Making the logo bigger on a website is mistake seen all too often in the website design community, to the point it has become a common meme. When clients request to increase the size of a logo beyond its recommended dimensions (around 200-250px) can adversely affect visual hierarchy and reduce valuable screen real estate.Â
Large Logos Can Hurt Visual Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is a fundamental principle in web design, influencing how users perceive and navigate a website. It ensures that the most important elements stand out and guide users through the content hierarchy.
However, when a logo is disproportionately enlarged, it disrupts the carefully crafted visual hierarchy. Instead of drawing attention to the intended focal points, an oversized logo can overpower other essential elements, such as the navigation menu, headlines, or call-to-action buttons. This imbalance can lead to user confusion, hindering their ability to engage with the primary content.
An excessively large logo can undermine a website’s overall harmony and aesthetics. Effective web design involves a delicate balance between various elements, including the logo, to maintain a harmonious visual experience for users.
Large Logos Reduce Screen Real Estate
Screen real estate is a valuable asset in web design, especially with the growing prevalence of mobile devices and responsive design. Therefore, optimizing the available space is crucial to deliver a seamless user experience across different devices. For example, making a logo bigger beyond its recommended dimensions eats up valuable screen real estate that could be better utilized for displaying important content.
This reduction in screen real estate can be particularly problematic on mobile devices. With limited space, it becomes essential to prioritize and present content effectively. An enlarged logo can push other crucial elements down the page, resulting in a compromised user experience.
Visitors may need to scroll excessively to access the content they seek, leading to frustration and potential site abandonment. By adhering to the recommended logo dimensions, web designers can ensure optimal use of screen real estate, allowing for a more efficient and engaging user experience on various devices.
Recommended Logo Dimensions for a Web Page
To maintain a visually balanced design and avoid the downfalls of an oversized logo, it’s important to adhere to the recommended logo dimensions for a web page. While some variation may be based on specific design considerations, a standard guideline suggests dimensions of 250 x 150 pixels.
These dimensions strike a balance between providing a clear representation of the brand identity and maintaining harmony with other design elements. It makes the logo noticeable without overpowering the rest of the content.
Adhering to these dimensions ensures that the logo does not overshadow other essential elements, thus preserving the visual hierarchy and optimizing screen real estate for a better user experience.
Trust Your Web Designers Opinion
While the idea of making the logo bigger on a website may be a meme in the web design industry, it’s crucial to understand the potential downfalls associated with this practice. Increasing the size of a logo beyond its recommended dimensions can disrupt the visual hierarchy, hinder the optimal use of screen real estate, and compromise the overall user experience.
Web designers can maintain a visually balanced composition by adhering to the recommended logo dimensions, allowing all elements to work harmoniously together. This ensures that users can navigate the website seamlessly and engage with the content effectively. Remember, it’s not just about making the logo bigger; it’s about creating a visually pleasing and user-friendly website that effectively communicates the brand’s identity.
Let Us Help You With Your Web Design Needs
As experienced web designers, we have encountered numerous instances where clients or stakeholders requested a larger logo on a website. We have solved this problem by maintaining a balanced visual hierarchy and optimizing screen real estate to create websites that engage users while representing the brand identity.
