This document provides an overview of conducting a brand and marketing audit. It discusses reviewing an organization's brand beliefs, purpose, messaging and story. The summary also looks at analyzing digital assets, competition, analytics and ongoing evaluation. Tips are provided on searching for the organization online, blog strategies tied to search, and social media strategies including knowing the platforms and types of posts. The document recommends the analytic tool Lucky Orange.

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M a r k e t i n g M a t e r i a l s
Brand + Marketing Audit
Presented by

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What’s This?
• These are some basics.
• This is not exhaustive.
• These are insights.
• This is an ongoing venture – Initial, Annual, Ongoing (as needed)
Brand Audit

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Recap
Your why is the purest form of who you are.
Identifying the “beliefs” of a brand is a valuable way to gain insight into your brand
• Actual vs. Aspirational Beliefs
• Live your beliefs – make them true.
• How do they translate into ideas for improvement.
Your Why
Your Why “Not”
• Your Why is NOT your Mission, Vision, Values
• You can go this traditional route, but to connect with your audience, these “requirements” can
become cliché, boring and uninspiring.

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Some organizations know HOW
they do it. These are the things that
make them special or set them
apart from their competition.
HOW
Every organization knows
WHAT they do. These are the
products and services they
sell or produce.
WHAT
What is your brand story?
T h r e e l a y e r s t o u n d e r s t a n d i n g b r a n d p u r p o s e
WHAT
HOW
source: Simon Sinek, Author (2015)
Very few organizations know
WHY they do what they do. The
WHY is not about making money
(that’s a result). The WHY is a
purpose, cause or belief. It’s the
very reason an organization
exists.
WHY
WHY

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3 Most Valuable Brand
Tools
W h a t d o y o u b e l i e v e
1.) You are your most valuable brand resource because you are your brand.
2.) Authenticity – people will see behind your words.
Transparency + Intention + Improvement
Marketing is not just about messaging. It’s about guiding.
3.) Consistency – People need to know it’s you every time.
• Consistency in your message
• Consistency in your style

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Assets
Competition
Analytics
Audit Hacks
Ongoing
Brand Audit
What are you doing?
What to look for
Website – Usability / Readability / Accessibility
Blog – Do you have anything valuable to say?
Social Media – Are you doing this right?
Email Marketing
Organic Search – Can you find you? What are you finding
instead?
Paid Search – Google Grants. Google for Nonprofits.
Google Tools.
Collateral – Brochures, Presentations, Documents
Gather Digital & Collateral
Assets

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Assets
Competition
What are you competing for?
Goal: Insight & Ideas
Three Categories
Direct / Primary Competitors – similar model
Secondary Competitors – similar donors, users, for profit
Aspirational Brands – Brands you admire / similar attributes
What To Look For
• Be critical – Easier than your own critique
o What do you like? What do you not?
• Website / Blog / Social – Follow, Engage when possible
• Search Results – Organic, Paid, Snippets, Location, etc.
• 3rd Party Tools – SpyFu, SEMRush
• Messaging, Features, Activities
Are their any insights or ideas you can incorporate?
Make them your own. (Even the criticisms)
“Competitive” Research
Brand Audit Analytics
Ongoing
Audit Hacks

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Analytics
What’s working vs. what can be improved
What to look for
Google Webtools – Analytics, server stats, Tag Manager,
Set Goals, Google for Nonprofits
Website – Analytics, Usability
Do it yourself – (Not DIY)
User Experience – Lucky Orange
Social – Engagement = comments + shares + likes
Email – Procurement flow / What stats matter?
Surveys – Just ask. Long form vs. short form. Use social
Statistical Analysis
Brand Audit
Assets
Competition
Ongoing
Audit Hacks

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Ongoing
Analytics and the rest of this process is not a one-and-done.
Your best analysis doesn’t come during the audit.
What to look for:
• Integrate into a regular practice.
o Pop quiz
o A little at a time, when you have time
• A/B Split Tests
o Try new things
o Change one thing at a time
• Analytics
o Set easy goals
o Check in to see how it’s working
o Try new tools
Ongoing Audit
Brand Audit
Assets
Competition
Analytics
Audit Hacks

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Audit Hacks
Audit Hacks
Helpful tips to a better audit and marketing strategy
What we will explore:
• Search yourself
o Anatomy of a search result
o Affordable Tools
• Blog Strategies (Connected to search strategy)
• Social Strategies
o Know your platforms
o Know your posts
• Analytic tool recommendation
o Lucky Orange
Brand Audit
Assets
Competition
Analytics
Ongoing

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Search Yourself
Analytics and Third-Party Research Tools are great.
No better insight than just searching things to gain insight.
• Search yourself
• Search others
• Pretend you are your audience
• Pretend you are a prospective user
Search Engine Analysis

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Anatomy of a Search
Result

13. Search Tools
A f f o r d a b l e
Ubersuggest
SEO Minion – Chrome Extension
Competitive - SpyFu

14. Google Grants
W h y w o u l d n ’ t y o u ?

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Blog Strategies
Is a blog right for you?
Better question: Do you have anything worthwhile to give away?
Tie to your SEARCH STRATEGY
• Pillar Post Strategy
• Ask Us Anything Strategy
• Social Survey Strategy
o Ask a question
o Get engagement
o Write a post about your findings
o Promote your post
A Cycle for Good

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Social Strategy:
K n o w y o u r p l a t f o r m
If you’re not doing them all well, you
don’t need to do them all. Not right
away. Build up to it.
Creator Brands:
Crayola, Sony, YouTube, Adobe, Lego, Canon

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Social Strategy:
K n o w y o u r p o s t s
What are you posting.
A general guide.

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Analytic Tool
Lucky Orange

20. Thank
You
FOR YOUR ATTENTION