The Q2 2026 benchmarks of market authority across European SMEs. 158 assessed brands across 28 listed. Includes 9 markets but with a high percentage from Sweden.
As per Q1 analysis, most brands possess more credibility than the market realises or more correctly put, than they show the market. Structural foundations consistently outperform external perception and authority signals.
The weakest pillar across all 158 brands is Proof and Validation at 11.7/25 (47% of maximum) — the single largest area of untapped potential.
90 out of 158 assessed brands achieve Market Authority Index certification (65+), representing 57% of the brands include.
B2C brands average 68.5 compared to B2B at 59.9, a structural gap of 8.6 points driven primarily by Human Authority differences.
19 brands reached Gold status (score of 80+), concentrated in just 6 of 28 sectors.
Almost 80% of brands score higher on Structural Confidence than Human Authority.
Market Authority Index of 65 - 69.
Meets the MAI Certified threshold. Demonstrable authority with defined areas for growth.
Market Authority Index of 70 - 79.
Strong market authority. Well established with clear competitive positioning.
Market Authority Index of 80 and above
Exceptional market authority. Consistent across all dimensions of trust, positioning, and proof.
The chart below maps 91 brands that meet the 65+ threshold to be certified in their Sectors. Each bubble is a brand. Bubble size reflects company scale: micro, small, or medium. Colour reflects sector. The two reference lines divide the chart into quadrants. Top-right is where you want to be — high perception and high structural credibility. Most brands are not there yet. Hover over any bubble to see the brand, its Market Authority Index and its size tier. Click on the legend to remove/add sectors.
A few things stand out. Fashion and Hospitality brands dominate the upper right of the chart — Fashion with the highest average Structural Confidence among large sectors (83.6) and Hospitality with the highest average Human Authority (76.1), reflecting two distinct routes to Gold-tier performance. Home, Interior and Lifestyle brands form the largest single cluster with 15 certified brands, consistently strong on both axes. Industrial and Manufacturing brands sit noticeably lower on the horizontal axis (average Human Authority of 64.1 among certified brands), confirming a structural gap in authority-building across B2B sectors despite strong Structural Confidence scores.
A standout data point: Treehotel, a micro-sized hospitality brand with fewer than 10 employees, scores a Human Authority of 84 — higher than most small and medium brands across all sectors. Brand equity, built carefully over time, can significantly outpace company size.
Average MAI, Human Authority, and Structural Confidence scores across all 15 of the 28 sectors in the assessed dataset. For sector benchmarks we need a minimum of 3 brands. Scores are based on completed Market Authority Index Pro assessments. We did not need to use calibration-adjusted estimates.
Market Authority is the combination of Human Authority and Structural Confidence, a combination of how you are seen and also how much confidence a buyer is likely to have in buying from you.
A measure of your market authority (human + structural) with a reference to your competitors.
How strongly your brand commands trust and authority in your market.
How strongly buyers trust and believe in your brand.
How strongly your business structure signals credibility and reduces buyer risk.
Calculated from external perception signals including online reviews, ratings, social proof, brand mentions and thought leadership presence — how the market sees and validates your brand.
Calculated from operational and digital signals including website quality, search visibility, business verification, pricing clarity and trust indicators — the evidence buyers find when they look closer.
How market authority varies across different business models — B2B, B2C, DTC, and mixed commerce types.
90 brands in the current dataset have reached the MAI Certified threshold, a score of 65 or above, independently assessed. Three tiers are awarded: Certified (65–69), Silver (70–79), and Gold (80 and above).
A PDF summary of the key findings, sector patterns, and what they mean for SMEs competing for buyer attention. No form, no gate — just the report.
In addition to the Q2 Summary report there are 7 Sector specific analysis. Click the one you want to view (PDF).
Fashion, Apparel & Personal Style — 17 brands, avg MAI 70.8
Pet Supplies & Animal Health — 23 brands, avg MAI 68.3
Home, Interior & Lifestyle — 18 brands, avg MAI 70.3
Industrial & Manufacturing — 17 brands
Hospitality, Experience & Tourism — 14 brands
Professional & Business Services — 13 brands, avg MAI 57.6
Life Sciences — 27 brands (indicative), avg MAI 67.3
Take the free Market Authority Index (MAI) assessment to benchmark your Market Authority and identify your biggest opportunities for improvement. Start your assessment here.