Methodology
The Kumu Brand and Signal Benchmark
One instrument, fifteen dimensions, two Indexes — and a measurable gap between what is true about your brand and what the market can actually see.The benchmark is the same whether you are a mining company, a telecom or a restaurant group. Only the competitive set changes.
Two reviews, two Indexes, one gap
The Brand Integrity Review scores the seven dimensions that decide whether your organization is clear, credible and useful in the first place. It produces the Brand Integrity Index.
The Signal Architecture Review scores the eight dimensions that decide whether that clarity actually reaches search engines, AI answer systems and buyers. It produces the Signal Strength Index.
The distance between the two Indexes is the Signal Gap. It tells you whether your problem is substance or transmission — and it becomes the spine of the Transformation Roadmap.
Brand Integrity Review — 7 dimensions
What is true about your brand, and how clearly it is expressed.
- 01
Brand Presence
Can people consistently find and verify you?
- 02
Page Identity
Does each page communicate a clear purpose?
- 03
Audience Language
Do you use the language customers use?
- 04
Visual Brand
Does the experience feel coherent and credible?
- 05
Usefulness
Can visitors quickly find what they need?
- 06
Brand Voice
Are your claims distinctive and supportable?
- 07
Content Vitality
Is your content current and maintained?
Signal Architecture Review — 8 dimensions
How completely that truth reaches search engines, AI systems and buyers.
- 01
AI & Search Accessibility
Can search and AI systems reliably access the site?
- 02
Engineering Strength
Is the site fast, secure and technically sound?
- 03
Offering Architecture
Can individual offerings be found and compared?
- 04
Machine Content & Context
Can AI interpret and cite the content accurately?
- 05
Channel Reach
Are you visible where your audiences look?
- 06
Third-Party Verification
Do credible external sources support your claims?
- 07
User Action Pathways
Can visitors easily take the next step?
- 08
Response Infrastructure
Can you capture and respond to demand?
What you receive
| Deliverable | Phase 1 — Benchmark | Phase 2 — Roadmap |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Integrity Index | Yes | Yes, dimension by dimension |
| Signal Strength Index | Yes | Yes, dimension by dimension |
| Signal Gap analysis | Summary | Full, with evidence |
| Competitor comparison | Headline | Dimension-by-dimension |
| Transformation Roadmap | Top opportunities | Sequenced now / next / continuous |
| Re-measurement baseline | Yes | Yes |
Methodology
Benchmark questions
- What is the Kumu Brand & Signal Benchmark?
- It is a scored diagnostic of how effectively a brand is found, understood, trusted and recommended across AI systems and search. It combines a Brand Integrity Review of 7 dimensions with a Signal Architecture Review of 8 dimensions, producing two Indexes and the Signal Gap between them.
- How is the benchmark scored?
- Each dimension is scored by an analyst against defined criteria and supporting evidence, then rolled up into the Brand Integrity Index and the Signal Strength Index. Scores are comparable over time because the same instrument and Evidence Standard are reused at every re-measurement.
- What is the Signal Gap?
- The Signal Gap is the distance between what is true about your organization and how completely that truth reaches search engines, AI systems and buyers. A large gap means the substance exists but is not being transmitted, which is usually the fastest kind of improvement to make.
- What is the Evidence Standard?
- Every finding must be supported by evidence a third party could independently verify — a page, a document, a structured data record, a citation or an AI transcript. Opinions without evidence are not recorded as findings.
- How long does a benchmark take?
- Phase 1 delivers first findings in 3–5 days. Phase 2 is a hand-scored review across all 15 dimensions with competitor comparison, and is scoped to the size of the organization.
Next step
Establish your baseline
Phase 1 returns your two Indexes, your Signal Gap and the opportunities worth acting on first. First findings in 3–5 days.
Benchmark your brand →Keep reading
services
How we make the benchmark actionable
The benchmark reveals what is missing. These services close the gap — from technical infrastructure and content strategy to the full rebuild of a brand's digital presence.