Can you make the logo bigger?

Over the years, we can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard this question, “can you make the logo bigger?“

It happened to us recently and inspired us to write about it. This is possibly THE most dreaded question for us designers! We get it – you’ve invested a lot into your logo. No wonder you’re afraid of it being overlooked! However, when it comes to web design your logo shouldn’t be the first thing people see. Let us explain why.

Here are 3 reasons NOT to make the logo bigger!

1. Your logo isn’t as important as your message.

The purpose of the logo is establish that the viewer is indeed visiting the correct website.

People are not on your website to see your logo. People visit your website because they’re looking to learn what you can do for them. The bigger your logo is, the further down the page the important content is. Your logo doesn’t help your users accomplish anything and should never overshadow the actual goals of the site. While your logo may have meaning, it won’t channel your message quite like a line of strategically written text.

Over-sized logos come off as aggressive; think of it as visually shouting at your users. Instead, focus on the overall visual message and how it will impact your customers. When done correctly, this will turn visitors into customers, not a logo bigger. We promise.

Logo is too large and overpowering the message.

Logo is proportionally sized and all elements are balanced.

2. Bigger isn’t always better.

A strong logo will still be memorable at a small size. In fact, your logo looks better with space around it – the space itself helps it to stand out. Enlarging your logo out of proportion with the rest of the design elements makes everything look unbalanced and unprofessional. Hence why designers dread being asked to make the logo bigger. ?

Consider this, is the logo the most important element on your website? Is it more important than the product or service you’re selling? If no one is actually buying your logo, why does it need to be the most prominent element?

3. Your logo is NOT your brand.

When we discourage making the logo bigger, clients begin to worry that their brand isn’t represented enough if their logo isn’t more noticeable. Your logo doesn’t have to be enormous in order for people to recognize your brand. Contrary to popular belief, there’s so much more to your brand than a logo. Branding is the summation of your company’s personality, name, presentation of services, industry positioning, values, etc. A logo is just one slice of the branding pie.

Summary

The takeaway is “less is more”. Remember clients are on your website to learn about your products/and or services – NOT to see your giant logo. Your logo should be prominent, without being dominant. We’re often asked to make the logo bigger, which can disrupt the balance of the website. An appropriately sized logo in conjunction with engaging content is the perfect recipe for success.

We leave you with this video “Make the logo BIGGER!”. For a good laugh give this video a try. 🙂