How’s your halo? Understanding your brand perception

If you’re tasked with guiding and protecting brand reputation in an always-connected world, understanding this phenomenon is critical for success. 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any other form of advertising, therefore indicating the influence that the halo effect has in shaping brand perception.

What is the halo effect?

Ah, the halo effect. It’s not just a must-have accessory for ethereal beings or Halloween costumes (we’ve all done it). The halo effect is a psychological phenomenon referring to when our positive feelings toward one aspect of something (a brand, for instance) transfer over to other unrelated aspects.

In other words, we tend to see everything about a brand in a positive light when we've had a good experience with one thing they offer. And why is it important for brand perception, you ask? Well, it’s simple: if a brand can create a positive experience in one area, they can leverage that to boost perceptions of their other offerings (plus, who doesn’t love feeling like they’re under the glow of a halo?).

How to measure your brand’s halo effect with data

Have you ever heard someone describe their favorite brand as “just having that certain something”? That elusive “something” is known as the halo effect – and it’s what sets top brands apart from the competition.

By tracking metrics like brand awareness, sentiment, and customer loyalty, you can start to get a sense of how strong your halo effect really is. And if you’re not happy with the results? Don’t worry, there are plenty of strategies you can use to improve your brand’s reputation and strengthen that halo.

Natural language processing

Natural language processing is like having a personal therapist for your business. It's a tool that helps you read between the lines of customer interactions and understand their underlying emotions.

Using natural language processing, you can unlock a treasure trove of information about the sentiment of your customers. Are they happy? Frustrated? Disappointed? Instead of sifting through piles of feedback, you can use this technology to gain a deeper understanding of what your customers really think.

Strategies for boosting your brand’s positive reputation

In today’s fast-paced digital world, building a positive reputation for your brand can be a tricky task to master. However, there are plenty of effective strategies you can implement to boost your brand's rep in no time.

From creating killer content that resonates with your audience to utilizing social media to its fullest potential, knowing how to build and maintain a solid brand reputation can make all the difference for your business; trust your customers, and your bottom line will thank you for it.

Whose halo shines brightest?

Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, Apple didn’t just stop at making sleek and innovative technology; they expanded into music with iTunes and the iPod and now dominate the smartwatch market with the Apple Watch, piggybacking the success and customer perception of one area to amplify others, building a global juggernaut that fuels Fomo and encourages purchase.

Another brand that has upped its halo game is Nike. Not content with being just a sportswear brand, they launched the Nike Run Club app, which not only tracks your runs but also connects you with other running enthusiasts – building a community and cleverly spreading reach and the glow of their halo.

By building on their positive brand perception, both Apple and Nike have created a halo that extends to new products and services.

Finding your halo

Creating content that boosts your halo is like playing a game of Halo; remember reach (too cheesy? Sorry, couldn’t resist). The difference is that instead of fragging enemies with a plasma grenade, you’re engaging with your target audience.

The first tip is to know your audience. Without understanding their wants and needs, you might as well be wandering aimlessly through Blood Gulch. The second tip is to provide value. This isn’t a Slayer match where the goal is to rack up kills. Your content should be informative, entertaining, or both.

Finally, don’t forget to promote your content. The internet is like a big team battle. You need to coordinate and work together to achieve victory. Share your content across social media platforms, and maybe even feature other creators to create a community of like-minded individuals.

From data sources and natural language processing capabilities to more straightforward strategies such as content creation, taking the time to review what makes up the halo effect can save plenty of headaches (and money) in the future.