Guide · 4 min read
Do I need a logo before a website?
It’s one of the first questions new businesses ask. Here’s when a logo should come first, when you can start without one, and why doing both together often works out best.
By John Bell, freelance web and graphic designer in Birmingham ·
Why the logo usually comes first
A website isn’t just your logo in the top corner. Its colours, fonts, buttons and even the style of the photos all come from your brand. When the logo is settled, the website design follows naturally, and everything you make afterwards (signs, cards, social posts) matches.
If the website is designed first, the logo has to fit around it. That often means compromises, or going back and changing the site once you’ve chosen the logo.
When you can start without one
- You need to be online this week. A simple, clean site with your business name set in a good font is far better than nothing. You can add a logo later.
- You’re testing an idea. If you’re not sure the business will run, a smart name-only site keeps costs down.
- Your name is the brand. Consultants, therapists and tradespeople often do well with a well-set name rather than a symbol.
Doing both together
This is what most of my clients choose. We start with the logo, agree it, then design the site around it, all in one project with one person. You avoid paying twice for the same thinking, and everything is ready together.
| Option | From |
|---|---|
| Logo design | £300 |
| Brand identity (logo, colours, fonts, guide) | £500 |
| Small website | £500 |
| Logo + small website | £700 (save £100) |
For Birdie Blooms, a flower studio, I drew eight logo ideas, then designed the website around the one they chose. You can see the project here.
What to have ready before either
- Your business name, and how you want it written
- Two or three businesses whose look you like (in any industry)
- Who your customers are, and what they should feel when they find you
- Anything you’re attached to already: a colour, a symbol, an old sign