Brand audit questions
- Brand audit tools
- Should a business conduct a brand audit in-house, or hire a specialist to help?
- How much does a brand audit cost?
- Where to find and hire a brand audit expert
- Brand audit example report
- FAQ
What is a brand audit and why is it important
This type of audit is important because it ensures that your branding strategy is aligned with your business goals and objectives, and that your execution is on point.
Cutting edge payroll software
- Powerful and easy to use
- HMRC & RTI compliant
- Used by payroll pros
The CRM platform to grow your business
- Great for entrepreneurs
- Powerful data analytics
- Manage sales and data
Powerful web builder and advanced business tools
- Great for startups
- Powerful web page builder
- E-commerce available
Supercharged content planning
- Great for marketing
- Better than lists or sheets
- Manage social media
Create a new website in 10 minutes. Easy.
- Launch your website fast
- Powerful data intuitive
- No coding skills needed
It also allows you to take stock of how your brand is perceived by customers and other stakeholders, so you can identify any areas where there may be room for improvement.
Ultimately, a well-executed audit will help you to build and maintain a strong, differentiated brand that can continue to drive growth for your business.
Conducting your audit can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it’s an important exercise for any business that wants to build and maintain strong branding. If you’re not sure where to start, there are many resources available to help, including audit templates, questionnaires, and experts who specialise in this area.
When should a business conduct a brand audit?
An audit should be conducted periodically, depending on the business’ needs, but typically at least once every three years. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about conducting a branding audit for your business.
Brand audit template – how to conduct a brand audit
There are many different ways to conduct this type of audit, but at its core, the process typically involves four key steps:
How to conduct a brand audit
- Define the scope and objectives of the audit
The first step in conducting an audit is to define the scope and objectives of the review. What do you want to achieve with the audit? What specific areas of the brand do you want to focus on? Once you have a clear understanding of your goals, you can begin to gather data and feedback from customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
- Gather data and feedback
There are many different ways to collect data for the audit. You can conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups with customers and employees. You can also review customer feedback from social media, online reviews, and other channels.
- Analyse findings and identify opportunities for improvement
Once you have gathered all of your data, it’s time to start analysing it to identify any areas of opportunity for improvement. This is where an audit template can be helpful, as it will provide you with a structure for organising and analysing your data.
- Develop action plan and implement changes
After you have analysed your data and identified potential areas for improvement, the next step is to develop an action plan.
What specific changes do you want to make to your branding strategy or execution? How will you implement these changes? And what are the timelines for each of these activities? Once you have a plan in place, you can begin to implement the changes and track their impact on your brand over time.
Based on your analysis of the data, you should develop a set of recommendations for how to improve the brand. These recommendations should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Brand audit questions
Below are some sample questions that you may want to consider asking during your audit:
- How does our brand compare to our competitors?
- What do customers think of our brand?
- What are the key drivers of customer loyalty?
- What touchpoints do customers have with our brand?
- How well are we executing our branding strategy?
- Are there any areas where we could improve our brand execution?
- What is our brand’s reputation in the marketplace?
- How well do our employees understand and support our brand?
- How well does our current branding strategy align with our business goals and objectives?
Brand audit tools
There are many different tools and resources that you can use to conduct your audit. Here are a few of the most popular:
| Audit tool | Good to know… |
|---|---|
| Brand audit templates | There are many different audit templates available online, including our step-by-step above |
| Brand audit questionnaires | You can use questionnaires to collect data and feedback from employees, customers, and other stakeholders. See our section on audit questions |
| Brand Audit Experts | You may want to consider hiring a specialist to help you with your audit. These audits can be complex and time-consuming, so it’s important to find an expert who has experience in this area |
Should a business conduct the audit in-house, or hire a specialist to help?
It is important to consider whether an audit is something that can be conducted internally or if it would be beneficial to hire an outside specialist. There are many firms and consultants who specialise in brand audits, and they can offer valuable insights and expertise.
However, conducting an audit in-house can also be a viable option for businesses with the right resources. Ultimately, the decision of whether to conduct an audit in-house or to hire a specialist will depend on the specific needs of the business.
How much does a brand audit cost?
The cost of an audit will vary depending on the scope and complexity of the project, but businesses should expect to budget several thousand pounds for a comprehensive review. While it’s possible to conduct your audit in-house, many businesses choose to hire a specialist firm or consultant to help with this process.
Where to find and hire an expert
If you decide that your business would benefit from hiring a branding expert, there are many ways to find and connect with these specialists. LinkedIn is a great resource for finding and connecting with these audit experts. You can also search for firms that specialise in branding or consultancies that offer this service. Once you have a few potential options, you can reach out and request more information about their services.
Brand audit example report
After conducting the audit, businesses should prepare a report that summarises the findings and recommendations. This report can be used to inform the company’s branding strategy and execution going forward. The report should include an overview of the process, data collected, key findings, and recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions about these audits:
This is a comprehensive review of a company’s branding strategy and execution. It includes an assessment of the company’s brand identity, positioning, reputation, and performance.
It is important because it helps businesses to understand how their brand is performing and make improvements if necessary.
There is no single answer to this question, as it will vary depending on the needs of the business. However, many businesses choose to conduct an audit every few years or when they are making major changes to their branding strategy.
The cost of an audit will vary depending on the scope and complexity of the project, but businesses should expect to budget several thousand pounds for a comprehensive review.
If you decide that your business would benefit from hiring an expert, there are many ways to find and connect with these specialists. LinkedIn is a great resource for finding and connecting with brand audit experts. You can also search for firms that specialise in branding or consultancies that offer this service. Once you have a few potential options, you can reach out and request more information about their services.
After conducting an audit, businesses should prepare a report that summarises the findings and recommendations. This report can be used to inform the company’s branding strategy and execution going forward. The audit report should include an overview of the process, data collected, key findings, and recommendations.
The decision of whether to conduct an audit in-house or to hire a specialist will depend on the specific needs of the business. Many businesses choose to hire a specialist firm or consultant to help with this process. However, it is possible to conduct the audit in-house if the company has the resources and expertise to do so.
A brand audit is a comprehensive review of the company’s branding strategy, while a brand health check is a shorter and less detailed assessment.
Some common mistakes include failing to set clear objectives, not involving all stakeholders in the process, and not using the right tools and resources.
Conducting this type of audit is an important way for businesses to assess their branding strategy and make sure it aligns with their business goals. By following the tips in this guide, you can ensure that your audit is successful.