Logos and Icons and Wordmarks. Oh MY!

I'll tell you why they're important, and then, I'll make you something beautiful.

Apr 08, 2026

Logo and icon (favicon) design is just one element of creating a brand identity. It’s an important element for a content creator on Substack to have in place. I work with my clients to home in on the meaningful values they hold, the message, the mission they want to convey to potential subscribers. A great logo that represents you and your brand is a must!

But. What Substack calls a “logo” is what I think of as an icon.

Because the Substack “logo” icon must occupy at least 4 very different places on Substack, and they’re all quite small. So they have to be simple. Doesn’t mean you can’t have a logo, too. Something more complex, that might include your name or the name of you stack. But first, you need an icon.

Here are a collection of icons (favicons) that I’ve created over the years for my website clients. But in website world, they’re called favicons. They’re the little images that appear in browser tabs for regular websites. For now, though, an icon must occupy 3-4 different places on Substack. On Substack, you’ll find that icon in the top left corner of the desktop version of the site AND in the Substack app in a couple of places. AND in the tab in an internet browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, as examples).

That’s a lot of work for one simple icon. So it has to POP!

Simplicity, contrast, and an image with personality are key. They can be initials or some meaningful symbol that only you know the meaning of; a talisman of some kind.

Favicons. Examples that work in Substack.

Here are some logos I’ve created over the past 15 years. I can design one for you, for your Welcome page or your About page. It’s more involved than your icon and can serve a purpose by telling your reader more about you.

But they can’t be used for Substack’s idea of what a logo is.

Logos. More complex. For Welcome & About pages.

Wordmark. What’s a wordmark? I’ll tell you. It’s the graphic representation of you stack title. And it shouldn’t be the boring default text that Substack provides. It should be eye-catching, it should be clean-looking, and inviting. It should have flavor and introduce your readers to YOU. Here are some I’ve designed. Wouldn’t you like to look your best, too?

Some examples: