Is it okay to stick with the default WordPress “text logo” for a niche website?

Not long ago I would have said “yeah, the default WordPress text logo is totally fine for a niche site or blog“.

I’ve since changed my tune. Not because I think text logos look bad or hurt success, but because of the branding icon in the tab of a website such as the following:

Logo icon in tab of website

Without the logo icon added to a site, you get the following which I consider pretty bad:

Website with no logo icon

While the logo icon and logo itself are different files, I’m of the view if you’re going to go through the hassle and expense of one, you might as well get the other.

Your logo need not be fancy

I have a handful of newer, smaller sites where I create quick n’ dirty logos in Canva. They’re just text in .png files. I then use the exact same font and color for the square version that serves as the logo icon.  These are sites with not much traffic so I hold off spending $30 on a custom logo.

Once a site starts getting meaningful traffic (500 visitors per day), I take the time to get a custom logo and logo icon (aka favicon) created.  Whatever you do, don’t get swindled by some overpriced graphic designer who talks you into spending hundreds for a logo.  It’s not worth it one bit.  I tell you this from experience. Way back when, many years ago now, I launched one of my first online niche sites and spent waaaaaay too much on a logo and branding. I’m talking about ridiculous amounts of money that was totally wasted.  Don’t make the mistake I did.

Here are some examples of simple .png logos that will do the job

The following are some real quick n’ dirty logos you could use. They aren’t fancy but they’re a step up from the default text logo on WordPress websites.

Sample simple logo

Here’s the 512px x 512px logo icon version (I usually go with white background but made it gray so you could see it in its entirety:

Square logo icon example

These are dead simple logos that I created in minutes with Canva for free. I have no graphic design skills whatsoever.   Anyone can create a logo similar to the above with Canva.

Is it okay to change logos in the future?

Of course, it’s okay to change logos in the future. I do it all the time. When a site is starting to get decent traffic, I get something better.  Here are two examples of logos I’ve had created for about $30 USD on Fiverr:

Logo for niche site created by Fiverr gig

Actually, the two logos above are my two favorite across all my sites.  My biggest site’s logo isn’t great but it does the job.  My second biggest niche site logo is pretty good but the above two are my fave.

Notice how the color schemes are the same?

I do that quite a bit.  Not all my sites have these two colors but many sites have the same colors as other sites I have.  I choose colors based on the niche/audience. If the audience is fairly similar, I’ll use the same colors. I find it’s efficient that way for setting sites up.

What if I want to create a professional logo from the start, is that okay?

Yes, of course it’s okay to pay for a professionally done logo right from the start.  This can be helpful if also setting up the usual fleet of social media channels and/or YouTube channel.  While I almost never launch a site with a polished, professional logo, it’s not necessarily bad to do so.

Remember, I don’t put as much stock into design and presentation as many other bloggers. I focus on what makes money in this publishing biz and that’s publishing as much decent content as fast as possible. That’s my focus.  Moreover, before I dump money on branding, I want to make sure the site will work.  I do launch sites that don’t end up working for whatever reason.  Sometimes it’s a topic that’s not a good fit for me and my style. Sometimes it was a dumb idea from the get-go.  Sometimes I launch sites as an experiment that didn’t work.

But once a site shows promise, then I’ll polish it up with a professional logo and take it to the next level.  In the meantime, my quick n’ dirty Canva specials will have to do.

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