Make My Logo Bigger, They Say

By far the most frequent comment designers hear from clients is to make their logo bigger. Throughout the industry, we hear this with nearly every single project. In fact, it is actually a common joke within the creative industry, as this video demonstrates. 

While we understand your logo is a huge part of your brand’s visual component, it doesn't need to be extra large and bold. As designers, we don't decide to make your logo a small element without educated reasoning behind our decision.

Bigger isn't necessarily better. When it comes to your brand, what you're saying or offering to your customers is far more important than the size of your logo. Unless of course, it stands the tests of time such as Nike, Apple, FedEx or McDonald’s, your message speaks louder than your mark. On a webpage for example, users already know they're on your site, so wouldn't a call-to-action supported by a solid brand message go much further than a logo of enormous proportions? Directing a consumer to a special offer or a contact page is going to go a long way.

Although an enormous logo may be seen from miles away like a giant billboard, it won’t help you gain more visibility on the web. The content of your page is what will make your audience see you. This is your chance to use that retail space from a smaller logo with keyword-rich content that will improve your search engine ranking and help you stand apart from your competitors. This could be as simple as large, beautiful images with detailed image tags on rollover or as complex as well-written copy loaded with rich keywords.

Another essential design treatment is logo position, which is more effective than its size. You’ll notice almost every website has the logo in the upper-left corner of the page because the eye is naturally drawn there. Therefore, it will be the first thing the viewer sees when they land on your site.

In this instance, negative space is actually a positive thing. A logo surrounded by ample space actually calls more attention to it. Additionally, a generous amount of white space around your logo allows it to "breathe."

Your logo, while very important, should be a small, effective entity to your brand. A giant logo crammed in a small space isn't going to make you sell more products or services. Your brand messaging and offerings are the most important attributes for you and your customers.

So, the next time you want to scream at the designer who made your logo smaller, remember these keys points:

• It’s all about the message
• Content is crucial
• Position is key
• Negative space is positive