Strategy: Rebranding

Guides rebranding execution: domain change, 301 redirects, migration checklist, and communication (social media, internal). Plan for months, not days or weeks. See domain-selection for initial domain choice; domain-architecture for domain structure decisions; multi-domain-brand-seo when multiple domains coexist.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Initial Assessment

Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for brand and product info.

Identify:

Scope: Full rebrand (name, domain, identity) vs partial (logo, messaging only)
Domain change: Yes or no; old → new mapping
Timeline: Target launch date; typical 4–12 weeks
Channels: Website, social, product UI, directories, email

Rebranding Timeline (Typical)

Phase	Duration	Focus
Audit & plan	Weeks 1–2	Brand audit; inventory touchpoints; migration plan
Prepare	Weeks 2–6	New assets; redirect mapping; staging; backup
Pre-launch	Week 6–8	Internal announcement; social handle check; teasers
Launch	Week 8+	Go live; 301 redirects; multi-channel announcement
Post-launch	2–4 weeks	Monitor search, traffic; fix 404s; iterate

Principle: Plan for months. Avoid changing domain and major structure in one migration—split into smaller migrations when possible.

301 Redirect Best Practices

Practice	Purpose
1:1 mapping	Each old URL → most relevant new URL; never redirect all to homepage
301 (permanent)	Use 301, not 302; 302 does not fully transfer SEO equity
No chains/loops	Old URL → final destination directly; avoid A→B→C
Redirect mapping sheet	Document every old→new mapping; prevents ~80% of migration failures
Don't block in robots.txt	Redirected URLs should not be disallowed

Common Mistakes

Redirect chains (multiple hops)
Redirect loops
Redirecting everything to homepage
Using 302 for permanent moves
Blocking redirected URLs in robots.txt

Domain Migration Checklist

Pre-Migration

Create SEO migration plan
Collect benchmarks (GA4, GSC, rankings)
Run site crawler; inventory all pages
Create redirect mapping sheet (old URL → new URL)
Purchase new domain; configure DNS
Technical SEO audit
Staging environment; backup
Check for manual penalties on both domains

Launch

Implement 301 redirects
Update Google Search Console (change of address)
Update sitemaps, robots.txt
Verify new site works; test redirects (curl, Screaming Frog)
Add GA4 annotation for migration date

Post-Migration

Monitor GSC coverage; fix "Page with Redirect" issues
Fix 404s immediately
Expect temporary ranking fluctuation (2–4 weeks)
Do not delete old site as fallback

Social Media Announcement

Three Phases

Phase	Actions
Pre-Launch	Finalize new identity; audit social presence; secure handles across platforms; internal alignment
Build Anticipation	Tease with sneak peeks; cryptic visuals; influencer/ambassador previews; avoid announcing too soon
Execute	All platforms updated together; new bios, handles, visuals; compelling rebrand story (why, not what)

What to Avoid

Don't list steps or technical details—focus on story and benefit
Don't announce before all pieces are in place (mixed messaging)
Don't rely on one channel—multi-channel rollout
Don't bombard with "why we rebranded" unless it resonates

Rebrand Story

Anchor: Emotionally resonating narrative; why now; how it benefits customers
Avoid: "We changed our logo" / "We updated our website" without context

Internal Communication

Brief all employees before public launch
Explain strategic reasons; equip them to answer customer questions
Update email signatures, Slack, internal docs
Internal FAQ for common rebrand questions

Output Format

Timeline (phases, milestones)
Redirect mapping approach (template, tools)
Migration checklist (customized)
Social announcement plan (phases, channels, content angles)
Internal communication (briefing, FAQ)

Related Skills

domain-selection: Domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); informs new domain choice when rebranding
domain-architecture: Domain structure before/after rebrand
website-structure: New site structure after migration
schema-markup: Update Organization schema on new domain
multi-domain-brand-seo: When old and new domains coexist during transition
branding: Brand strategy, identity; rebranding implements the change
brand-protection: Sync impersonation checks when rebranding; update official domain declaration
gtm-strategy: Repositioning GTM; when repositioning includes rebrand

rebranding-strategy