Brand image research - 2 methods

A good brand image is something that is worked for throughout a brand's existence. Appropriate marketing activities, building up a company's reputation or taking care of customers are just some of the measures used by entrepreneurs. Once in a while, however, it is worth checking whether they bring the expected results. A brand image study will help. How to do it?

At present, the e-commerce market is full of competition. The online shops that operate on it have to undertake a number of marketing activities in order not to lose their position. From time to time, it is necessary to carry out a brand image survey. It is thanks to such a survey that the owner knows at what stage of development his e-business is and what actions he should take next.

What is a brand image study?

A brand's image is essentially the experiences and feelings associated with its perception by customers. It includes, among other things:

• brand knowledge,
• the perception of it compared to its competitors,
• the emotional resonance and attachment of the client,
• the value the brand has for the customer,
• the changes that have taken place in the consumer's relationship with the brand over time.

A brand image survey is a way of comparing the owner's perceptions of the brand with the opinions of customers using its services. Such a "response from consumers" will allow for the correction of possible mistakes and will provide knowledge on which aspects of the business still need to be worked on. In addition, it provides the entrepreneur with information on whether his or her marketing efforts so far have been successful and reached his or her target group of customers.

In addition, such a study will determine the position of the company in the e-commerce market, identify its strengths and weaknesses, differentiate it from the competition and examine brand awareness and public perception.

Brand image research methods

Brand image research is a very important activity that makes it possible to verify the correspondence between 'how it is' and the idea of 'how it should be'. There are two basic methods by which it can be carried out: quantitative and qualitative. And while both allow you to obtain the information you need about your company, each answers different questions.

• Quantitative method

Using quantitative research, we will obtain information on how much, where, who, when, how often, how much, how strongly. This method makes it possible to measure a brand's potential and compare it with the effectiveness of the competition. In addition, quantitative analysis makes it possible to compare the image of the brand among diverse groups of consumers.

The method presented is also a way of identifying those elements that contribute to the customer's decision to choose a particular offer or product. It also makes it possible to analyse the advantages that competitors have.

• Qualitative method

In turn qualitative research They provide answers to the questions how, why and for what. They are used to analyse the image of a brand in the eyes of consumers and how customers describe it. This method is most often used when we want to find out what consumers think of a marketing approach or the way in which a company operates.

In addition, it is a good way to look for new solutions or ideas that can be implemented in the business. Qualitative research will also work well when an idea comes to mind that we are afraid to implement.

Methods of testing

A brand image survey can be carried out in several different ways. The most common choice is to create a survey and then collect respondents' answers with it. Among the possibilities are:

• CAWI - is an online survey, sent by email or instant messaging,
• PAPI - i.e. a paper questionnaire,
• CAPI - interview conducted using mobile devices,
• CATI - mobile phone survey.

Very often, survey questions are created based on one of two scales: a Likert scale or a semantic differential scale.

In the first case, the questionnaire is based on a five-point scale, indicating how the consumer feels about the brand. Usually, the questions are formulated in such a way that the customer can mark a value from 1 to 5 (where 1 means that he or she completely disagrees with something and 5 means that he or she strongly agrees), expressing his or her approval or disapproval of a particular piece of information about a company.

A questionnaire created on the basis of a semantic differential scale makes it possible to examine how consumers feel about a specific action taken by a company. Responses are structured on the basis of two opposing expressions - e.g. happy/sad, true/false, or easy/difficult.

When conducting a brand image study, it is worth considering not only the features of the services or products offered, but above all how the brand treats the customer and influences their satisfaction with the purchase/service. The emotional benefits and the way the company is perceived by consumers will certainly be reflected in the reputation and profits generated.