Brand Sentiment: 7 Ways to Boost Brand Perception

When it comes to brand sentiment, perception is everything. How people feel about your brand directly impacts their willingness to engage, purchase, and advocate for your business. In today’s hyper-connected world, brand sentiment spreads like wildfire—good or bad. But here’s the good news: there are actionable strategies to boost your brand perception, helping you foster positive sentiment and long-term loyalty.

Below, we’ll dive into seven proven ways to elevate your brand sentiment and share why strong imagery and visuals are key to this effort.

1. Understand Your Current Brand Sentiment

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Start by understanding how your audience currently feels about your brand. Social listening tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social can help you gauge sentiment across social platforms, while surveys and direct feedback provide deeper insights into customer perceptions.

73% of consumers say a positive experience with a brand is crucial for building emotional connections. Emotional connection is the cornerstone of positive brand sentiment, so combine quantitative data like sentiment scores with qualitative insights such as customer stories to identify specific areas for improvement.

Don’t overlook the power of trend analysis either—examining changes in sentiment over time can help you adjust strategies effectively. Tracking specific keywords and monitoring shifts in online chatter about your brand can also provide critical insights into your audience’s perceptions.

2. Leverage Powerful Visuals to Tell Your Story

Imagery isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity in today’s visually driven culture. Strong visuals evoke emotions and make your brand memorable.

The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text, which means the visuals you use in marketing, social media, and product packaging are crucial. Ensure your logos, photos, and videos are consistent with your brand’s tone and message.

High-quality visuals can elevate your perception instantly. Elements like composition, lighting, and color grading in photography can enhance storytelling by evoking an emotional connection and reinforcing brand identity. Authentic and well-curated imagery helps build trust and relatability, while consistent visual themes create a strong brand presence. AI tools can ensure your images evoke a positive brand sentiment with your audience.

3. Engage Authentically on Social Media

Social media is a double-edged sword. It can amplify your successes or magnify your missteps. To boost brand sentiment, you need to show up authentically and consistently. Share content and imagery that aligns with your audience’s values, respond promptly to comments, and own up to mistakes when they happen.

81% of consumers need to trust a brand to consider buying from them. Trust is built through transparency, authenticity, and ongoing engagement. User-generated content (UGC) can also show the human side of your brand and build trust. If you use UGC be sure to use an AI moderation tool to ensure the content reflects your brand.

Furthermore, maintaining a consistent posting schedule and engaging with comments or messages promptly shows your audience that you are active and genuinely care about their feedback and interests.

4. Invest in Exceptional Customer Experiences

A seamless and delightful customer experience (CX) is another key driver of positive sentiment. Every touchpoint matters, from website interactions to post-purchase support. 32% of customers will stop doing business with a brand after just one bad experience, regardless of how much they love the product or service.

Mapping out your customer journey to identify and resolve friction points is critical. Consider tools like chatbots to provide instant assistance throughout the buyer’s journey, reducing friction and enhancing overall satisfaction.

Investing in well-trained customer service teams who can handle inquiries or issues with empathy also reinforces a positive perception of your brand.

5. Personalize Interactions with Data-Driven Insights

Personalization isn’t just a trend—it’s an expectation. Customers want to feel seen and understood. Leveraging data to personalize your messaging, offers, and recommendations can go a long way in improving how your brand is perceived.

Netflix is a great example of this. Their personalized recommendations contribute significantly to their high customer satisfaction rates. Tools like CRM systems and AI analytics can help segment your audience to personalize imagery and messaging and provide highly relevant experiences.

Predictive analytics can anticipate customer needs, positioning your brand as proactive and customer-focused. By sending personalized emails or recommendations based on past behavior, you can make customers feel uniquely catered to, fostering deeper loyalty and satisfaction.

6. Amplify Positive Stories Through Reviews and Testimonials

Positive stories through reviews and testimonials are among the most powerful ways to shape brand perception. 42% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or industry-specific sites. Then, share testimonials on your website and social channels, supported by compelling visuals to maximize impact.

Sharing case studies that highlight real-world success stories concretely shows how your brand delivers value to customers.

7. Respond Proactively to Negative Feedback

Even the most beloved brands receive criticism. What sets great brands apart is how they handle it. Addressing negative feedback with empathy, transparency, and swift action can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal advocate.

According to HubSpot, 68% of consumers are willing to pay more for products or services from a brand known for excellent customer service—even if they initially had a negative experience.

Train your team to respond promptly to feedback to show your commitment to improvement. Monitor untagged mentions of your brand on review sites and social platforms to address issues proactively. Taking a transparent approach and sharing updates on how you are addressing common customer concerns also reinforces trust and credibility.

The Role of Imagery in Brand Sentiment

One theme that runs through all these strategies is the power of visuals. From testimonials to social content, strong imagery amplifies your messaging, forges emotional connections, and leaves lasting impressions.

Consistency in your visual identity across all platforms ensures your brand remains recognizable and trustworthy. OCUS’s AI solution automatically enhances your images, ensuring they are fully optimized to evoke a positive brand sentiment. Our automated AI moderation and image audit features also scan your entire existing catalog to ensure brand consistency and identify high-performing images.