Brands, like the people behind them, evolve over time, and it’s important that your overall branding, as well as your everyday social media content and marketing, stay true to who you are now – not who you were when you began. As The Social Nest embarks on the final stages of rebranding as social media strategists, I invite you to reflect on your own evolution, and whether you should consider rebranding, refining, or simply finessing your brand.
My story: From social media manager to social media strategist
I was born in… no, let’s not start the story that far back. The Social Nest was born after I realised I loved the marketing side of my business more than the business side. I decided to lean into what I enjoyed and save other business owners time and stress. Along the way I evolved again, as I realised that what I really loved was the data, thinking strategically, and getting results.
I’m the odd one out at a digital marketing convention because I love the data – analytics, results, KPIs – more than the creative. The data lets me see the patterns and trends of what is working (or not) for my clients. Using that information, we get results, and that is much more addictive than simple creativity. This strategic thinking was always there, but the more I saw it work, the more I leaned into it until it became the core of what I do. Now many of my clients work with me to create strategies they implement themselves – but that shift is only part of the rebrand story.
Brand evolution: Has your business outgrown its branding?
The full story behind a rebrand is rarely a straight line, and I started calling myself a social media strategist a long time ago. It was just time my branding leveled up to match. The final push to rebrand came when I started exploring brand archetypes and applying them to my client’s brands. I saw the Innocent brand archetype and thought ‘how do they know me this well’?
An Innocent brand keeps things simple, seeks to bring joy and happiness to those around them, and leans towards whimsy or child-like joy. Not traditional traits for a marketing brand, but I saw it in everything I do – simple steps towards achievable goals for clients, working hard to ensure my clients are happy, and connecting to the world with a truly optimistic view that simple human touches will make a difference.
In keeping with that archetype, here’s some simple clues it might be time to update your branding:
You have outgrown your brand name
It’s easy when starting out to pick a simple business name like ‘Jane’s earrings,’ because it’s good for SEO, easy to remember, and says everything about your brand. But if you start to sell more necklaces and brooches or expand your business to include a partner – it might be time to rebrand with a new business name.
You have leveled up your business
Initially I made my logo in Canva myself, but I couldn’t trademark it or stop anyone else using the same logo. As a social media strategist who loves helping clients build their brands, this simple logo no longer felt refined or unique enough for my business. I wanted something that could really grow with me.
You discover your customers love your quirks
Again, it’s common to start out conservative and try to please everyone, but it’s often our more unique qualities that customers gravitate towards. That can mean we outgrow our simple, traditional, safe branding – logo’s, colours, fonts, and even personality. Sometimes even our branding becomes about giving the customers what they want!
Rebranding: What now?
So, you’ve realised, like me, that your brand has evolved, leveled-up, or grown-up – what you do next will depend on what you need to change.
Refining words – my rebrand from social media marketer to social media strategist
If your visuals still work, and your logo is still relevant, sometimes all you need to do is update the way you talk about your brand gradually but consistently.
- Eg. I’ve been referring to social media strategy in place of social media management for years now and it was fine. I leveled up the topics I post about, the way I talk about my services, and even my package offerings quietly and naturally. You can too.
Polishing visuals – like Google or Nike
Still happy with your brand name, colours, and selling the same goods or service but want to modernise a little? You can often do this quietly too, though it can also make a great story and an opportunity to connect with your audience.
- Eg. Does anyone remember the earlier incarnations of the Google logo? Or even when it changed? It’s remarkably similar in colour, identical in name, and instantly recognisable, yet subtly different over the years.
The full rebrand – have you heard of Tyrtl?
The hardest rebrand is a complete name and visuals change but it can be a great way to pivot your audience, attract a newer or younger following, and expand your brand beyond a single person or product. If all the marketing is changing, try a full social media campaign with its own strategy to ensure you keep your loyal customers while gaining new ones.
- Eg. Check out Skipper formerly known as Tyrtl on Instagram for an example of how rebranding can be successfully managed.
Thinking about rebranding? Book a free 15-minute consult and let’s talk about social media strategies that bring your audience with you.
