Rebranding can be a necessary step for small businesses looking to reinvent themselves.
But if done hastily, a rebrand can wreak havoc on your search engine rankings.
With some strategic planning and smart SEO moves, you can give your brand a facelift without sabotaging the organic traffic you’ve worked so hard to build.
As a small business owner of a small business SEO services agency, I’ve rebranded my share of companies.
I’ve learned there’s an art to rebranding that keeps your core SEO intact. Here are my top 8 tips for rebranding your small business without damaging your search presence:
1. Take Baby Steps
A dramatic overnight rebranding can confuse search engines. Take an incremental approach instead. Introduce minor changes over time to help search bots adapt.
Slowly phase out old branding as you ramp up new branding elements.
2. Create 301 Redirects
When URLs change, set up 301 redirects so search engines and users are sent from old URLs to relevant new URLs.
A properly mapped 301 redirect strategy is essential for preserving link equity and rankings through a rebrand.
3. Update Your GMB Listing
Your Google My Business listing is a search gold mine. Be sure to update your GMB name, logo, photos, etc. to match your new brand.
This small but powerful move propagates rebranding signals to Google.
4. Refresh Site Architecture
Take the opportunity to restructure your site architecture. Improve page relevance by consolidating or dividing content.
Add descriptive categories and tags to enhance on-site navigation and search performance.
5. Update Inbound Links
Contact websites linking to your old domain and branding and kindly ask them to update links to reflect your new brand.
New fresh links pass authority better than outdated links.
6. Create New Assets
Add branded assets like images, videos, and graphics with file names and ALT text including your new brand name keywords.
Creating new on-brand assets improves search visibility.
7. Rework Content
Freshen up old content by seamlessly integrating new branding references and keywords.
Publish new content focused on your distinct new brand identity and mission. Quality content builds trust and authority with search engines.
8. Monitor and Learn
Track search analytics to identify impacts from your rebranding efforts. Watch for ranking fluctuations, identify issues, and make adjustments as needed.
Be patient, stay nimble, and continue optimizing.
