Illustrado External Brand Audit September 26, 2023 Great brand strategy is always built on understanding your brand's current situation. This External Brand Audit was created to help you make a self-assessment on the status and cohesiveness of your brand in the public domain. The audit takes you through various aspects of your brand's online presence, and provides examples for guidance. Your complete answers will be emailed to you for further reference. Whilst the questionnaire is extensive, bear in mind the possibility of personal bias in any self-assessment exercise. Your brand will always benefit from an objective third party opinion. Logo Perception Your logo represents your brand. For instance, Apple's logo is recognized globally for its simplicity and elegance. What do you believe people think about your logo's uniqueness, memorability, and appeal? Highly Unique/Appealing Somewhat Unique/Appealing Neutral Somewhat Unappealing Highly Unappealing None Meta Description Evaluation Meta descriptions influence first impressions. It’s one of the first things a user sees in search engine results. It's a concise summary of a webpage's content that appears below the page title in search engine listings. For example, a strong meta description like "Tesla - Innovative Electric Cars" effectively conveys the brand's message. How do you perceive your website's meta descriptions compared to other brands in your industry? Better Similar Worse None Visual Content Alignment Visual elements should reflect your brand. Think of how Starbucks uses images of coffee and hip moments or how Fendi uses luxury imagery to align with its brand. Do you think your website and platform images effectively align with your brand identity? Effectively Aligned Partially Aligned Not Aligned None Website User Experience A seamless user experience is crucial. Think of websites like Amazon or Airbnb known for excellent user experiences. How would you describe the overall user experience of your website? Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor None Content Clarity & Alignment Clear, concise and brand-aligned content is key. For example, all the best brands of the world provide clear and concise information on all their platforms that tie in with their brand promise and values. Do you believe your website and platform content effectively communicates your brand's message? Highly Clear/Concise Moderately Clear/Concise Somewhat Clear/Concise Not Clear/Concise Very Unclear/Verbose None Online Credibility Online credibility is vital. Consider how Forbes displays logos of reputable publications to boost credibility. Do you think your website conveys credibility through the content and social proof it presents? Highly Credible Moderately Credible Somewhat Credible Not Credible Very Untrustworthy None Online Visibility Being easily found online is important. Consider well-known brands like Google or Amazon. How would you rate your website's visibility in search results? Do you appear on page 1 in your most important search category? Highly Visible Moderately Visible Somewhat Visible Not Very Visible Invisible None Brand Reputation Brand reputation matters. Think of how Tesla is known for innovation. How do you perceive your brand's reputation in the online sphere? What do people say about your brand? Excellent Reputation Good Reputation Neutral Reputation Poor Reputation Very Negative Reputation None Credible Mentions Credible mentions can enhance reputation. For instance, a mention in The New York Times or any reputable platform can boost credibility. Have you noticed any credible mentions or references of your brand in the public domain? Are there any favorable conversations about your brand out there? Multiple Credible Mentions Some Credible Mentions Few Credible Mentions No Credible Mentions None Online Reviews Online reviews can influence perception. For example, consider the impact of positive reviews on Amazon. How would you rate your brand's online review reputation? Excellent Reviews Good Reviews Neutral Reviews Poor Reviews Very Negative Reviews None LinkedIn Engagement LinkedIn is a platform for professional engagement. Think of LinkedIn pages and profiles of strong global brands and industry leaders. How would you rate the engagement level of your LinkedIn audience? High Engagement Moderate Engagement Low Engagement None Facebook Engagement Facebook is a versatile platform. Think of popular Facebook pages. How would you rate the engagement level of your Facebook audience? High Engagement Moderate Engagement Low Engagement None Instagram Engagement Instagram focuses on visual content. Consider the Instagram profiles of influencers. How would you rate the engagement level of your Instagram audience? High Engagement Moderate Engagement Low Engagement None Social Media Messaging Messaging alignment matters. Think of how brands like Dove effectively convey their values through messaging. Do you think your social media messaging effectively communicates your brand's values and offerings is it consistent with your website and other forms of communication? Highly Aligned Messaging Moderately Aligned Messaging Somewhat Aligned Messaging Misaligned Messaging Very Misaligned Messaging None Content Appeal Engaging content is essential. Think of visually appealing content on Instagram. How would you describe the appeal and engagement of your social media content? Highly Appealing/Engaging Moderately Appealing/Engaging Not Very Appealing/Engaging Unengaging Very Unappealing/Unengaging None Social Proof Indicators Demonstrating social proof can build trust. Consider brands that showcase customer testimonials on social media. Have you noticed any instances of social proof associated with your brand on social media? Multiple Instances of Social Proof Some Instances of Social Proof Few Instances of Social Proof None Name Company Name Official Email Website Country Competitors (List brand names and websites) Time's up Share: