Information for this blog post was obtained from Social Media Examiner, HubSpot, and Social Media Examiner.

There are so many things that fall under digital marketing; one of those is social media marketing. In today's world you need to learn how to use all the benefits that social media marketing offers. With that being said, you also have to keep your social media updated and relevant; one way to do that is rebranding your business. Rebranding your social media platforms/presence isn’t just about the colors, logos, and images. It is an approach to create a new online identity, boost engagement, and realign your business tone, value, and objectives. Whether you're just looking to stay relevant or completely change your business presence, rebranding requires a lot of thought and planning. In this blog, I break down 3 key factors for a smooth transition while rebranding. Conducting an audit, cleaning up all your platforms and profiles, and learning how to create the new rebrand are essential steps in successfully launching your updated brand. By following these steps, your social media will align with your brand's voice, tone, and overall vision. Learn more below! 

Conduct an Audit

The first factor in rebranding your social media presence is conducting an audit of all your platforms. This includes the platforms that aren’t active as well as your most used ones. Social Media Examiner and HubSpot both agree that you should start by writing down all usernames, URLs, followers/subscribers, and engagement rates. You are then going to analyze all of the different profiles' performances. One of the easiest ways to do this is using the social media platforms built-in analytics tools. You are going to want to write down engagement rates, demographic insights, most successful posts, impressions, reach, conversions, clicks, etc. Within all of this data, you are going to look for patterns such as types of posts that are successful and what similarities they all have. Consider content types such as videos, reels, infographics, etc., the timing of the posts, and what reaches your target audience best and creates the most traffic. Lastly, you are going to set goals for each platform you want to be active on. Start this by determining what platforms are going to support your brand's voice and tone and which ones will drive engagement, then focus on those. Continue to come back to this stage often to help assess the performance of your rebrand as well. 

Clean up Your Current Platforms 

Once you have completed your audit, the next step is to clean up your current social media presence:

1. Decide what current content needs to be deleted or archived; keep only high-quality content that connects your brand with the target audience.

2. Remove any messages or images that could come across as unprofessional or inappropriate, as well as anything that will not go with the brand’s new style, tone, or message. “Deleting everything and starting again can give you a clean break, clearing space for a completely new brand identity and message.”

3. Unfollow inactive or irrelevant accounts and follow people who engage with your content. Another good tip is to follow higher-ups or leaders in your industry to try and create connections and gain new ideas.

4. Review your profile privacy settings; this ensures you know who can view your posts, tag you in things, and message you.

5. Check over your posts pinned to the top of your profile and make sure they fit in with the new branding. \

6. One more tip is for Instagram, but also check the highlights on your profile if you have them! After you launch your new branding, stick with it; don’t revert back to the old way and end up mixing post styles.

Creating the New Branding

Now that your audit and cleanup are complete, it is time to create a strong brand identity for your platforms:

1. Update or change your “social media assets,” which are your usernames, display names, URLs, profile pictures, cover/header pictures, bios, and page descriptions.

   These aspects need to match throughout all your social media platforms and websites (if needed).

2. Create a style guide that matches the new identity of your brand. This includes logos, colors, tone of voice, and core values.

3. Clearly define your objectives and make them measurable. By this, I mean brand awareness, loyalty, engagement rates, customer satisfaction, lead generation, etc.

4. Consider your current social media platforms; make sure that all the ones you are active on match and can do jobs that match your style and objectives of this new brand. Social Media Examiner shared a good way to decide which ones to keep utilizing.

5. Create a list with three sections: reach, convert, and retain. Put all your social media platforms underneath one of these sections to see if you need it to advance your brand. 

6. Determine the voice of your brand. It needs to be consistent with the values and target audience. Social Media Examiner shared a great way to find the right voice and tone for your brand.

7. Have all your team members write down keywords; look for repeated words or words that get good reactions from other members. Combine these or choose one that can sort of be an umbrella for all the other words to fall under.

8. Another great way is to choose a character or actor that you want to base the tone and voice on. After you have completed all of these tasks, it is time to set a launch date and prepare for it.

During this whole process, you can be posting behind the scenes as well as dropping some hints on your social media platforms. On the day of your post, announce the new brand identity, and you can also offer a live Q&A to answer questions for customers. You could also offer a deal or special discount on the day of the launch. 

For more information on improving you social media accounts, visit my colleague Conner's blog here.

Conclusion

Rebranding your social media presence is a good way to refresh your brand, gain a bigger audience, and align your brand identity, voice, tone, objectives, and values. By following the three key factors—conducting an audit, cleaning up your current platforms, and creating a new brand—you create a transition between the old and new that enhances your business. Performing a successful rebrand is not only about the colors, logos, and pictures, but also about creating a strategic plan to grow your business. As you continue with your rebrand, do not forget to stay consistent with the new brand identity, regularly assess your performance, and keep adapting with the evolving social media presence. 

Resources

by. (2019, December 17). How to Create a Social Media Style Guide for Your Business. Social Media Marketing | Social Media Examiner. https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-create-social-media-style-guide-business/

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Gregory, L. (2022, January 26). How to Conduct A Social Media Audit. Blog.hubspot.com. https://blog.hubspot.com/customers/check-pulse-digital-strategy-social-media-audit

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Keefe, C. (2022). Social Media Rebranding in 6 Easy Steps: Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner. https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-rebranding-in-6-easy-steps/