The Archive
What is a Brand Audit and why does it Matter?
Author: Miya Heap | 5 minute read
First impressions count, and that’s as true for businesses as it is for individuals. While we’re often told not to judge a book by its cover, the reality is that people do—especially when it comes to brands.
In fact, research shows that 55% of how people perceive a brand comes from its visual presentation, proving that what’s on the outside often speaks volumes before the inside even gets a chance (Exploding Brands, 2024)
With so many eyes on your brand, it’s important that it consistently reflects your company’s vision, mission, and personality, to the best of its ability. For nonprofits and startups, juggling countless priorities can make it easy to lose focus on branding. That’s where a brand audit steps in.
A brand audit is an internal process that assesses your brand’s market position and how effectively it connects with your audience. It’s a check-in to make sure your brand’s visual performance aligns with your goals and isn’t holding you back. Regular audits help ensure your brand stays on track and reveal areas for improvement, so you can stay competitive and aligned with your vision.
Consistency is key, and neglecting your brand can cause it to weaken, making it less impactful in building trust and engagement. 68% of businesses say brand consistency is a major contributor to revenue growth of 10% or more (Marq, 2024). That’s why maintaining a structured approach, like using a brand audit checklist, can help maintain this aspect of your business so it doesn’t get forgotten.
There’s always more that can be done to improve brands but we don’t want we don’t want to overcomplicate it. We’ve created a checklist to help you evaluate your own brand as it evolves. It only takes about 10 minutes but can help get you thinking about your current brand, potential gaps and areas for growth. Go through the checklist and step into the shoes of those seeing you. It should point out a few things you need to update or could be doing to help your brand evolve alongside your organisation. At the end you’ll get a score of how strong your current brand is.
We recommend running a brand audit every six months, to ensure your brand remains sharp and relevant. To get access to our Brand Audit, download the worksheet below.
Download the worksheet
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