Perception Report

Brand

The Way

Date

2026/04/21

60 / 100

Score

What is this

Measures Online and LLM Sentiment [1], Competitor Comparison [2], Perception Gaps [3], and Ranking Appearance [4]. Your reputation score. How your brand is understood, discussed, and positioned in AI systems.

Component Analysis

Online and LLM Sentiment [1]

66/100

Competitor comparison [2]

45/100

Perception Gaps [3]

82/100

Ranking Appearance [4]

44/100

Strategic Recommendations

01 οΏ½ Differentiate Against Competitors

Focus on highlighting your unique value propositions in PR and digital content to improve your significantly low competitive positioning score.

02 οΏ½ Optimize for Unbranded Queries

Broaden your content strategy to target strategic, industry-relevant topics so AI engines naturally associate your brand with general category queries.

03 ️ Refine Brand Personality

Audit your existing messaging tone to ensure it consistently reflects a 'calm, intentional, spacious, and different' feel across all brand touchpoints.

04 ️ Elevate Brand Sentiment

Consider seeding more positive customer success stories and favorable third-party mentions to organically lift your moderate sentiment score in AI responses.

05 οΏ½ Leverage Strong Core Alignment

Build upon your excellent perception gap score by subtly integrating your competitive advantages into future thought leadership and executive communications.

Perception Strengths

Online and LLM Sentiment

66 / 100

LLMs Sentiment

164 sources analyzed

63%

Web Sentiment

15 sources analyzed

0 positive, 12 neutral, 0 negative

68%

Positive

87

Neutral

79

Negative

13

Positive

0

Neutral

12

Negative

0

Positive Web Mentions (Real Sources)

SourceContext PreviewSentiment
www.instagram.comIf this is the only meditation I ever do, it will have been ... I have been using @henryshukman 's beautiful meditation app 'The Way' most mornings fo...1.00
www.quora.comWhy is formal koan study recommended, and how can ... ... Henry Shukman recounts having had good experiences with this method. ... the way of Zen. But...0.80
play.google.comThe Way: Meditation Path - Apps on Google Play THE WAY is a new kind of meditation app: a single path, led by an authorized Zen master, that guides yo...0.40
apps.apple.comThe Way - Guided Meditation - App Store - Apple THE WAY is a new kind of meditation app: a single path, led by an authorized Zen master, that guides y...0.40
www.bookshelfdiscovery.comBest Meditation Apps 2026: Tried and Tested For a free app, it has an incredible amount of content - approximately 130,000 guided meditations, which s...0.40

Negative Web Mentions (Real Concerns)

SourceContext PreviewSentimentAction Required
www.instagram.comNew pod is live! Jack Shukman, cofounder and CEO of ... Henry Shukman is a Zen Master, a meditation teacher, and co-founder of The Way meditation app....-0.20Address and respond

Web Sentiment by Source

SourceAuthoritySentimentContext PreviewLink
play.google.com95😐 neutralTHE WAY is a new kind of meditation app: a single path, lView
apps.apple.com60😐 neutralTHE WAY is a new kind of meditation app: a single path, lView
thewayapp.com60😐 neutralThe Way App is a meditation training platform created byView
instagram.com60😐 neutralticipation, not control. From ... Photo shared by The Way Meditation App on April 02, 2026 tagging @henryshView
secure.instagram.com60😐 neutralAlso, co-creator of The Way App ~ currently touring Australia. Imagery capturView
instagram.com60😐 neutraln Master, a meditation teacher, and co-founder of The Way meditation app. As AI poses some hard questions aView
upaya.org60😐 neutraland co-founder of the single-path meditation app The Way. He received dharma transmission (inka shomei) frView
linkedin.com60😐 neutralitation Teacher | Poet and Author | Co-founder of The Way meditation app. 5d. Report this post; Close menu.View
instagram.com60😐 neutralusing @henryshukman 's beautiful meditation app 'The Way' most mornings for many months now. It helps me tView
eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu60😐 neutralThis section should explain the way evaluation is organised, distinguishing between cView
bookshelfdiscovery.com60😐 neutral000 guided meditations, which should take you all the way to enlightenment across a ...View
secure.instagram.com60😐 neutralng to start meditation, I finally decided to try 'The Way' after hearing Henry Shukman speaking on a podcasView

Sentiment by AI Provider

ProviderResponsesSentiment ScoreOverallBreakdown
OpenAI4100/100😊 Positive4 positive, 0 negative
Gemini1796/100😊 Positive16 positive, 0 negative

Competitor Comparison

45 / 100

Competitor Analysis Breakdown

CompetitorDominance ScoreCompetitive GapStronger AttributesWeaker Attributes
Waking Up46.9%-6.3experienceNone
Headspace46.3%-7.4experience, professionalNone
Calm46.1%-7.7experience, authoritativeNone
Insight Timer48.9%-2.3experienceNone
Ten Percent Happier46.0%-8.1feel, professionalNone
Open45.0%-9.9experienceNone
Sounds True49.6%-0.8NoneNone
The Shift Network49.8%-0.4NoneNone

Competitor AI Perception Summary

CompetitorAI DescriptionOverlap RiskKey DifferentiatorMentions
Waking Up* *Versus Waking Up (Sam Harris):* While both focus on non-duality, Waking Up features a wide vari...πŸ”΄ Highexperience11
HeadspaceUnlike many popular meditation apps that function as massive, choose-your-own-adventure content libr...πŸ”΄ Highexperience14
CalmWomen’s Wellness Potential relevance includes: - stress and cycle-aware wellness routines - pregnanc...πŸ”΄ Highexperience16
Insight Timer* Users experiencing choice paralysis from major apps like Headspace, Calm, or Insight TimerπŸ”΄ Highexperience6
Ten Percent HappierHe has been featured prominently on podcasts such as Sam Harris’s *Making Sense* and Dan Harris’s *T...πŸ”΄ Highfeel5

Perception Gaps

82 / 100

Brand Personality Alignment

24

Feel

100

Experience

100

Quality

100

Immersive

Brand Personality Gaps

AspectIntendedActual PerceptionAlignmentGap Severity
Brand Personality: Feel"calm, intentional, spacious, different."moderately associated24%major
Brand Personality: Experience"it should feel as though you are stepping into a meditation with henry, steady, spacious, and deeply considered."strongly associated100%aligned
Brand Personality: Quality"should quietly convey the authority of a teacher with over 35 years of practice, without needing to overstate it."strongly associated100%aligned
Brand Personality: Immersivereflects the landscape-based visual language of the appstrongly associated100%aligned

Tone of Voice Alignment

81

Spacious

86

Restrained

90

Authoritative

57

Steady

100

Warm

Tone of Voice Gaps

AspectIntendedActual PerceptionAlignmentGap Severity
Tone of Voice: Spaciouscalm, unhurried, room to breathe β€” nothing crowded or rushed.strongly associated81%aligned
Tone of Voice: Restraineddepth through clarity, not overload; restraint is the primary aesthetic choice.strongly associated86%aligned
Tone of Voice: Authoritative35 years of authentic zen lineage, stated without overstatement.strongly associated90%aligned
Tone of Voice: Steadygrounded in henry's presence; words land with weight, not urgency.strongly associated57%minor
Tone of Voice: Warmpersonal, direct, human β€” not clinical or corporate-wellness generic.strongly associated100%aligned

Ranking Appearance

44 / 100

Query Performance Highlights

QueryOur RankCompetitors AboveTop CompetitorsStatusRelevanceProvider
best meditation appsNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked64%Gemini
best meditation appsNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked64%OpenAI
best meditation appsNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked64%Claude
best mindfulness appsNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked60%Gemini
best mindfulness appsNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked60%OpenAI
best mindfulness appsNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked60%Claude
best meditation app for beginnersNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked60%Gemini
best meditation app for beginnersNot ranked10Unknown❌ Not ranked60%OpenAI

Query Opportunity Gaps

QueryCurrent PositionOpportunityContent GapAction RequiredProvider
best meditation appsNot rankedLow - High competitionContent optimization neededCreate targeted contentGemini
best meditation appsNot rankedLow - High competitionContent optimization neededCreate targeted contentOpenAI
best meditation appsNot rankedLow - High competitionContent optimization neededCreate targeted contentClaude
best mindfulness appsNot rankedLow - High competitionContent optimization neededCreate targeted contentGemini
best mindfulness appsNot rankedLow - High competitionContent optimization neededCreate targeted contentOpenAI

Performance by Query Category

General 3 queries | Avg Rank: 2
67%
App Discovery 21 queries | Avg Rank: 3
10%
Comparison 24 queries | Avg Rank: 0
0%
How-To 6 queries | Avg Rank: 0
0%

Provider Ranking Comparison

Query
Gemini
OpenAI
Claude
Consensus
best meditation apps
-
-
-
Not ranked
best mindfulness apps
-
-
-
Not ranked
best meditation app for beginners
-
-
-
Not ranked
best meditation app for long-term practi...
-
-
-
Not ranked
best Zen meditation app
-
-
-
Not ranked
best structured meditation program
-
-
-
Not ranked
meditation app with single guided path
-
-
-
Not ranked
meditation app for serious practitioners
-
-
-
Not ranked
meditation app that builds consistency
-
-
-
Not ranked
alternatives to Headspace for deeper med...
-
-
-
Not ranked
alternatives to Calm for spiritual pract...
-
-
-
Not ranked
Henry Shukman meditation
#3
#1
-
Strong
Zen master guided meditation app
-
-
-
Not ranked
meditation app with progressive learning...
-
-
-
Not ranked
meditation app for mental health and tra...
-
-
-
Not ranked
non-religious Zen practice app
-
-
-
Not ranked
meditation app with one teacher
#2
#4
-
Good
meditation app like Duolingo
-
-
-
Not ranked
Rank 1-2
Rank 3-4
Rank 5-6
Rank 7-8
Rank 9+
Not ranked

Full Query Performance

# QueryCategoryBrand RankTotal ResultsMention QualityProvider
1 best meditation appsComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
2 best meditation appsComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
3 best meditation appsComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
4 best mindfulness appsComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
5 best mindfulness appsComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
6 best mindfulness appsComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
7 best meditation app for beginnersComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
8 best meditation app for beginnersComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
9 best meditation app for beginnersComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
10 best meditation app for long-term practiceComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
11 best meditation app for long-term practiceComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
12 best meditation app for long-term practiceComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
13 best Zen meditation appComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
14 best Zen meditation appComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
15 best Zen meditation appComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
16 best structured meditation programComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
17 best structured meditation programComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
18 best structured meditation programComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
19 meditation app with single guided pathHow-ToNot Found10noneGemini
20 meditation app with single guided pathHow-ToNot Found10noneOpenAI
21 meditation app with single guided pathHow-ToNot Found10noneClaude
22 meditation app for serious practitionersApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneGemini
23 meditation app for serious practitionersApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneOpenAI
24 meditation app for serious practitionersApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude
25 meditation app that builds consistencyApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneGemini
26 meditation app that builds consistencyApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneOpenAI
27 meditation app that builds consistencyApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude
28 alternatives to Headspace for deeper meditationComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
29 alternatives to Headspace for deeper meditationComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
30 alternatives to Headspace for deeper meditationComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
31 alternatives to Calm for spiritual practiceComparisonNot Found10noneGemini
32 alternatives to Calm for spiritual practiceComparisonNot Found10noneOpenAI
33 alternatives to Calm for spiritual practiceComparisonNot Found10noneClaude
34 Henry Shukman meditationGeneral310strongGemini
35 Henry Shukman meditationGeneral110strongOpenAI
36 Henry Shukman meditationGeneralNot Found10noneClaude
37 Zen master guided meditation appHow-ToNot Found10noneGemini
38 Zen master guided meditation appHow-ToNot Found10noneOpenAI
39 Zen master guided meditation appHow-ToNot Found10noneClaude
40 meditation app with progressive learning pathApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneGemini
41 meditation app with progressive learning pathApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneOpenAI
42 meditation app with progressive learning pathApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude
43 meditation app for mental health and transformationApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneGemini
44 meditation app for mental health and transformationApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneOpenAI
45 meditation app for mental health and transformationApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude
46 non-religious Zen practice appApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneGemini
47 non-religious Zen practice appApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneOpenAI
48 non-religious Zen practice appApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude
49 meditation app with one teacherApp Discovery210strongGemini
50 meditation app with one teacherApp Discovery410moderateOpenAI
51 meditation app with one teacherApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude
52 meditation app like DuolingoApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneGemini
53 meditation app like DuolingoApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneOpenAI
54 meditation app like DuolingoApp DiscoveryNot Found10noneClaude

Showing all 54 rows

Analysis Methods

[1] Online and LLM Sentiment

Captures the emotional tone and sentiment expressed about your brand across AI-generated responses and public web mentions. Analyzes sentiment polarity (positive, neutral, negative) from both AI system outputs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini responses) and web content (news articles, reviews, social media, forums). Combines quantitative sentiment scoring with qualitative examples to reveal how your brand is emotionally perceived across the digital landscape that trains and informs AI systems.

Methodology: Weighted combination of 40% AI response sentiment + 60% web mention sentiment. AI responses are extracted from multi-provider queries, while web mentions are gathered from authoritative sources. Natural language processing assigns sentiment scores (-1 to +1) with distribution analysis across positive/neutral/negative categories.

[2] Competitor Comparison

Reveals how your brand stacks up against direct competitors across key brand attributes in AI understanding. Uses AI systems to compare attribute associations (innovative, creative, welcoming, etc.) between your brand and identified competitors. Calculates attribute dominance scores to measure competitive positioning strength. Identifies specific attributes where you lead or lag, informing strategic differentiation opportunities.

Methodology: Qualitative LLM-based analysis comparing brand vs. competitor attribute associations across multi-provider AI responses. Competitive gap calculations measure attribute dominance percentage, with market positioning classification (leader/challenger/niche/emerging) based on overall competitive strength.

[3] Perception Gaps

Identifies misalignments between your intended brand identity and how AI systems actually perceive and represent your brand. Compares ground truth brand positioning (desired personality traits, tone, values) against actual AI-generated descriptions. Quantifies perception alignment on a 0-100 scale, flagging critical gaps where reality diverges significantly from intention. Reveals which brand attributes are successfully communicated versus which need reinforcement.

Methodology: AI-powered comparative analysis between ground truth brand identity documents and actual brand representations across provider responses. Alignment scoring assesses strength of association for each intended attribute, with gap severity classification (aligned/minor/major/critical) guiding remediation priorities.

[4] Ranking Appearance

Measures your brand's visibility in strategic unbranded search queries where potential audiences might discover you. Analyzes "share of voice" by tracking how frequently and prominently your brand appears in AI responses to relevant but non-branded queries (e.g., "design museums Scotland" vs. "V&A Dundee"). Tracks ranking position, mention quality, and competitive displacement to identify content gaps and visibility opportunities.

Methodology: Simulated query analysis across strategic unbranded searches relevant to brand category, location, and value propositions. Captures brand ranking position, competitor presence, and mention quality across multiple AI providers (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini). Share of voice calculated as (appearing queries / total queries) with average ranking when present.