Rebranding? 5 Things to Think About

By Lauren | October 5, 2015 | 0 Comment

Thinking about rebranding? A few months ago I rebranded my travel blog. I went from being “Wanderlust” to “Twirl The Globe,” and during the process I learned a lot. There are so many things you may not even think about until you’re going through the change—but here are some things to ask yourself in order to make sure your rebranding goes off without a hitch (and you remain sane while doing it).

Why are you rebranding?

First and foremost—ask yourself why you are rebranding. Are you doing it just because you’re bored of your old brand? Are you doing it because you feel the new brand will better compliment your business? You want to make sure you’re rebranding for all the right reasons and not just rebranding “just because.” Sometimes if you’re feeling bored of your brand, a simple upgrade to your logo can make the world of a difference, and be significantly less time consuming.

Is your new name/domain taken?

When I decided I needed to rebrand my travel blog, “Wanderlust” it was because the name was so generic that it didn’t allow me to stand out. On top of that, I couldn’t get the domain, or social media handles for Wanderlust because every variation was already taken. When deciding on a new name, I came up with several names that I thought I loved until I would type them into Google or try the URL I wanted and find out there was already something existing out there that was the same or similar. So make sure as you brainstorm new names and concepts that they’re original and that you’ll be able to score not only the URL/domain name but also all the social media handles you may want. Believe me, it sucks when you think of these things after the fact.

What all needs to be changed?

Time to make a long to-do list! What actually needs to be changed? Go through your website and any collateral you have and see what will need to be updated. Sometimes all people think of is the most important things—like their logo, website, and social media, but forget about those little things like templates you use for things, email signatures, other websites you may be promoted/mentioned on, etc. Make a list of everything possible. When I rebranded I actually reached out to all the places I guest blogged for that promoted Wanderlust and asked them to change my name and URL to my new branding—this may not be possible for every business or situation, but thinking through everything possible before you get started will help make sure you don’t slip up and miss something.

What are the most important things to change first?

Now that you have a list of everything that needs to be changed—prioritize! Obviously you aren’t a magician, and if you’re a smaller business or brand you may be doing all these things on your own, so pick what are the first things that should be changed and in what order. For example, your logo and website may come first, and then your social media, and then the smaller things like updating your business cards may be towards the end of your list. Think through what makes the most sense for you!

What design needs to be done?

Design is often times what takes the longest, next to figuring out your new name, so make sure to allocate an appropriate amount of time to get everything pre-designed before you go live with your new brand. Look at everything that you could possibly need to change in your rebrand—logo, website, print materials or business cards, social media profile pictures, etc. All the things you need should be pre-designed before you go live, this way you’ll have an effortless transition.

Rebranding can be tougher than people think—even rebranding a tiny travel blog like mine took multiple days of organizing, going back and forth with people and planning, so don’t think about rebranding overnight and put some major thought into rebranding before you make the move.

Good luck!

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