Rebranding Checklist: 42 Things to Update So Nothing Breaks

A rebranding checklist should cover the 42 places where your old name, logo or colours still live: legal records, website, search listings, email, profiles, print, products and the people who deal with you. Work through them in order of risk, starting with what customers and Google see first.

We have seen the same pattern many times. The new logo is approved, the launch post goes out, and three weeks later a customer receives an invoice with the old brand on it. Nothing dramatic breaks, but the new identity looks unfinished. This list exists to prevent that.

How to use this rebranding checklist

First decide what is actually changing. The technical risk depends on it.

Mark each item as change, check or not applicable. If you are still deciding whether to rebrand at all, read how to launch a rebrand without losing your customers first.

Legal and admin records (items 1 to 8)

These are the least visible and the most expensive to get wrong, because other organisations rely on them.

1. Registered company name, if the legal name changes. Check the rules in your own country first.
2. Trademark search for the new name and logo, and a filing if they pass. A logo is not protected until you register it, as we explain in this article on trademark registration.
3. Domain names: the new one, plus common variants and the old one, renewed for years.
4. Bank accounts, card terminals and payment providers.
5. Tax, insurance and accounting records.
6. Invoice, quote and order templates, including legal footers.
7. Contracts, terms and conditions, privacy policy and cookie notice.
8. Licences, certifications, supplier registrations and tender databases.

Website and search (items 9 to 19)

This is where a rebrand most often costs money, because a changed address with no redirect looks like a deleted page to Google. Our article on rebranding without losing Google rankings goes deeper. The checklist version:

9. Map every old URL to its new equivalent before launch.
10. Use server-side permanent redirects, such as 301 and 308, where technically possible, per Google Search Central. Redirect to the final destination directly instead of chaining redirects.
11. If the domain changes, submit a Change of Address in Search Console for the old site. Google says to use the tool after you have moved and redirected your site (Search Console Help).
12. Logo, favicon and app icons in every size.
13. Page titles, meta descriptions and headings that carry the old name.
14. About page, footer, contact page and legal pages.
15. Structured data and schema that name the organisation and point to the logo.
16. Social sharing images and default preview cards.
17. Contact forms, thank-you pages and automated notification emails.
18. Analytics, Search Console and tag manager property names and settings.
19. Colour contrast of the new palette on buttons and text. The European Accessibility Act article explains why this is no longer optional for many sites.

Keep the redirects for as long as possible, generally at least one year, according to the same Google guide. Put a calendar reminder in, so nobody removes them in month three.

Email, listings and profiles (items 20 to 30)

20. New email addresses, with the old ones forwarding indefinitely.
21. Email signatures for every person, including the logo file and disclaimer text.
22. Email authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for a new domain, so messages do not land in spam.
23. Google Business Profile. Google asks for the name exactly as it appears on signage and stationery, and a verified business may need to verify again after a name change (Google Business Profile Help). Update the signage first.
24. Social media names, handles, profile images and banners.
25. LinkedIn company page and the personal profiles of your team.
26. Directory listings, trade associations and industry databases. Keep name, address and phone identical everywhere.
27. Marketplaces, review platforms and partner portals.
28. Advertising accounts, app store listings and video channels.
29. Newsletter and automation templates.
30. Audio: on-hold messages, video intros and any sonic logo.

Print, product and physical items (items 31 to 37)

Physical items have lead times, so order them early and set a cut-off for the old stock.

31. Business cards and letterheads.
32. Packaging, labels and inserts.
33. Exterior and interior signage.
34. Vehicles, uniforms and workwear.
35. Product nameplates, manuals and datasheets. B2B manufacturers often forget these, and buyers keep datasheets for years.
36. Brochures, catalogues and trade-show stands.
37. Presentation, proposal and report templates.

Printers need the right files. Our guide to logo source files covers what to hand over. If you want to see how scattered the old identity is, the DIY brand audit takes an afternoon.

People, files and follow-up (items 38 to 42)

38. Tell employees first, with the reasons, the launch date and where to find the new assets.
39. Notify customers and suppliers directly. A short email with the old and new logo side by side removes doubt about whether the message is genuine.
40. Brief partners, distributors and agencies that use your branding.
41. Publish one brand guideline and one asset library. See what goes inside a brand style guide.
42. Retire old logo files from shared drives and run a review at 30 and 90 days to catch what slipped through.

What the design part costs with MalbarDesign

We fix the price of the design work, and the price is final because we are not a VAT payer. You can compare it with the rest of the checklist, which is mostly your time and your suppliers' invoices.

Delivery is within 5 business days, or within 24 hours at double the price. If none of the first logo concepts works, we refund you in full within 5 business days. A logo is paid 100 % upfront. A website is 50 % at the start and 50 % after completion. See the pricing page for the complete list.

The 12 months of free edits on the Logo package are useful here. Printers, signage makers and platforms often ask for a variant you did not plan for.

Start with a free brand check

Before you commit to all 42 items, find out which ones apply to you. Our free 5-point brand check at /contact/ gives you a one-page PDF within 48 hours on business days, with no sales call.

If you already know a new logo is needed, tell us about the business and we will tell you which package fits.