Another request for bigger logo takes its toll
Can you make my logo bigger? If there’s one question that makes our Geelong website designers want to weep it’s the recurring query from clients who want to know if their logo can loom larger in their website design.
“I’d like the logo larger.” Our branding’s not prominent enough.” “People need to see our brand, blow up the logo more.” We’ve heard every version of the “make my logo bigger” request!
And every time we deliver the same response: “Our web designers have made your logo as big as it can be while ensuring your website will work in Google.”
Having spent more than 30 years in newspapers, I understand why businesses want large logos in their marketing. Part of it is that businesses hope their logos will stand out on the page and catch customers’ attention. It’s the same with logos on the side of work utes and trucks, billboards and signs. The logo is all about capturing attention.
But websites aren’t printed pages. They’re not signs. And although they get can get a pile of traffic, they’re not branded company cars. A website doesn’t require a big flashy logo to capture attention. In fact, a big logo has the exact opposite effect on the most important client of all – Google!
A website attracts Google’s attention because it is full of relevant and original text, is responsive and well built and contains all the metadata and other ingredients that make it stand out from the crowd. And once a website has Google’s attention, Google wants to share it with people – your prospective clients – searching for the products and services the website promotes.
How does a website gain prominence in Google searches? By making optimum use of every single square centimetre of screen space to capture Google’s attention and satisfy its exacting search engine optimisation requirements.
Does a big logo fit into those requirements? Not a chance! All a big logo does is eat into that valuable real estate which could contain something more Google-appealing to help your site gain prominence in online searches.
Also, remember that online searchers aren’t looking for your branding. They’re looking for what you provide – your products and services. What you do, where you do it!
Sorry, but searchers don’t care what your logo looks like or how big it is. They just want what you offer, and your website has to be optimised so that it’s first across the Google finish line and in with a big chance of being among the top offerings to searchers. Once searchers click on the link to your site you’ve got them – and they haven’t even seen your logo!
Our website designers in Geelong know what they’re doing but it’s no secret anyway. Visit the websites of some of the world’s leading companies – the likes of Apple and Nike, businesses that can justifiably have a logo that covers the side of a building. Their logos are barely visible on their websites.
So, please, don’t be offended when we say you can’t have your logo bigger. It’s not that we don’t like your logo, it’s just that a bigger logo won’t help your website and won’t help your capture clients. It’ll do the opposite.
We’re pretty good at this website stuff because we work hard at it. Our developers, copywriters, search specialists and website graphic designers in Geelong spend hours researching and investigating to make sure our websites have all the features they need to perform in Google.
A bigger logo isn’t one them.