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8 Steps to Rebrand Your Website without Hurting Your SEO

We don’t recommend doing all of these big changes at once unless you have to! With that said, your rebrand SEO to-do list should include the following.

1. Update Old Content

This can improve the freshness, an undermentioned Google ranking factor, and relevancy of content you already put so much time and work into. Rebrands are great timing for this because you have the opportunity to implement fresh industry, content, and search ranking know-how into existing content as you migrate it. 

These content adjustments should mainly be centered around ensuring that the content reflects the changes to your business that are coming with the rebrand, plus implementation of any detected opportunities for SEO improvement. Further drastic or unnecessary changes may negatively impact ranking and traffic.

Once you’ve updated your old content, you don’t even have to change the publishing date on the posts – Google will detect that content has been updated during its next crawl. You can also resubmit the updated content’s URL(s) for indexing via Google Search Console if you don’t want to wait for Google to decide when it wants to crawl the updated post(s).

To increase your overall content’s E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness), don’t forget to check old content and pages for outdated, mistyped, or “broken” links. You can even run your website through Broken Link Check or Dr. Link Check just to be sure. 

3. Set Up 301 Redirects

If you’re changing your URLs, you definitely want to set up proper redirects. A 301 redirect from the old URL forwards traffic to your new page, instead of users simply hitting a dead end. 

Redirects can also pass along a portion of the old page’s ranking to the new one, although it won’t be as strong. Redirects help keep traffic flowing to your site to enjoy your new branding without interruption.

4. Change Information, or Request Information Changes, on Other Websites

Update your social accounts, internet business profiles (ex. Google Business, Yelp, Trip Advisor) and any other directories where your site is listed.

Referral traffic reports in your existing site’s Google Analytics can be a great resource to see where your business is listed. This might also include media mentions, or links on other sites where you’ve been featured. 

Finding and contacting these sites to request updated linking ensures that their visitors can become informed of your new name and online location.

5. Initiate a Change of Address on Google Search Console

Moving your website to your new, rebranded URL in Google Search Console can be commenced using the Change of Address tool. You’ll likely also want to also resubmit your XML sitemap, to make sure Google knows about the new domain property and URLs.

XML sitemaps can be automatically updated by plugins like Yoast SEO, if you have a WordPress site. If you need to manually update your sitemap, this step is typically best done by your IT team or those responsible for the development of your new website (like our awesome developers!).

6. Update your Google Analytics

Implement Google Analytics 4 for your new site using the same embed code as before, but with your new name and URL updated in your GA4 admin settings.  

Tip: GA4 Pathways reports are helpful after rebrands for understanding how customers are navigating your new online presence and platform.

7. Publish A Rebrand Announcement Blog Post

This post should contain both your former and new name in the title. Doing so not only informs audiences and search engines of the name change, but will also serve as proof of change/ownership as you rebrand other online profiles. 

If users coming across your rebranded account are wondering if it’s still the same company, you can share, pin, and link this rebrand announcement throughout your profiles and posts.

8. Start Planning New Content

There’s no time like the present to think about content to support your SEO and strategic goals for the new brand. Jot down as the ideas come. What can you tell your audience about your business’ post-rebrand life and offerings? What would support new keyword targets? Stuck? We’ve got 20 awesome blog content ideas to get you started.

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