Glossary · MeasurementTOFU
Brand lift
The short answer
Brand lift is the measurable increase in metrics like ad recall, awareness, consideration or purchase intent that results from advertising.
Brand lift studies measure it by surveying two comparable groups: people who saw the ads and a control group who didn't. The difference in answers is the lift.
What gets measured
- Ad recall — do people remember seeing the ad?
- Awareness — do they know the brand?
- Consideration — would they consider buying?
- Favourability — do they feel positively?
- Purchase intent — do they plan to buy?
In practice
Brand lift studies need enough reach to detect a difference, so they're usually reserved for larger video and CTV campaigns. For smaller budgets, branded search volume in targeted regions compared with untargeted ones is a cheaper, practical proxy for lift.
Typical brand lift questions
| Metric | Example survey question |
|---|---|
| Ad recall | "Do you recall seeing an ad for [brand] recently?" |
| Awareness | "Which of these brands have you heard of?" |
| Consideration | "Which brands would you consider for [category]?" |
| Preference | "Which brand would you choose?" |
Brand lift in practice
A YouTube campaign runs a brand lift study: people who saw the ads and a control group answer survey questions on recall and consideration. The difference shows the campaign's impact on brand perception.
Ways to measure brand lift
- Platform brand lift surveys
- Branded search trends
- Geo-based tests
- Independent brand tracking
Common brand-lift mistakes
- Running studies with too little budget to detect lift
- Ignoring branded search as a cheap proxy
- Expecting immediate sales from awareness
Frequently asked questions
Which platforms offer brand lift studies?
Major platforms such as YouTube and Meta offer them to advertisers who meet spend thresholds.
Is brand lift the same as sales lift?
No — brand lift measures attitudes; sales lift and incrementality tests measure behaviour.
What budget does a brand lift study need?
Platforms set minimums to reach statistical power; they vary by market and platform. Check eligibility in the ads tools.
Can small brands measure brand lift?
Proxy measures — branded search, direct traffic and simple surveys — work when formal studies aren't available.
Which campaigns should measure brand lift?
Awareness and video campaigns, where last-click conversions undervalue impact.
What's the minimum budget for a brand lift study?
Platforms set minimum spend thresholds that vary by market and study type.
Related terms
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