A claims hierarchy is a structured way of organizing and ranking the messages or statements your brand makes about a product, service, or company. At its core, it helps you answer an essential marketing question: What should we say to customers – and in what order – to persuade them to engage, buy, or care?

Think of it like a messaging ladder. At the top might be your strongest emotional or functional claim – the one that grabs attention or conveys your unique value. Beneath that, supporting claims add detail or build credibility over time. Together, they form a narrative that guides consumers through awareness, consideration, and decision-making.

Including a claims hierarchy in your research gives teams a clear framework to test which messages stand out, resonate emotionally, and drive action. It’s especially valuable when launching a new product, repositioning a brand, or fighting messaging fatigue in a crowded category.

Here’s why a well-designed claims hierarchy matters:

• It clarifies your messaging architecture: With a hierarchy in place, teams avoid saying too much or saying the wrong thing first. You focus on what actually matters to your audience.
• It supports more targeted testing: Instead of throwing 15 statements into an ad and seeing what sticks, you can isolate and compare claims efficiently – especially in DIY tools like AYTM.
• It aligns cross-functional teams: Marketing, product, and insights teams can rally around a shared narrative, improving consistency across channels.

For many companies, developing a claims hierarchy marks a critical step between brainstorming and campaign launch. It bridges the creative with the strategic. But without the right guidance or process, it’s easy for claims to become redundant, too shallow, or disconnected from what customers truly care about. That’s where structured insights testing – and sometimes, the help of experienced professionals like SIVO’s On Demand Talent – can make all the difference.

From startups to Fortune 500 brands, we’ve seen how smarter claims testing can unlock clearer messaging, greater marketing ROI, and a much stronger connection to customer needs.

Once you’ve collected a list of possible brand statements or claims – often developed through internal brainstorming, customer feedback, or previous research – the next step is to group and prioritize them for testing in your AYTM survey.

This is where claims testing becomes both an art and a science. Grouping helps ensure you're testing ideas within the right context, while prioritizing helps you zero in on what’s most critical to test given your research goals and audience.

Step 1: Categorize Your Claims

Start by identifying the role of each claim. Are they functional (what the product does), emotional (how the product makes people feel), or proof-based (credentials, awards, customer testimonials)? Labeling claims helps you ensure diversity in message types and avoid repeating the same idea in slightly different words.

For example, imagine you're marketing a plant-based protein snack:

• Functional: "Packed with 15g of protein per serving"
• Emotional: "Fuel your day without the guilt"
• Proof-driven: "Awarded Best Vegan Snack 2023 by XYZ Magazine"

By separating claims into groups like these, you're better equipped to test which type of messaging your audience connects with – and in what order they need to hear it.

Step 2: Prioritize for Testing

It’s tempting to test everything, but more messages add noise and lead to longer, less effective surveys. Here are key filters to use when narrowing down:

• Alignment with brand goals: Does the claim support your positioning or value prop?
• Perceived uniqueness: Is this something only your brand can say?
• Customer curiosity: Does the claim spark interest or emotion?

Once you’ve shortlisted your strongest claims, you can use AYTM's robust survey design tools to arrange them in formats like MaxDiff (for measuring preference), monadic tests (to isolate responses), or sequential exposure (to test message layering).

And remember, AYTM is a powerful DIY market research tool – but the quality of your output depends on how well you plan your input. That’s where working with On Demand Talent professionals can give you a leg up. These seasoned insights experts can help you craft claims groupings, design smarter testing structures, and interpret results with strategic clarity.

Whether you’re managing a time-sensitive campaign or launching a new product, grouping brand claims for message testing is one of the most impactful steps in developing effective, research-backed brand messaging. With the right approach, you’ll be able to transform a long list of ideas into a clear, tested messaging architecture tailored for your audience.

Once you've grouped and prioritized your brand claims in AYTM, the next step is to analyze how your audience responds. This is where message resonance comes into play – it tells you which claims connect emotionally and cognitively with your target consumers.

Key Indicators to Watch

AYTM provides a variety of data outputs that help you evaluate how your messaging performs. Here are a few metrics to pay attention to:

• Top Box Scores: These show how many respondents gave the highest rating (e.g., found a claim very relevant or believable). High top box scores often signal strong resonance.
• Relative Rankings: Respondents may rank their preferred claims. If a certain claim consistently ranks lower, it may need to be reworked or deprioritized in your messaging hierarchy.
• Emotional Response: Some AYTM survey setups allow you to test emotional impact. Claims that evoke positive emotions tend to create better long-term brand connections.
• Open-Ended Feedback: Look for themes in what respondents say about why they like (or dislike) particular claims. This qualitative data gives context to the numbers.

What Strong Resonance Looks Like

Imagine you’re testing a range of claims for a new plant-based snack. If "Packed with Protein from Chickpeas" gets a top box score of 68%, ranks #1 in preference, and receives consistent open-ended praise like “feels healthier without sacrificing taste,” it's a good candidate for a top-tier message in your hierarchy.

On the other hand, if “Snacks That Fuel Adventure” receives neutral rankings and vague commentary, it may not fit with your target audience’s mindset – and may need to be reconsidered or refined.

Look for Gaps, Not Just Winners

Just as important as identifying top-performing claims is recognizing gaps. If none of your claims resonate with a key segment or benefit, that’s a signal to brainstorm new angles. This holistic view ensures you’re not just optimizing single claims but building a claims hierarchy that supports your brand’s broader strategy.

By leveraging DIY market research tools like AYTM effectively, your team can make data-informed choices that lead to more powerful, engaging brand messaging.

After collecting and analyzing feedback from your claims testing, the next critical step is to translate those insights into a refined messaging architecture. This structure defines which messages lead, support, or complement each other – and shapes how your brand communicates across channels.

From Raw Data to Structured Messaging

Start by identifying which claims naturally fall into top, mid, and bottom tiers based on consumer response. Those generating the strongest resonance earn a place at the top. Others may serve as secondary support points or be archived for future optimization.

Here’s a simple way to reframe your messages post-test:

• Primary Claims: High-performing statements that lead your narrative and are central to your value proposition.
• Support Claims: Medium-performing claims that reinforce or offer additional context to primary messages.
• Opportunity Claims: Messages with mixed data that may need repositioning, restating, or retesting.

Building your architecture this way ensures you get the most from your insights testing, without crowding your communication with too many messages.

Adapting Claims for Different Use Cases

Different touchpoints require different levels of messaging detail. A social media ad may use only the top-tier headline claim, while a product page or investor pitch might include the full suite. By clearly structuring your hierarchy, your entire team – from brand strategy to creative execution – can stay aligned and consistent.

For example, a fictional skincare brand may find that “Clinically Proven to Reduce Wrinkles in 2 Weeks” resonates best in general messaging, while “Powered by Clean Botanicals and Peptides” supports key purchase decisions. These two claims work better together when their roles are clearly defined.

Keep Testing, Keep Learning

Message refinement isn’t a one-time step. Consumer preferences evolve, especially in dynamic markets. Use your new messaging architecture as a foundation, but continue to validate and adjust over time. Tools like AYTM make ongoing iteration simple and efficient.

With strong data behind your decisions, your brand voice becomes not only more strategic – but also more human and engaging.

The rise of DIY market research tools like AYTM has empowered teams to test messaging more frequently and affordably. But even the best tools are only as impactful as the strategy behind them. That’s where SIVO’s On Demand Talent makes a difference – bridging skill gaps and ensuring your claims testing efforts stay focused, efficient, and aligned with your brand goals.

Bringing Human Expertise to DIY Tools

While platforms like AYTM offer speed and automation, they don’t replace the analytical mindset, creative vision, or strategic experience of a seasoned researcher. Our On Demand professionals help you:

• Set up your survey for clear, actionable results
• Craft claims that reflect your brand’s value drivers
• Interpret data to build hierarchies that truly resonate
• Train internal teams to maximize tool capabilities for the long run

Case in point: A fictional consumer tech startup used AYTM to test feature-focused claims before launch. With help from an On Demand expert, they learned how to rephrase benefit statements, prioritize emotional triggers, and distill a scattered message into a focused narrative that lifted campaign performance by 22%.

Flexible Talent, Focused Results

With SIVO’s On Demand Talent, you get access to experienced consumer insights experts without the long lead times or high overhead of agencies or full-time hires. Whether you need strategic input for one test or an embedded partner for several projects, we match you with a professional who understands your goals and gets up to speed fast.

This flexibility makes it easier to scale your team’s capacity, support junior talent, and maintain research quality – particularly as DIY and AI-powered tools become more central in today’s market research workflows.

More Than Just Execution

Unlike freelancers or consultants who work transactionally, our On Demand Talent operates as true collaborators. They integrate into your team, provide objective recommendations, and leave you with stronger capabilities than where you started. For brands aiming to build lasting internal expertise in tool-driven claims testing, this model offers long-term value.

As you invest in faster, smarter research methods, don’t leave your messaging to chance. With the right people and the right platforms in play, your team can uncover sharper insights – and turn them into messages that matter.