How to Use Social Media in Rebranding Efforts

Article by Craig Robinson
Editor, Qwaya, Facebook ad manager tool

One of the biggest issues businesses face during a rebrand is that the workload far exceeds expectations. Changing a logo and finding a new angle barely scratches the surface. Rebranding is one of the most involved processes a business can undertake. It encompasses staff at every level and requires a critical look at every nook and cranny of the organization –especially advertising.

It may seem a bit overwhelming to learn that different social networking sites require different steps and measures to take your new image “public”. Even though social media is a relatively easy and cost-effective marketing platform, it still takes tremendous effort and know-how to rebrand successfully. Below are seven social networks and my advice on how to rebrand and customize each for maximum return.

Facebook
If you are changing your brand URL on Facebook, you’ll need to create a new page and start from scratch, unfortunately. If however the domain can stay the same (or you didn’t establish a vanity URL in the first place), then there is hope of rebranding the existing page. Many companies get serious about social media when they rebrand. Your first rebrand effort on Facebook is to take a step back and create a comprehensive Facebook marketing strategy. This one-year strategy should have clear goals for content development and KPIs, as well as an editorial calendar to keep your messaging and promotions on track. While some changes like updating your logo, cover photo, and brand information are easy fixes (so long as you have quality images and smart copy), rebranding your posts is more difficult. The first step is to delete posts that do not match your new brand identity. Your new posts should reflect the company’s direction, tone, and design. It should take into account best practices for sharing and engagement, such as using more photo and video. And you’ll also need a response policy for comments. Tip: Use your existing Facebook fans to promote your efforts. Your fan base has not changed – empower them to help advertise your rebrand and provide feedback. This is also the time to ramp up your Facebook advertising to get momentum around your new brand.

Google+
Google+ allows you to change the name of the page and its vanity URL without starting from scratch, so you won’t have to create something completely new. However, you may run into issues with a verified page, so don’t forget to reapply the verification after the changes.Tip: A solid tip here is to wait until your rebranding is complete before you finalize Google+. That’s because Google+ is still a small player for most brands, and its design changes often while Google+ tweaks its product.

Pinterest
Pinterest gives you full control over the name and vanity URL of your page via the control panel. Verify your brand account as a Business Page so that Pinterest factors more heavily into search results for your brand name and products. Be selective about your pins and copy-edit the descriptions. Try to pin as many images from your website as possible. Don’t go too far off brand, but do find creative ways to connect popular Pinterest content (inspiration, quotes, how-to) with your brand content. Tip: Do an audit of your pins to see what should go. Plan your key brand boards ahead of time. Do not use low quality images, ever. Do not pint text-based images (other than your logo or an interesting quote), or clip art from your website, or other images that are just not engaging.

Foursqaure
This site allows you to change your profile, name, logo, etc, as long as you’re managing a Location and not a Personal account. Again, swapping out these sections is less important than having a vision. Why is your brand on Foursquare? Are you providing helpful tips and rewarding your customers?Tip: Did you know that linking Foursquare to Twitter changes your Foursquare name to your Twitter name? So if your Twitter name is your full business name, you’ll have one less step.

Twitter
Is one of the least painful social sites to deal with when rebranding. You’ll still want to take measures to ensure that your Facebook account and other social sites are connected and in harmony with the changes, but you can simply change your Twitter info to reflect your brand changes without starting anew. Tip: Twitter is very popular, especially for dummy and troll accounts, so names might be hard to find. As soon as you decide to rebrand, reserve your desired username to have on hold.

LinkedIn
If you’re the page manager for your LinkedIn Company Page, you’ll be able to update information fairly easily in Settings, and the Company URL will automatically update to reflect your changes. Tip: Every member of your company has to make the same changes on their personal profile along with the company page, or else the profiles won’t link and the branding will be confusing. Send an email to all employees walking them through the process and mandate formatting.

YouTube
Although a lot of people have left YouTube for Vimeo or for website hosted video, it’s still an important part of your social identity. With YouTube, you will need to create a new page if you are changing the URL.

Tip: Use a service like Google Takeout to archive material from your old page so you don’t lose it. And make sure that your existing base knows about your new page. Use Facebook and other networks to spread the word about all social changes. Take advantage of YouTube’s latest features – links to social profiles, and responsive cover art.

The rebranding tips above are all about helping you through the process of putting a new image out there without losing your existing base. With these tips in mind, keep an eye on the next step of social media marketing – running successful advertising campaigns.