The average web visitor only skims your homepage for a few seconds before deciding whether to leave or stay. Is your website logo optimized to grab attention?
Display your business logo in the right places to engage your audience. Logos are one of the first touchpoints with your brand. They offer new site visitors a sense of your brand personality. Yet, proper logo placement isn’t just about making a creative statement. Website visitors automatically scan specific parts of a webpage to find the information they need.
When you put your logo in optimal locations, visitors are more likely to remember your branding. Use the power of visuals to make quick connections and leave a lasting impression on potential customers. Here are the best places to show off your website logo.
Adding a Logo to a Website Header
Think of a header as your website’s welcome mat. The header invites people to learn more about your business, providing links to the most important pages on your site. Since the header is typically visible on every page, visitors will see your logo no matter where they enter your site.
The internet is full of examples of beautiful website design, so it’s easy to get caught up looking for the most attractive or edgy templates. But keep in mind, people in Western cultures read from left to right. A reader’s gaze naturally goes to the top left side of a page.
What to Consider
- Orientation: A business logo identifies your website. Make your logo easy to find while catering to innate user expectations. A study by Nielsen Norman Group (NNM) found that web users are 89 percent more likely to recall a logo at the top left, compared to the top right.
- Layout: A horizontal layout improves readability and takes up less space in the header. For example, try using a layout with the logo icon and text situated side by side. Even if you prefer a vertical layout for other media, you can make an alternate version for your header.
- User experience: Most users assume your website logo is clickable and rely on it to get back to the homepage. Visitors get confused about how to navigate the website when your logo is in a less common area. In an NNM case study, 96 percent of users could navigate to the homepage in one click when the header logo was on the top left. Site visitors were six times as likely to fail when the logo was centered.
Adding a Logo to a Website Footer
The website footer is information central. Think about how often you head straight to the bottom of a webpage to track down a company profile, sitemap, or contact details. A typical footer has a breakdown of subpages that are vital for users who want more in-depth information about a business.
The bigger your footer, the more beneficial it is to include branding elements. Businesses with an extensive directory often have a footer that expands as you scroll over it. The expanded menu may even cover most of the page. So users could potentially spend a lot of time looking at a footer. Keep your brand top of mind by making sure your logo remains visible for the entire visit.
What to Consider
- Orientation: Resist the temptation to put a footer logo on the right. In TV advertising, the bottom right side of the screen gained the reputation as the “right corner of death,” and the same rule applies to web design. Remember the left-to-right reading pattern? The bottom right corner is the last thing you see on the screen, making it the worst place for your logo.
- Color: Many designers use an accent color on website footers. While it’s perfectly fine to use the same version of your logo for the header and footer, why not seize the opportunity to show more of your visual brand story? Make a logo with an inverted color scheme for contrast. Or how about a simplified version using negative space?
- Size: Does the left side of your footer have a large section of open space? Use the extra room to display a bigger version of your logo. Logos at the top of a webpage are usually on the smaller side to keep the header design clean and compact. Since visitors already know your website name, it’s smart to remove the wordmark and focus on the logomark in your footer, similar to the Slack website.
Adding a Logo to a Splash Page
Planning to include a splash page on your site? A splash page is a cover page that either welcomes your visitors or provides vital information that everyone needs before entering the site. Unlike a landing page, a splash page is focused on delivering a message without one specific conversion goal in mind.
Splash pages are common for sites that contain adult content, such as alcohol, and require users to verify their age before proceeding. Another typical example is artist or entertainment sites that greet you with a creative illustration, multimedia, or interactive menu. Many restaurants, clothing stores, and startups also use splash pages to introduce a flagship product, collection, or service.
If you have a splash page, it gets viewed even before the header. The majority of designs are centered on the page with a distinct focal point, so you have the visitor’s complete attention. That’s why splash pages are a great place to showcase your logo and connect with people as soon as they land on your website.
Adding a Logo to an About/How It Works Page
The About and How it Works sections of your website are where you promote your brand the most. These pages deliver your value proposition, showing people how your brand stands out from the crowd. Having a logo on the page reinforces your visual identity while visitors are learning about your brand qualities.
You can be more flexible and creative with how your branding is presented on these pages, especially if you have a mascot logo. Take a look at how the ClassDojo website creates a fun, vibrant Learn More page by incorporating the mascot. Look for ways to make your logo interact with other elements on the page.
Adding a Logo to Buttons/Background Elements
It’s smart to design multiple variations of a logomark, whether you plan to hire a designer or get a free website logo. Don’t go overboard and stick your logo everywhere. Try to subtly integrate the visual characteristics of your logo throughout your website design.
Consider how the website for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra uses the shape of the business logo for backgrounds, menus, photo frames, and social media buttons.
Approach website design the same way you would decorate a home. What message do you want visitors to get as they travel through your site? How can you use your logo to create a unique aesthetic that people immediately associate with your brand? Focus on putting your brandmark in the most prominent spots on your website first. Then, strengthen your brand by featuring your website logo in unexpected places.
