This article was originally published in the Global Soft Power Index 2025
Director of Country Promotion,
Enterprise Estonia
The Global Soft Power Index provides key insights into how nations are perceived worldwide. How has Enterprise Estonia incorporated these findings into its approach to strengthening Estonia’s brand globally?
While the Global Soft Power Index research shows that Estonia's overall familiarity falls a bit below the United Nations' average, those who do know us tend to hold a remarkably positive image of us. This positive reputation isn't just flattering, it's powerful.
To continue building this reputation, we need to move beyond the aspects of Estonia that people already know and admire—our leadership in e-governance, ease of doing business, and willingness to support other countries. It's time to highlight the lesser-known but equally defining qualities that make Estonia unique: our role as an innovation testbed, a hub for smart manufacturing, and a wise business tourism destination.
We now have valid, comparable data on Estonia's international image thanks to the Global Soft Power Index. This data allows us to make smarter, more informed decisions. In a world that demands customer-centric approaches, a one-size-fits-all strategy no longer works.
To stay ahead of our audience's needs, we've tailored our content, from refreshing our brand's central story to building a network of ambassadors to provide insight and strategic information to messaging.
Estonia has consistently performed well in perceptions of tech innovation. How is Estonia positioning itself as a leader in this area, and what new initiatives are being pursued to maintain and enhance this reputation?
The principle of "actions speak louder than words" is especially relevant for country branding, especially for Estonia. Estonia hasn't ever relied on purchasing media placements, we must earn our reputation. That means staying true to our values and leading by example—whether through pioneering digital government, launching initiatives like e-Residency, or standing as a vocal supporter of Ukraine.
Just recently, we reached an extraordinary milestone by becoming 100% digital country, or 0% ‘bureaucrazy’ as we like to say. As of December 2024, every service can now be done online, marking a new era in citizen-centric governance. Estonia has also launched a fresh e-government app for citizens, bringing nearly 50 government services directly to users’ mobile phones. This achievement positions Estonia as a global leader in digital governance and sets a benchmark for nations worldwide.
All this relies on our strong collaboration with our technology sector and mindset that Estonia is ready to tackle seemingly impossible challenges — new emerging technologies, climate crises, the fight for democratic principles — with the promise of a better future.
This year’s drop in Estonia’s rank is influenced by Russia’s negative perceptions of the nations that are most vocal in their support for Ukraine. How is Estonia countering Russian disinformation domestically and internationally?
We in Estonia believe that the best remedy against falsehood and disinformation is truth and open communication. As a state, we follow this principle both in our communication with our citizens and with external partners – we always speak honestly and openly about how we see things and why.
The truth may not always please everyone, but the truth sets you free. There is no silver bullet to fend off disinformation. Estonia employs a multifaceted approach to countering information influence, focusing on media education at all school levels, support for independent journalism, and monitoring hostile narratives in collaboration with the public sector, NGOs, and volunteers. We see from the Global Soft Power Index research, that trustworthy media is one of the more important drivers of our reputation internationally. Additionally, it ensures open communication with media and citizens, and strong international cooperation with like-minded countries and organizations.
