When we present website designs to clients, one of the most often requested changes we receive is “make my logo bigger.” The desire for this is understandable; I’m investing a lot of money in my website, I’m trying to increase my sales, I want people to know who I am, I want them to remember my name and my company. Makes sense, right?
The problem with this approach lies at the core of these motivations compared to how today’s consumers make buying decisions. Look at the verbiage above and think about your own motivations when you design your marketing materials. Something should jump out at you immediately. Did you notice how often the word “I” was repeated?
People don’t want to be sold anymore, they want to be educated so they can make the most informed buying decision possible on their own terms. What that giant logo on your website says to prospects is “Look at me, look at me! Please pick me!” What your website should be saying is “Here’s how I can solve the problem that brought you here today.”
Customers and prospects will remember you if you give them a reason to. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for that giant logo placement. If you buy an advertising space on the outfield wall at Citi Field, make your name as big as possible. If you have a big truck that’s driving around all the time, slap a massive logo on the side and let people see it. Brand recognition does matter and still works. Your website just isn’t the right vehicle for it.
That large logo has another unwanted effect on your website. The content that users really want to see is now that much farther away, that much harder to find, that much more inconvenient to get to.
So ditch the giant logo for something clean and classy and focus instead on designing a page that addresses the users biggest concerns. I guarantee you’ll see more leads and higher conversion rates.
Update:
Check out this episode of The Messengers podcast that covers this topic in more detail.
