16 areas to update when you rename your brand
Don’t forget to update these key areas when you rename your brand
We are a brand studio based in Torquay, South Devon, offering branding, website design & brand video to creative businesses across the UK - this is part of our series of brand tips, and you can find out more about our branding services for businesses.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of rebranding your business, including a new name, but there is a long list of things that goes with that, so don’t get caught out.
Here is our checklist, based on our recent experience of changing our name from The Apple Yard to Wildings Studio, comprising of four areas that you should attend to when renaming your business.
1. Mission critical areas
Forget these or get them wrong and you can seriously mess up your SEO.
Google Change of Address Tool - this tells Google that you have moved your website address, which is helpful when renaming your business, as it will migrate your old search results to your new listing
Redirects from your old domain - if you are completely redoing your website, make sure you match the old URLs to your new sitemap. This helps maintain your SEO. You can read more on URL redirects in Squarespace here
Your listing on Google My Business - this is one of the key places where people find you online, so make sure all your details are up to date. However, be aware that there may be a lag time in which Google insists on your old details. Keep revisiting it
Directories on Google searches - once you’ve been going for a few years, you’ll notice that your business details end up in a lot of places. These are often directories that have scraped your details, but it is worth keeping them up to date to get your new name out there. One example is Wales Online run by Central Index (formerly 192.com)
2. Social media accounts
Social media platforms are another area where people routinely look you up and track you down, so it all needs to be up to date.
Here are a few things you can do practically:
Rename your accounts with your new name and handle, rather than start afresh - try to keep continuity with your accounts, so swap the names over wherever possible
Facebook business page - a significant chunk of social media is run via Facebook, so make sure you get on top of your Facebook page, although be warned that the backend of FB is a nightmare - don't underestimate it!
Update your embedded Instagram feed on your website - as soon as you change your handle, you may see interruption. If you are on Squarespace, make sure to update your connected accounts details
Link in bio URL - don’t forget to update any links in your Instagram bio (plus info in it), as this is a key part of your branding
3. Your website
This may seem obvious, but there are quite a few areas that you have forgotten about in the mists of time as you’ve added to and updated your website.
Mobile menu logo & favicon - these may not be obvious, particularly if you are on a desktop, but will stick out like a sore thumb
Old blogs optimised for your previous location & social icon links - your blog is likely to contain a lot of content, so take time to go through it and update it to your new brand name
Automated thank you notes on your enquiry form - this is an area that chugs away in the background, but you want to make a good impression, so make sure any automated messages are on brand
Your author profile with outdated bio info - along with your blog, make sure that any bios that are tucked away in your system say the right things, as they have a knack of being surfaced when people are looking for content
4. Random but important
Here are a few more areas that can get forgotten about, but are key to making a good impression.
MailChimp newsletter landing page - update it and it will do its work in the background, otherwise it will linger on like an unpleasant smell
Any Zapier automations - if you use zaps for automated messages of notifications, make sure they are on brand for your new name, particularly public-facing ones
Appointment scheduler (Acuity, Calendly) - again very administrative, but also very public area, so get it sorted and then you can concentrate on other things!
Details on your invoicing software (Xero etc.) - as above, just get it done, otherwise it will detract from the impact of your brand and confuse your customers
5. Recap
There's a lot to remember when you rebrand - try not to stress out about making it perfect, but do pay attention to maintaining your SEO 'Google juice'.
Focus on the most intimate brand touchpoints first where you are likely to build rapport and have personal interactions.
Work outwards from there, and don't forget your bank and HMRC (the tax man)!
If you've found that helpful, we've love to hear from you, otherwise tune in again next week for further tips.
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