A person can instantly form impressions and make out whether they want to buy from your brand or no. And this is very common. If you’re not taking care of your brands, social, digital, physical and overall image, then it’s really tough for you to get clients. Further, these days it’s all about having the right visual identity, tone, messaging and service information. That’s why it is rightly said that a proper brand audit on a regular basis is necessary. Let’s explore how to do a brand audit.
“Your brand is a voice and a product is a souvenir.” – Lisa Gansky (American entrepreneur)
Why Does Your Brand Need a Self-Audit?
Your brand plays a huge role in forming people’s perceptions. It also helps people to form an opinion about whether to engage with your brand. So, there should be no difference between how you want your brand to feel and look as compared to its current presence. But if there is some sort of gap, then it’s not a good sign. A brand self-audit can help to look at such gaps.
For instance, coaches sell trust, so public signals can support or weaken a sale. This section explains why checking those signals pays off.
What Research Claims
In 2019, respondents estimated up to 33% more revenue from consistent branding.
Marq’s 2019 survey found 81% of organizations dealt with off-brand content. However, these figures are based on respondent estimates.
How to Do a Brand Audit?
So to start off, you have to take out 2-3 hours for a personal brand audit. Create a sheet of observation notes. There should also be a sheet that has scores and improvements written on it. Further, on the scale of 1 to 5, rate each area on how well you are performing. Where 1 is an area needing improvement and 5 is a strong performance.
Step 1: Define Your Brand Position
A brand image is something that basically explains what the brand is about and what it does; it’s like it answers the 5 Ws of what, when, where, who, and why.
Start by answering these three questions:
- Who is your ideal client?
- How do you assist them in solving their problem?
- What makes your approach or service different?
Then your next step is to actually ask 5 clients to tell you what your work is about in three words. Understand their answers, then compare their answers with the qualities that you want your brand to deliver.
For example, a career coach can be a promotion counselor for middle-level managers. However, clients may describe her as someone who helps women negotiate better opportunities.
That difference may reveal an opportunity to clarify their niche. This does not mean her brand image is wrong. She should review which audience and message best match her experience.
Quick Read – Aesthetic vs Conversion: What Actually Matters For a Personal Brand Website?
Step 2: Search Yourself Like a Client
Open a new private window. Take a search on your name, your niche and coach and your business name. Note down the top 10 and the name of the owner. Include rate cards, old pictures, bad links and other negative feedback. Determine if your website ranks higher than your social accounts.
Create a free Google Alert for your name and business name. When someone mentions you on a new page, an email will be sent when you see it. Obsolete or incorrect information can be identified. Do a search on LinkedIn and YouTube for your name. The general population checks these websites, not Google.
Step 3: Check Visual and Message Consistency
In step 3, make sure that the subject and visual match.
Branding allows customers to see a variety of reminders of your business. Consistency doesn’t mean that each channel must be identical. Every platform can have its own distinct content and show your brand. It helps build brand authority too!
Compare the following:
- Images on user profiles and logos.
- All colors, types, and graphic effects.
- Look at the service descriptions, taglines and biographies.
- Tone of voice and important messages.
- Include a call to action, names and contact details.
Create a one-page guide with your brand’s colors, fonts, logo, tone and main message.
| Brand Element | What to Check | Recommended Action |
| Visual Identity | You should look at the color, fonts, photographs and logos present. | You must put in the approved styles and assets that help make a proper image of your brand. |
| Messaging | You should look at bios, taglines and service descriptions | You must maintain a consistent core message and use that. |
| Tone of voice | Language across posts, emails and website pages should also be checked | Get some hold of a recognizable communication style that can be used at all times. |
| Service information | Offer names, prices and descriptions should be looked at. | You should take action on inaccurate or conflicting details. |
Step 4: Review Your Website
Your site is the only place where you have 100% control. See if the home page includes who you can assist in the first 5 seconds. Search for a clear call to action above the fold and have speedy load times on mobile devices. Have consistency on socials and the main website in relation to your About page and offers.
Now look for typos, links that lead to nowhere and stale dates. This allows for great online brand presence building.
Click on all your home page buttons and end up at your calendar page. With every click, form that goes with it, the prospect can go somewhere else. If it doesn’t assist them in booking, then remove it. Common errors, such as typos and broken links, threaten credibility at Stanford.
Step 5: Conduct a Social Proof Audit
Promises are not better believed than results. This will help you have proof that is specific, current and available.
Count and grade your proofs.
Document your client reviews, case studies, certifications, media showcases, and public reviews. Naming the client and setting the tone with ‘strong social proof’ is stating the result. If it is more than 18 months old, red flag it and ask for new client recommendations.
Moreover, the metrics for content and authority should be benchmarked. Next, the content and authority can be measured.
Step 6: Measure Your Content and Authority
Analyze the previous 90 days of content. Draw out numbers on every platform. Set and check posting frequency and engagement. Make a note of which are your top 3 by saved, your list growth, and your traffic sources on your website.
Is your material cohesive with your ability? Someone who posts memes is a leadership coach and that is a bad sign. So be careful.
If there are 3 posts with the highest number of comments on one topic, it is a sign of demand. Use it as your backbone for your next month of content, and sprinkle in each post with an offer or lead magnet. Repeat the topics, which will instigate engagement and leads.
Part 7: Score, Rank and Act
Add up your scores. Follow this brand audit checklist for your closing pass:
- Positioning statement written and tested
- Page-one search results controlled
- Bios, photos and handles consistent
- Style guide created
- Website clear, fast and error-free
- Fresh testimonials and case studies live
- Content aligned to your core topics
Choose the 3 lowest scores. Correct any of the above violations within 30 days. Repeat the audit every 6 months.
When is the Best Time to Run an Audit?
Regular occurrences of small problems are no big problem at all. See the table below on what to look for and when to look.
| Frequency | What to Do | Time |
| Every 6 months | You should do a seven-step audit every 6 months. | This might take around 2-3 hours |
| Every quarter | You should look at the results, bios and top three pages in every quarter. | It should roughly take around 30 mins |
| After a major change | After some kind of big change, you must conduct an extra audit after a new niche, rebrand, new offer or site redesign | This should take around 1-2 hours |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Coaches often repeat the same errors. The first error is an audit, and that’s the end of it. Now brands change; review them. The second is only trust your own judgement; ask colleagues and customers what they see. Fixing visuals before your message is the third, because clear positioning comes first. Chasing every platform is the fourth. Master two or three channels instead. Thus, we come to the end of how to do a brand audit.
Suggested Read – Why Most Coaching Websites Fail To Generate Leads
Conclusion
You might not know how your brand forms impressions and values; the only way to understand this precisely is to conduct a brand audit. Unusual Digital helps businesses evaluate their brand identity, online presence, and audience perception to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Since you are now aware of how to do a brand audit, the most important thing is to execute it and conduct it regularly. Sometimes, we go months without an audit, not realizing that changes during this time may create gaps in how the brand is viewed.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does a self-audit take?
There’s no set time on how long the brand audit shall take, but yes, you can think of it like 2-3 hours, to start with. Later the durations might fall.
2. Do I need paid tools to audit my presence?
No, a private browser window, a spreadsheet, and a free Google Alert cover most of the work. Paid analytics tools help only if you already publish a lot of content. They are also recommended but at a later stage.
3. How soon will I see results?
Corrections such as updated bios and fresh testimonials can help right away. However, search rankings and content authority usually take months to show some growth. Thus, stay patient and work hard to improve your brand image.
