If you are working on your branding, you might be wondering where to display the logo on your website or merchandise. Your logo is a key element of your brand identity, so effective placement is essential. But which is better: left or right?

On average, logos positioned on the left side of a webpage result in greater brand recall and smoother navigation. When it comes to clothing and other merchandise, the logo is still preferred on the left, though this can vary due to design choices.

A logo shapes a user’s initial impression, whether it be on a webpage or clothing. Not only should the design be memorable, but the placement has an impact as well. Below we will go over the importance of logo alignment, and whether it performs better on the left or right.

Should A Logo Be Aligned to the Left or the Right?

Recognizability is very important. In a survey, 75% of people stated that the logo is the most recognizable brand identifier. So, if you want to get more people to know about your business and build a group of loyal customers, your logo is a good place to start.

However, the look of your logo isn’t the only thing that sticks in consumers’ minds. Another key component is where the logo is placed.

While many website designers think that putting their logo in the middle or on the right will make their brand more memorable and unique, this isn’t the case. Have you ever noticed that most notable brands align their logo to the left? There’s a reason for this.

A lot of research has shown that if you don’t have your logo lined up to the left, it can make your brand less memorable and even make your site more difficult to use. This is due, in part, to the fact that many consumers expect the logo to also act as a quick shortcut to the home page. So placing it anywhere but the left can cause some confusion.

Where to Place Logos on Clothing?

When people think about logo placement on clothing, the most common locations considered are the left chest, right chest, the back, the sleeve, and below the collar on the back.

In terms of popularity, it’s most common for logos to be on the left side of a shirt (as the wearer sees it), which also tends to be where the pocket is. Because most people are right-handed, the left side of the shirt became the most common place to put things so that they are easier to get to. Placing the logo on the left leaves the right side of the shirt free for a nametag or patch. 

Why Your Logo Should Always Appear on the Left

More than 85% of people say they stay loyal to a company if they like their logo or brand. But how much does logo placement play into this?

Below we will go over a few of the reasons why you should always align your logo on the left.

Right Aligned Logos Result in Weaker Brand Recall

The recall power of logo placement is astounding. If placed correctly, it sticks in the mind of your audience. If not, it disappears from people’s thoughts altogether.  

There are thousands of websites we use nowadays, and it is difficult to remember their branding and logo identity. Therefore, for a product, it is very important for their users to know what exactly they are using before switching to another or trying to recall it.

Logos are part of what makes a brand memorable. Left-aligned logos help people remember the brand better. A Nielsen Norman Group study revealed that people recall companies better when logos are situated to the left rather than the right, with an average increase of 89 percent. With brand awareness a top priority for many companies, it makes sense why the top brands all keep their logo to the left.

Attention Leans Left Online

During a scan of a website, users tend to look to the left. The same thing happens when people are looking at clothing. While there are various reasons for this, the most common has to do with the way we read.

Consider your audience’s reading style. If you’re in a western society, where your consumers read from left to right, their eyes naturally look left. Furthermore, eye tracking has shown that as they take in elements, consumers tend to move their eyes in an F-shaped pattern.

According to one study, online visitors spend 80% of their time on the left side of the page and 20% on the right.

So, if you want to beat the competition, make your site easy to use and put your most important content where consumers will be looking—on the left.

Left Aligned Logos Create Smoother Navigation on Websites

Remember, it’s a common tendency to begin at the left and move right. Not only that, but the upper left of the screen is also where users typically go to navigate back to the home page. Aligning the logo to the right could potentially obstruct the user’s ability to effectively navigate the page

The study found that users are six times more likely to miss the homepage when the logo isn’t left-aligned. Placing the logo on the left creates a more familiar pattern for users, giving them a comfortable and easy experience.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! Logos work best on the left side. This prevents any confusion when users are navigating your website and makes your brand more recognizable. 

If you aren’t sure that your logo will work on the left, try playing around with the design. Using a good Logo Maker, you can design a powerful and recognizable logo that works on the left side of a page, t-shirt, or anywhere else a logo may be needed.

In the end, it’s really up to you where you place your logo. Hopefully, this article gave you some insight, so you can position your logo in the best place for your brand.