SKILL.md
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Phase
Duration
Focus
Audit & plan
Weeks 1–2
Brand audit; inventory touchpoints; migration plan
Prepare
Weeks 2–6
New assets; redirect mapping; staging; backup
Pre-launch
Week 6–8
Internal announcement; social handle check; teasers
Launch
Week 8+
Go live; 301 redirects; multi-channel announcement
Post-launch
2–4 weeks
Monitor search, traffic; fix 404s; iterate
Principle: Plan for months. Avoid changing domain and major structure in one migration—split into smaller migrations when possible.
301 Redirect Best Practices
Practice
Purpose
1:1 mapping
Each old URL → most relevant new URL; never redirect all to homepage
301 (permanent)
Use 301, not 302; 302 does not fully transfer SEO equity
No chains/loops
Old URL → final destination directly; avoid A→B→C
Redirect mapping sheet
Document every old→new mapping; prevents ~80% of migration failures
Don't block in robots.txt
Redirected URLs should not be disallowed
Common Mistakes
- Redirect chains (multiple hops)
- Redirect loops
- Redirecting everything to homepage
- Using 302 for permanent moves
- Blocking redirected URLs in robots.txt
Domain Migration Checklist
Pre-Migration
- Create SEO migration plan
- Collect benchmarks (GA4, GSC, rankings)
- Run site crawler; inventory all pages
- Create redirect mapping sheet (old URL → new URL)
- Purchase new domain; configure DNS
- Technical SEO audit
- Staging environment; backup
- Check for manual penalties on both domains
Launch
- Implement 301 redirects
- Update Google Search Console (change of address)
- Update sitemaps, robots.txt
- Verify new site works; test redirects (curl, Screaming Frog)
- Add GA4 annotation for migration date
Post-Migration
- Monitor GSC coverage; fix "Page with Redirect" issues
- Fix 404s immediately
- Expect temporary ranking fluctuation (2–4 weeks)
- Do not delete old site as fallback
Social Media Announcement
Three Phases
Phase
Actions
Pre-Launch
Finalize new identity; audit social presence; secure handles across platforms; internal alignment
Build Anticipation
Tease with sneak peeks; cryptic visuals; influencer/ambassador previews; avoid announcing too soon
Execute
All platforms updated together; new bios, handles, visuals; compelling rebrand story (why, not what)
What to Avoid
- Don't list steps or technical details—focus on story and benefit
- Don't announce before all pieces are in place (mixed messaging)
- Don't rely on one channel—multi-channel rollout
- Don't bombard with "why we rebranded" unless it resonates
Rebrand Story
- Anchor: Emotionally resonating narrative; why now; how it benefits customers
- Avoid: "We changed our logo" / "We updated our website" without context
Internal Communication
- Brief all employees before public launch
- Explain strategic reasons; equip them to answer customer questions
- Update email signatures, Slack, internal docs
- Internal FAQ for common rebrand questions
Output Format
- Timeline (phases, milestones)
- Redirect mapping approach (template, tools)
- Migration checklist (customized)
- Social announcement plan (phases, channels, content angles)
- Internal communication (briefing, FAQ)
Related Skills
- domain-selection: Domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); informs new domain choice when rebranding
- domain-architecture: Domain structure before/after rebrand
- website-structure: New site structure after migration
- schema-markup: Update Organization schema on new domain
- multi-domain-brand-seo: When old and new domains coexist during transition
- branding: Brand strategy, identity; rebranding implements the change
- brand-protection: Sync impersonation checks when rebranding; update official domain declaration
- gtm-strategy: Repositioning GTM; when repositioning includes rebrand