3 Audits Every Brand Should Conduct (Before It's Too Late)

Look, I get it. The word "audit" gives you the same feeling as finding out your ex is dating someone who's both taller and has a better credit score. It feels like punishment wrapped in spreadsheets. But here's the truth – if you're not regularly checking under the hood of your brand, you're basically driving a car with your eyes closed while scrolling Instagram. And I should know – I've made enough marketing mistakes to fill a "what not to do" textbook that would be thicker than my ego.

WHY YOUR BRAND NEEDS REGULAR CHECK-UPS

Media is changing at a relentless pace — shrinking newsrooms, shifting algorithms, and emerging content platforms make it impossible to rely on a single strategy. Brands that don't adapt risk losing relevance and visibility faster than I lose my dignity when trying to pronounce "açaí" in public.

The solution? A strategic, proactive approach: auditing. And no, this isn't like your taxes, where an audit only happens annually and makes you question every life decision that led to this moment. By regularly assessing communication efforts, brands can identify vulnerabilities, refine messaging, and stay focused on reaching the right people in the right ways.

I want to share three audits that can save brands from the special kind of embarrassment that comes from realizing you've been investing time and money in all the wrong places. Trust me, it's worse than realizing you've had spinach in your teeth during an entire board presentation.

1. THE SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIT: WHERE DREAMS GO TO DIE (OR THRIVE)

Remember MySpace? Yeah, neither does anyone else. Platforms rise and fall faster than my attempts at maintaining a consistent workout routine. A thorough social media audit helps brands measure their effectiveness, identify emerging trends, and optimize their platform presence before they become the digital equivalent of someone still using "YOLO" unironically.

When conducting a social media audit, focus on:

• Platform relevance: Are you investing in channels where your audience actually hangs out, or are you the equivalent of a 50-year-old trying to look cool at a high school party? Where is your target audience most active?
• Content performance: What types of content generate actual engagement versus just collecting digital dust? Is your carefully crafted video content being watched, or is it like that expensive gym membership you keep paying for but never use?
• Engagement and sentiment analysis: Beyond vanity metrics like likes and shares, how is your audience really feeling about your content? Are the conversations resembling a warm group hug or more like an uncomfortable family dinner?
• Competitor benchmarking: How does your brand stack up against competitors? Are they the cool kids at the lunch table while you're eating alone by the trash cans?

2. THE COMPETITIVE EARNED MEDIA AUDIT: FIND OUT WHO'S WINNING (SPOILER: PROBABLY NOT YOU)

For brands looking to strengthen their media presence, this audit provides a critical reality check more sobering than realizing those jeans definitely don't fit anymore. By analyzing share of voice, key narratives, and media placements, you'll gain a clear understanding of where you stand in the media hierarchy. Think of it as high school popularity rankings, but with actual business consequences.

Focus on these key elements:

• Share of voice: What percentage of industry mentions belong to you versus competitors? Are you the main character or just an extra in your industry's story?
• Messaging and positioning: Is your brand leading conversations or constantly playing catch-up like me trying to understand TikTok trends? How does your narrative compare to others?
• Media placements: Which outlets are covering your competitors while treating you like you don't exist? What journalists are writing about your industry while ignoring your press releases?
• Thought leadership: Are competitors gaining traction with bylined articles and speaking engagements while your executives are busy practicing their golf swing?

3. THE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION CHANNEL AUDIT: FINDING OUT WHERE YOUR MONEY ACTUALLY WORKS

The best communications campaigns are like a perfect cocktail – a precise mix of ingredients that complement each other. This audit identifies which channels drive actual impact versus which ones are just draining your budget faster than my phone battery at 2% when I need an Uber.

When examining your complete strategy, focus on:

• Media mix analysis: Are you balancing paid, earned, owned, and shared media effectively, or is your approach more lopsided than my attempts at home haircuts during lockdown?
• Crisis preparedness: Do you have contingency plans for sudden media shifts, or are you one algorithm change away from digital irrelevance?
• ROI and resource allocation: Are you investing in channels with actual returns, or are you the equivalent of someone still paying for cable TV when everything's streaming?
• Brand consistency: Is your messaging cohesive across platforms, or does your brand have more personalities than my acting resume?

MAKING YOUR AUDIT ACTUALLY MATTER

An audit without action is like having a gym membership you never use – expensive and pointless. To maximize impact:

• Define clear goals: What do you actually want to achieve beyond "doing better"? Higher engagement? Better positioning? Not wasting money?
• Look beyond numbers: Data without context is like watching a foreign film without subtitles – confusing and open to wild misinterpretation.
• Get everyone involved: PR, marketing, digital teams – everyone needs to be on the same page, unlike my attempts at coordinating group dinner plans.
• Implement and adapt: Use your findings to refine messaging, reallocate resources, and strengthen your overall strategy before your competition does.

Regular audits ensure that brands stay ahead of change rather than reacting to it – the difference between surfing a wave and being crushed by it. And trust me, being crushed is significantly less fun and way more expensive.

Want to learn more about conducting effective brand audits? Contact the Winsome PR team today! Or continue ignoring the warning signs – it's your funeral. I mean, your brand's funeral. You'll be fine. Probably.