Emily found herself in the midst of a rebranding challenge when legal constraints surfaced due to the unexpected discovery of a company sharing the same name. Complicating matters, her website had initially been established by a virtual assistant overseas, so she had little to do with the creation of her Squarespace account and subsequently her site template. With the sudden and unexpected need for rebranding, the luxury of a custom rebuild and an ample timeline were not options. Following our initial meeting, we delved into specifics, outlining timelines and deliverables.

The Design Process:

• Define the Scope: We identified key objectives, focusing on creating a new logo in a similar style and seamlessly integrating it across the website.

• UX Audit: A comprehensive review of the existing website was conducted to pinpoint usability issues and areas for enhancement.

• Design Strategy: Our approach aimed to highlight Emily's credentials and key products while ensuring an intuitive user experience. Opting to go beyond a mere logo switch, I crafted a tailored design strategy.

• Color Palette Adjustment: Enhancements were made to the brand's color palette to enhance ADA web compliance, particularly focusing on button and link visibility.

• Page Clean-Up: Critical pages such as About and Contact were streamlined, with a special spotlight on Emily's partnerships with women-led triathlon races.

• Visual Enhancements: Hawaiian-themed graphics were introduced to align with Emily's brand identity and elevate visual appeal.

• Font Selection: A new font was implemented to ensure readability and consistency across the web platform.

Despite the tight timeline of just one week, a comprehensive UX audit was conducted to optimize Emily's online presence. The outcome was a refined and focused design strategy, showcasing Emily's credentials and highlighting key products for enhanced visibility.

Additionally, efforts were made to improve ADA web compliance, particularly focusing on buttons and links. Clean-up initiatives extended to critical pages, like the Women’s Race calendar, with a spotlight on Emily's partnerships. The rebranding initiative included updates to brand colors, logo refinement, and the introduction of visually appealing Hawaiian-themed graphics. Furthermore, a new font selection was implemented to ensure enhanced readability across the web platform.

The most unexpected challenge I faced was navigating the intricacies of Google Workspace. While setting up a new domain, I encountered an issue where her old email, which we were gradually phasing out, was more entangled in the Squarespace account than I realized initially. In hindsight, creating an entirely new Squarespace account with Emily’s personal email would have been a wise move. Nonetheless, this posed a significant hurdle, especially considering the integration with Squarespace. Here's how I tackled the situation:

• Verified Ownership of the New Domain: Since I canceled the first request to verify ownership of the new domain, I had to wait for Google to re-initiate the verification process. I had to make sure I had access to the domain's DNS settings to complete the verification process promptly once Google sends the verification request again.

• Resolved Account Access Issues: If you're having trouble accepting terms and conditions due to logging into the existing workspace attached to the original domain, try logging out of the existing workspace or using an incognito window to sign in to the new workspace associated with the new domain. This should allow you to accept the terms and conditions without any conflicts.

• Ensured Proper Domain Configuration: I double-checked that the DNS settings for the new domain are correctly configured to point to Google Workspace. This typically involves adding MX records, TXT records for verification, and other necessary DNS records as specified by Google. Squarespace should provide guidance on how to configure DNS settings for custom domains.

• Contacted Support when Needed: If you continue to encounter issues, reach out to Squarespace and Google Workspace support for assistance. They can provide specific guidance tailored to your situation and help troubleshoot any technical issues you're facing with domain setup and verification. Which I did and how I figured out the above. 

See Emily's rebranded site here.