Blog Tipz

Header images are known to help create a more unique impression in visitors’ minds, so choosing one that sets your blog apart can be a daunting task. There is some controversy, however what size and type of image should be properly used as a header image. For one thing, they improve the “branding” of your business, but, unless used properly, they can negatively impact your search engine rankings. Optimizing the header image is key, so it is recommended that you use alt and description tags that are similar or exactly the same as your site title and description. Wide headers sometimes create negative results with search engines as necessary keywords are not included and cannot be picked up, as they are shown below the fold – the area below the screen’s visible area. Use header images in conjunction with your site’s title, and appropriate page links (preferably displayed above the header, if it is large).

Visitors see the headers first, so it is also necessary to make sure that it is optimized – and kept under 50-70 KB. Images that are larger than this will take several seconds to load, especially on slower connections, resulting in visitors that remember your site only for the content, if they decided to stay, or the long wait time.

Below is a listing of some resources available for header images, or ideas to kick start your header creation, if you have decided to create your own based on another image or site’s logo/header.

Note: Images are displayed not for use, instead they have been placed there to sample the quality and types of images available and have been resized to minimize size. And, please abide to all copyright/Creative Commons Licenses that these sites have placed on images. They are there for a reason – they took the time to create them and do not want others to take credit for their efforts.

Designed for Specific Themes

These images were sized according to certain themes.

• The Blog of Dysfunction – Ten Free Cutline Header Images

Details: Ten header images for the theme Cutline, by Chris Pearson. Each image is 770px x 140px, contained in a Flickr set. These images were adopted from other images (resized/optimized).
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
Samples: 



• Captain Hops – Website Headers

Details: Header images released in coordination with the Cutline theme. There are ten images available, with file dimensions around 770px x 140px each, for use in the theme.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 Generic, meaning you are free to use the images as long as you link back to the main page somewhere within your blog. Images cannot be sold or claimed as your own.
Samples: 



• Blix Theme – Free Headers

Details: 16 images for the Blix theme, of varying textures and colors/gradients. The theme was later released by WP designer Sadish as Blixed.
License: No specific terms were listed.
Samples:

General Purpose Headers

These resources include themes available for use on any type of blog or website.

• BG Themes – Several wide-format blog headers designed for blogs.
• Free Web Page Headers – Free Graphics

Details: All images are high quality 800px x 200px JPG’s, which have been uploaded by community members and are great for CSS layouts. Organized in a “photo” gallery. Approximately 921+ images available. To download the full-resolution images, you’ll need to complete a simple registration form to access the larger images, otherwise they have been resized to 600px x 150px.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States
Samples:



• Free Blog Headers from Blogger Talk

Details: Most of the 76+ images are high quality and range in size, typically larger format 500px x 100px or larger.
License: A link back to bloggertalk.net is required using a text link or a custom banner. Images should be uploaded to your own server and not hot linked. Headers are not to be redistributed for financial gain.
Samples: 



• Blog Headers from Invision-Graphics

Details: 24+ blog headers in the range of 700px x 100px in size, more niche-specific images such as cartoons, cars, etc.
License: A link back is required for all images.
Samples: 



• More Doubts – Free Header Images

Details: Images for WordPress, Blogger, and other blogging platforms. Sizes are up to 760px x 200px, and they are optimized. Links are provided to the images with around 28 available. The theme of the images are abstract/text free and an attitude series, many designed specifically for blogging purposes.
License: No specific requirements are made.
Samples: 



• I Design Poems – Free Header Images

Details: Contains images relating to the poems that the blog author writes about, sizes are approximately 760px x 200px or less.
License: No specific requirements are made.
Samples:



• Web Song Designs – Blank Headers with Tutorial

Details: A collection of nature-oriented headers, 800px x 200px in size. A tutorial is also available on how to integrate the images into your blog.
License: Images should not be altered. Download/host the images on your own server or free hosting service and include a credit somewhere on your page.
Samples: 



• Theme Headers – Free Custom Blog Images

Details: A website dedicated to providing free blog themes. Each post contains a series of headers relating to a certain subject – animals, for example. Sizes are approximately 800px x 140px with several hundred headers available. They will create a header according to your theme and post it on the blog, if you like.
License: No specific terms are listed, but they recommend spreading the word about the service.
Samples: 



• 1000 Free Headers

Details: Images are 625px x 125px and larger, listed by thumbnails on 31 pages. Most of the images are generic.
License: No specific terms are listed.
Samples: 



• BittBox – Free Vector Glass Header Designs

Details: The header images are approximately 430-460px in size, depending on how you cut them out. The 4.7 MB (uncompressed) file contains 10 free fance vector glass header designs with files in AI, EPS, SVG, and PNG format. So, you’ll need Adobe Illustrator or InkScape to edit them.
License: You may not redistribute the files (no rehosting on your own site, offering the files as a download, like they were created by yourself) and you can use them however you see fit.
Samples: 



• Dotcoy Designs – Header Images

Details: A header designer’s blog with several free images, as well as ideas for possible header images for your own site.
License: No specific terms were given.
Samples: 

Tutorials to Create Blog Headers

These tutorials (mostly for Photoshop), were designed to help users create images that are somewhat professional looking.

• Pegaweb – Tutorial centered around creating “curved” headers with your site’s name on them.
• Associated Content – Lolaness goes through the steps to create a functional and design-oriented header in Photoshop and offers a graphic to go along with the guide.
• Paul Stamatiou – How To: Make Blog Header Graphic – Another guide on how to make header graphics, in this case a how-to guide which answers his readers’ question of how to make one that he used previously on his blog. The guide is using Photoshop CS2.
• Beta Blogger for Dummies – A tutorial for creating a blog header in Blogger.
• WordPress – Designing Headers – A resource guide featuring on customizing the default WordPress theme header images.

Tools and Generators for Creating Header Images

Tools that help create header images, specifically for blogs, however many deal with simply resizing larger images, where a desktop photo program could achieve better results.

• Big Huge Labs – Blog header generator – This tool helps create a custom blog header for your WordPress 1.5+ blog with your own photos, with the Kubrick/default theme. The tool works by uploading a photo and then resizing it to the correct dimensions.
• Web 2.0 Logo Creator – The ever-popular “reflection”/”web 2.0″ logo creator for use with a blog header.

Blog Header/Graphic/Logo Designers

These sites have been included as a logo is typically incorporated into your blog’s header, or other images, for that matter, and makes a huge impact on the branding of your blog.

• Banners Mall – Animated high-end banner ad designer with banner ads starting at $24.95.
• Logoworks by HP – Logos starting at $99.
• Logo Design Guru – Logo and webpage designs starting at $99 – princes increase with number of revisions, logos, web designs.
• David Airey – Graphic and Logo Designer

More inspiration: (Updated March 11, 2008)

70+ Visually Impressing Header Graphics from Noupe web developer’s online resource

45+ Blog Headers for Free Download from Smashing Magazine contributors

Your feedback is important. Is this collection complete and of high quality resources? Let us know to help improve and add your logo links in the comments area.