So your business is evolving, and your visuals need some updating.  You have a budget, and also a dilemma– do you refresh your website first to attract more users, or do you focus on the rebrand first?

This is one of the most common discussions we have with new clients.  We are often asked, “Can I update my website now and pop in a new logo later?”  

The short answer is yes.  The longer answer is: we don’t recommend it. Below are 5 reasons why.

  1. Strategic savings. Every project, whether a rebrand or a web redesign, starts with strategy.  You can’t figure out what needs to change – or how – unless you do some homework to figure out why you’re changing.  The insights gained during discovery and strategy can be leveraged across both projects– but only when the rebrand is completed first.  To refresh the brand identity after the website project is to put the cart before the horse– you’ll effectively need two rounds of strategy (read: additional time and money) to ultimately complete the same effort.
  2. Ease. Once you have a fully fleshed-out brand identity, it’s easy to take those elements and run with a web design.  It’s far less easy to conceive of a web design, and then take a step back to reimagine a whole new identity.
  3. Visual disconnect. Oftentimes when businesses are looking for a web redesign, it’s to elevate and modernize a dated site.  But when the logo is also dated, there’s an inherent disconnect– a revitalized site becomes anchored by a dated logo.
  4. Brand cohesion.  Whenever we’re redesigning a website, we want it to reflect clear cohesion with the overall brand identity.  This means consistent colors, fonts, icons, and any other elements that reflect the branding.  If the visual identity is going to change, it makes it harder to envision a long-term solution for the digital face of your organization. 
  5. Rework. Depending on how your new brand identity evolves after the launch of your site, it may involve more than the simple swap of a logo on the site.  Some retrofitting of colors, fonts, or other elements may be necessary to ensure the website is brought back into alignment with the new brand identity.

So while it’s possible to prioritize a web redesign over a rebrand, we’d suggest doing the opposite.  Prioritizing the rebrand first enables a more thoughtful process and careful sequence of events to promote the best outcomes.  If considering both projects in tandem is outside your immediate budget, consider taking a phased approach to project engagement.

Wondering what approach is right for your business?  Let’s connect!  We can hatch up ideas that make sense for you.