Rebranding a company’s name and logo isn’t just about fresh visuals; it’s a strategic shift that impacts how your business is perceived online. To make this process successful, especially in digital marketing, you’ll need to navigate several critical areas thoughtfully. Here’s how to approach it step by step.
"What are best practices when migrating my old domain to my new one?"
If your rebrand involves a domain change, planning is everything. Map old URLs to their corresponding URLs on the new site with 301 redirects. It is best practice to keep the old domain active for up to a year after the domain migration so search engines have time to index properly. As part of the migration, update your site’s design, logo, and copy to fully align with the new brand identity. A seamless website reflects credibility and boosts user confidence.
Audit your old website. Note any errors found.
This is to ensure your new website is free of errors and is technically sound at launch.
Download your old website’s sitemap for historical purposes. This will help the development team redirect the map page to the new website.
Create a backup of your old site to prevent any loss of data. This is well worth the effort in the case of an error occurring during the new website launch.
Choose a domain name that aligns with your new brand name. Keep it short and simple, avoiding special characters
Your developer should be able to do the rest of this list.
Skip this step if the domain is not changing.
Revamp your website to reflect the updated branding, including new visuals, messaging, and design.
Don’t forget to update metadata from your old website; this is often overlooked.
Notify all external partners the rebrand is approaching. This includes any external digital teams your company works with. They should update ads, directories and tracking to make sure the transfer is smooth.
Map all page urls from your old website to your new one. Best practice is to 301 each old website page to the closest relatable page on the new domain.
This will help preserve some search engine rankings from your previous site.
Submit your new website’s sitemap to all search engines. This ensures no pages are missed during the initial indexing of your new website.
Update email signatures, brochures, advertisements, business cards, and any branded content with your new domain and branding.
Install analytics on your new website.
Analytics from your old website should be transferred over to your new site to monitor any volatility in website traffic, rankings, and user behavior post-migration.
"Why is updating my social profiles so important?"
Social media platforms are often the first places your audience will notice the rebrand. Update your profiles with the new name, logo, and branding elements to stay consistent. Make sure you company, address, phone number, and business hours are accurate and match your new URL (if applicable). Share posts explaining the reasons behind your rebrand and the story driving it. Don’t just update—engage. Use your rebranding as an opportunity to connect more deeply with your followers and gain new ones.
"Why is SEO needed through a rebrand?"
SEO adjustments are a crucial part of the rebranding process. Update your Google Business Profile, listing citations, and metadata such as page titles, descriptions, and headers to reflect the new name and associated keywords. Monitor your brand and non-brand rankings closely to address any fluctuations. Let search engines know about any redirects or new domains being used. If not done properly, indexing issues will occur, and users won’t be able to find your website.
"Aren't email blasts a thing of the past?"
Yes, email open rates aren’t what they used to be, but they are still a direct line to your audience, making them a great tool for announcing your rebrand. Redesign templates to match the updated branding, and craft personalized messages that inform subscribers about what’s changing. Whether your rebrand represents growth, a shift in focus, or something else entirely, clarity is key to keeping your audience engaged. This messaging should match your social media posts.
Be cautious about sending too many emails in too short a time period. However, the following is usually the typical flow for an email rebranding campaign.
This email informs your users about the upcoming rebrand. Highlight the value this brings to the users you send it to.
Provide your email list with your new logo, messaging, and any other visual updates. This should highlight the reasons your company underwent the rebrand.
If necessary, reinforce original messaging, address any frequently asked questions, and provide any extra information to help users understand the changes.
"How does paid media bolster my rebrand?"
It is best to start with a three-pronged approach. Search, display, and social media should be run in tandem to reach the most significant target audience. By combining these channels you will be able to establish a consistent brand presence online.
"How does content on my website impact my rebrand?"
"How important is my online reputation during a rebrand?"
Rebranding is likely to spark conversation online, and managing your reputation is critical. Track mentions of your old and new brand and respond to feedback with care. Address questions or concerns promptly and encourage positive reviews to help establish the new identity in a favorable light
Ask customers for reviews after your rebrand. This will help build brand trust with users and have a positive impact on search engine rankings.
Many times, companies need to rebrand multiple locations. If your company is rebranding each location independently and none of those independent locations are physically moving, you can follow this guide for each of those locations.
If your company is absorbing 1 or more physical location, you may be eligible to merge your those locations and keep some of those reviews.
Consider the overall review count and average rating before making a decision on a merger. Below is the eligibility requirements for merging GBP profiles.
"How does branding consistency help my business"
"Why is data from my website important?"
"Why communicate the rebrand with customers?"
Rebranding is a company-wide effort; everyone needs to buy in and contribute. While this guide focuses on digital marketing steps, the entire process of rebranding takes a large effort to execute properly. To those quarterbacking the process, remember all the teams involved. This is key to helping you be more organized and accomplish a successful rebrand!
Patric Cavanaugh is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience driving success across various digital channels. As the current Director of SEO and integrations at GRO Marketing, Patric oversees SEO and Analytics operations.
