Brand audit checklist
Brand audit checklist and template (free, 40 checks)
1. Strategy and messaging
- One sentence on the homepage states what you do, for whom, and why you.
- Key message is repeated consistently on the top five pages, not reworded each time.
- Supporting messages back the key message with proof, not adjectives.
- Brand story exists in public and explains why the company started.
- Vision and mission are stated, distinct from each other, and not interchangeable with a tagline.
- Positioning names a category a buyer would recognise.
2. Personality, voice and copy
- Voice attributes are written down and observable in live copy.
- Tone is consistent between homepage, product pages, blog and error or transactional messages.
- Copy avoids claims you cannot evidence.
- Reading level and sentence length suit the audience.
- Calls to action use the same verbs site-wide.
3. Visual identity
- Logo usage, clear space and lockups are consistent across surfaces.
- Colour palette and typography on the live site match the brand guidelines.
- Imagery style is coherent rather than a mix of stock sources.
- Social profile images and banners match the current identity.
- Favicon, share images and email templates carry the same identity.
4. Entity consistency
- Legal and trading name identical across website, listings and profiles.
- Address, phone and hours match everywhere they appear.
- Business category and description consistent on Google, LinkedIn and directories.
- Old brand names, domains or product names are no longer surfacing.
- Structured data on the site matches the public record.
5. Website and conversion
- Primary conversion path is obvious within one screen.
- Navigation labels use customer words, not internal ones.
- Pages load quickly on mobile and pass core web vitals.
- Forms ask only for what is needed at that stage.
- Proof — clients, results, credentials — appears near the decision points.
6. Search, answer engines and AI
- Every important page has a unique, keyword-relevant title and description.
- Content answers the questions buyers actually type, in extractable form.
- FAQ and how-to content is marked up so answer engines can quote it.
- AI assistants describe your brand, category and offering accurately.
- Third parties corroborate your claims, so models can verify them.
7. Reputation, social and authority
- Review volume and rating are current and responded to.
- Negative themes in reviews are addressed publicly.
- Active social profiles are on-brand; dormant ones are closed or updated.
- Founder and executive profiles align with the company narrative.
- Published expertise exists somewhere other than your own website.
FAQ
Brand audit checklist questions
What should a brand audit checklist include?
A complete brand audit checklist covers messaging and positioning, brand story, vision and mission, personality and voice, visual identity, entity consistency across listings and profiles, website experience, conversion path, SEO, answer engine and AI visibility, reputation, social presence, founder authority and paid media.
How often should we run a brand audit?
Twice a year for most businesses, and always before a rebrand, a new market entry, a funding round or a major website change, so you have a documented baseline to compare against.
Can I use this checklist for a client brand audit?
Yes. The checklist is free to use for your own or a client's brand. If you want the same checks scored automatically with evidence attached, run the audit tool instead.
How do I score a manual brand audit?
Mark each item pass, fail or not applicable rather than giving a subjective rating, and exclude anything you cannot verify instead of scoring it zero. That keeps the total honest and comparable when you re-run it.