Ever wonder what people really think about your brand? According to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer, 88% of consumers say trust is critical to brand loyalty—yet only 59% feel companies are doing a good job of earning it. That gap reveals an urgent need for businesses to actively monitor and shape brand perception online.At RI Digital Research, we help organizations bridge that gap. As someone deeply involved in digital research, I’ve seen firsthand how a data-informed understanding of brand perception can shape everything from product strategy to crisis response. In this blog, I’ll walk you through the tools and techniques we use to assess how your brand is viewed in the digital landscape—and why it matters more than ever.
Why Measuring Brand Perception Matters
Let’s start with the basics: brand perception is how your audience interprets and emotionally connects with your brand. It’s not what you say about your brand—it’s what they say. This impacts customer trust, loyalty, market position, and even recruitment.
From our experience at RI Digital Research, brands that monitor perception trends can:
- Identify emerging issues early
- Understand changing consumer expectations
- Track the impact of campaigns and messaging
- Gain competitive benchmarks
When your brand perception data is aligned with your marketing and communications strategy, it’s a powerful advantage.
Key Tools We Use to Track Brand Perception
1. Social Listening Platforms
We rely heavily on platforms like Brandwatch and Talkwalker. These tools allow us to monitor thousands of conversations across social media, blogs, forums, and news outlets. The goal isn’t just to count mentions—it’s to analyze sentiment, volume, reach, and context.
For instance, we helped a fintech client uncover negative sentiment trends about hidden fees. Within weeks, they adjusted messaging and improved customer communication, which significantly reduced churn.
2. Search Data Analysis
Google Trends and keyword monitoring tools like SEMrush reveal how people are searching for your brand. A spike in “[Brand Name] scam” queries, for example, is a red flag we wouldn’t ignore. We use this data to inform both reactive and proactive brand management.
3. Survey-Based Brand Tracking
While digital signals are valuable, we complement them with targeted surveys. Our proprietary brand tracker helps measure shifts in perception over time across segments. We ask things like:
- “How would you describe this brand in one word?”
- “How trustworthy do you find this company?”
- “Which brand comes to mind first when thinking of [category]?”
Combining qualitative and quantitative data gives us a fuller picture.
4. Competitor Sentiment Benchmarking
Understanding your brand in isolation isn’t enough. We compare brand perception against competitors using sentiment scores, net promoter scores (NPS), and share of voice. This comparative view helps clients identify whitespace opportunities and areas for differentiation.
Turning Insight Into Action
Gathering perception data is only half the equation. What matters is how you use it.
One global apparel brand we worked with noticed their sustainability messaging wasn’t resonating online—despite heavy investment. We dug deeper into the perception gap and found a credibility issue due to a lack of third-party validation. Armed with this insight, they partnered with environmental nonprofits and launched more transparent campaigns, which boosted both sentiment and engagement.
At RI Digital Research, we turn insights into strategies—from campaign refinement and content development to executive messaging and investor communications.
Final Thoughts
In today’s hyperconnected world, brand perception can change in a tweet. The good news? You don’t have to guess how people feel about your brand. With the right digital research tools and techniques, you can measure, understand, and even shape those perceptions.
Whether you’re a marketing leader, founder, or communications strategist, staying ahead of brand perception trends isn’t just smart—it’s essential. Let’s talk if you’re ready to take a more data-driven approach.
