Developing your blog identity is essential to increasing readership and following; your website's look and feel contributes to the overall message of your brand. In the blogosphere, very often the words "logo" and "header" are used synonymously. When trying to brand yourself, it is importance to understand both, especially if you are working with a designer to create your over all look. Understand the difference between a logo and header will help you identify the long-term goals of your blog as well as increase your return on investment while working with a designer.
What is a logo?
In the most basic sense, a logo is a graphic mark/emblem that conveys your brand as quickly as possible i.e. think of Apple, Starbucks, Nike. A logo should be able to work in black-white as well as in 4-colors. A logo is used on all print and digital publications. Most, if not nearly all companies have logos. Logos are simple, memorable, timeless and versatile. Below is the logo I designed for The Garden Apt. It uses on the "G" and "A" to play on an apartment building number. This TGA is used on my website, as a favicon, in my social media profiles, and on my business card. When I'm collaborating with other brands and bloggers, the logo can be used for different materials. It's simple and clean.
What is a header?
A header is a usually a rectangular shape design of your website title. It usually appears on every website. It is usually full of decorative text and less emblematic. Frequently, headers don't have the same functionality as logos, but people like to try to make them work. For example, ever try to resize your header to fit in as a square image for social media; you understand the issue.
Isn't a header just enough?
Most bloggers do not; bloggers have headers. If working with a designer to design and build your site, I always encourage my clients to go for a logo option. If you are going to spend the money, you might as well get a option that will give you the most longetivity. What if you do become insanely popular, a good logo will be able to translate to various print and digital publications designed by other third-parties.
A header is not going to make the cut. BUT, if you think, this is just my blog, I might have a blog design and a business card with it, but that's it, then a header is your more affordable option depending on who you are working with.
Do you have tech or design questions you would like answered? "Techie Tuesdays" is a weekly series written by Lindsay Humes of White Oak Creative and The Garden Apt. In order to make this series as beneficial to Midwest Bloggers, you can email your specific questions to Lindsay at lindsay@wocreative.com and she will answer them in her weekly series.
Loving this series!
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