Best Practices on Rebranding and Deliverability

In this article, we'll explore best practices to ensure a smooth rebranding process and maintain high deliverability rates.

As businesses undergo rebranding, it's essential to consider the impact on email marketing efforts and deliverability. A well-planned transition can help maintain trust with your audience, avoid spam complaints, and prevent blocklisting by Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Importance of Rebranding and Deliverability

Rebranding is a strategic decision that can revitalize a company's image, messaging, and overall brand identity. However, it can also have a significant impact on email marketing efforts and deliverability. Deliverability refers to the ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox, rather than being filtered out as spam or blocked by ISPs. Maintaining high deliverability rates is crucial for businesses, as it directly affects the success of their email marketing campaigns.

Risks Associated with Rebranding

Rebranding can pose several risks to email marketing efforts and deliverability, including:

1. Confusion and mistrust: Contacts may not recognize the new brand, leading to confusion and mistrust.
2. Spam complaints: Contacts may mark emails as spam, harming deliverability rates and sender reputation.
3. Blocklisting: ISPs may block emails from the new domain, preventing them from reaching the recipient's inbox.
4. Loss of sender reputation: Changing the "From" information can reset the earned reputation, making it harder to establish trust with ISPs.

Best Practices for a Seamless Transition

To mitigate the risks associated with rebranding, follow these best practices:

1. Introduce Your New Brand 

Gradually introduce your new brand to your audience through a series of emails, social media posts, and newsletters. This will help build awareness and establish trust with your contacts. Consider sending a single campaign announcing the upcoming change, followed by regular reminders to keep your audience informed.

2. Co-Brand Your Campaigns 

Co-branding your emails for a period can help your contacts recognize your new brand while still associating it with your previous identity. Start co-branding after your initial announcement to avoid confusion. This approach will help your audience become familiar with your new brand before the complete switch.

Example Email:

Hi [Recipient's Name],

We’re excited to introduce our new brand! To make this transition smooth, you’ll notice our emails will be co-branded with both our previous identity and our new look for a little while. This will help you recognize us as we evolve, ensuring a seamless experience.

Thank you for your continued support, and we can’t wait for you to fully experience our refreshed brand soon!

Best regards,

3. Ask Contacts to Add the "New You" to Their Contact List

Request that your contacts add your new email address to their contact list to prevent your messages from being flagged as spam. This is particularly important if you're changing your domain, as ESPs may not recognize your new domain and send your emails to the spam folder.

Example Email:

Hi [Recipient's Name],

As part of our recent brand update, we're now sending emails from a new address. To ensure you continue receiving important updates from us, please add [new email address] to your contact list.

This will prevent our messages from being flagged as spam, especially as we transition to a new domain.

Thank you for your support!

Best regards,

4. Keep Your Original "Sent From" Information (If Possible)

Maintaining your "From" name and email address can help your contacts recognize you and reduce the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam. This information has already established trust and recognition with your subscribers, and changing it may reset your earned reputation.

5. Leverage Subject Lines

Use subject lines to introduce and establish trust with your new brand.

For example, "Introducing [My Brand New Brand] from [My Previous Brand]."

This approach will help your contacts recognize you and become aware of your upcoming shift.

6. Make it Easy to Unsubscribe

Provide a clear and prominent unsubscribe link to encourage contacts to opt out of your emails rather than marking them as spam. This will help maintain your deliverability rates and prevent harm to your sender reputation.

 

7. Include a Subscription Reminder in Your Campaign

Add a subscription reminder to your email campaigns to help reduce confusion and remind contacts why they received your email. This can be created for each list in your account and included in your emails using a personalization tag.

Example Email:

Hi [Recipient's Name],

You're receiving this email because you subscribed to updates from [Your Company Name]. We’re excited to keep you informed about the latest news, offers, and updates!

If you ever need to update your preferences, feel free to [link to subscription preferences].

Thank you for being a part of our community!

Best regards,

8. Monitor Your Deliverability Rates

Keep a close eye on your deliverability rates during the transition period. Monitor your email metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and spam complaints, to identify any potential issues.

9. Update Your Email Templates

Update your email templates to reflect your new brand identity, including logos, colors, and typography. Ensure that your templates are mobile-friendly and optimized for various email clients.

10. Communicate with Your Audience

Maintain open communication with your audience throughout the rebranding process. Respond to their questions and concerns, and provide regular updates on the transition.

Rebranding can be a complex and challenging process, but with careful planning and execution, you can ensure a seamless transition and maintain high deliverability rates.

By following the best practices outlined in this guide, you'll be able to introduce your new brand to your audience, build trust, and avoid the risks associated with rebranding. Remember to monitor your deliverability rates, update your email templates, and communicate with your audience to ensure a successful rebranding process.