Why I Recommend a Transition Period When You're Rebranding

The very first paid project I ever did under my LLC was a rebrand.

Hayutin Education, an educational consulting firm, had just spent serious money on a high-end rebrand.

They got a new logo, new colors, and a new positioning statement…but they had no idea how to reflect any of it on social media.

That’s where I came in.

I’d close my laptop after a full day of running social media for a global plumbing manufacturer, then open my personal laptop from 5–10 PM to work with my own clients.

It was 2020. What else was I gonna do?

We launched the new brand with a series of posts that introduced their refreshed values, visual identity, and messaging—all while spelling out the company name. So satisfying.

Fast forward 5 years: I recently worked with another agency on a rebranding rollout, where I developed the social media strategy. And once again, I pushed for one thing above all: A transition period.

Transition Periods Are A Must

Have you ever taken a break from social media, logged back in, and thought, “Wait… who are these people? Why is my feed wonky? Who messed with my algorithm?”

That’s exactly what a light-switch rebrand feels like to your audience.

If you suddenly change your name, your handle, your look, and your messaging all at once, your people feel out of the loop. Disoriented. And even alienated.

You’re taking a brand they know, enjoy, and trust, and suddenly changing everything about it. How could they not feel weird about it?

For your audience, it’s a case of mistaken identity.

Remember that time IHOP changed it’s name to promote its burger menu? None of us knew it was a promotion and we were PISSED! We didn’t know it was a stunt...we just thought someone in marketing lost their mind.

However, when you introduce a transition period, you’re bringing them behind the scenes so they understand:

• What’s changing
• Why it matters
• How it affects them

You're not flipping a switch. You're introducing them to the new version of yourself.

A Rebrand Case Study I Had Big Feelings About

Let’s talk about ConvertKit, the email platform I send this newsletter from. They recently rebranded to just... Kit.

Personally? I hate it. I think they had too much equity in “ConvertKit” to walk away from and chopping off the “Convert” part of the equation doesn’t inspire confidence. But... they didn’t ask me.

That said, the way they handled the rebrand was great.

They announced it early, explained their rationale, and updated every touchpoint across all platforms.

Thirteen months later, they’re still referring to themselves as “Kit (formerly ConvertKit)” because they understand that not everyone keeps up with every update, and it takes time for a new identity to stick.

It’s a textbook example of what the transition phase of a rebrand should look like.

Guidelines for a Smooth Social Media Rebrand

If you're planning a rebrand, or helping a client through one, here are my go-to recommendations:

1. Know Your Timeline: Map out the journey: What happens before, during, and after launch day? What are the milestones? Who’s responsible for what?
2. Set Your Transition Period: The brand I worked with chose a six-week runway. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is still in theirs a year later. Reasonable timelines can vary.
3. Repeat the Message in Multiple Formats: People absorb information in different ways. Repeat the rebrand messaging in carousels, reels, graphics, infographics, static posts, and even Stories. It’s reinforcing your story so your audience can tell the story as well as you can.
4. Pin an Anchor Post Across Platforms: Create one central “here’s what’s happening” post and pin it to the top of your feeds. It should include the rebrand story and updated brand visuals.
5. Announce When the Transition Is Complete: Let your audience know when the rebrand is officially baked in. This gives a sense of closure and confidence in the new identity.
6. Pause All Other Messaging (I know, hot take.): Don’t interrupt your rebrand with random announcements or trade show updates. A rebrand is a major message. Treat it like one.
7. If You Sunset an Account, Don’t You Dare Abandon It: If you sunset an old account without deactivating it, you must update that profile. Add a final pinned post that clearly directs people to your new account. Bonus points if you set up an auto-reply in the DMs with the correct link.

The risk of NOT doing these:

Remember, not everyone sees your updates in real time. If someone stumbles across the old account months later, you want them to have a clear breadcrumb trail. Not doing so is losing you followers, business, and losing your brand trust…

In summary

Rebrands work when you respect the process. If you roll out your new identity without context or an adjustment period, your audience won’t follow. They’ll scroll. You shouldn’t ask your audience to play detective.

That’s a wrap on rebrands done right.

If this sparked an idea (or a memory of a rebrand that went sideways), hit reply. I’d love to hear about it. Do you know someone in the thick of a brand refresh? Forward this to them and call out the idea you think could help them the most. (Sharing is caring.)

Finally, whether you’re working or winding down this week, I hope you get a little time to unplug and enjoy something grilled, chilled, or sparkling. 🇺🇸

Catch you next week,