How to Customize Your WordPress Header (Beginner‘s Guide)

The header is one of the most important elements on your WordPress site. It‘s the first thing visitors see and makes that all-important first impression.

A well-designed header helps reinforce your brand, allows easy navigation, and encourages users to explore your content. In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn everything you need to know to customize your WordPress header like a pro.

What is the Header in WordPress?

The header appears at the top of every page of your WordPress site. It typically includes:

• Your site title and logo
• Main navigation menu
• Tagline or slogan
• Search bar
• Social media icons
• Call to action buttons

For example:

The header gives users an immediate understanding of what your site is about and helps them easily navigate to important pages like your homepage, about page, contact page, etc.

Without a header, your site would feel bare and lack branding. Visitors may struggle to navigate or know what your site is for.

Why Customize Your Header?

There are several benefits to customizing your WordPress header:

1. Reinforce Your Brand

Your header is prime real estate for showcasing your brand. A customized header with your logo, colors, and style helps establish brand recognition.

2. Improve Navigation

A well-organized header makes it easy for visitors to navigate your site. You can add key pages to your menu and include search functionality.

3. Add Useful Elements

Beyond navigation, you can include signup forms, social media icons, a phone number, etc. in your header to encourage users to take action.

4. Make a Unique Design Statement

A customized header is a chance to express your style. You can use engaging imagery or an eye-catching layout to stand out.

5. Match Your Content

Your header should match the rest of your design. A travel blog needs a different header than an accounting service.

How to Customize Your Header in WordPress

Now let‘s look at different ways to customize your WordPress header design:

Using the WordPress Customizer

The WordPress customizer allows you to modify certain header elements without coding:

1. Go to Appearance > Customize in your WP dashboard.

2. Look for the Header section. If you don‘t see that, your theme may not support header customization.

3. Make changes to available settings:

   • Upload a logo
   • Add a tagline
   • Change colors
   • Add a background image
   • Adjust padding
   • Etc.

For example, Twenty Twenty-One doesn‘t have header options, but Twenty Sixteen allows adding a background image:

The customizer is limited to options your theme developer included, so you can‘t fully design a custom header this way. But it‘s a quick way to modify an existing one.

Using the WordPress Full Site Editor

The full site editor lets you customize your header using blocks, like editing a post. To use it:

1. Go to Appearance > Editor

2. Select the header area to open the Page Header template

3. Click the settings icon to change layout, colors, etc.

For example, to change the background color:

1. Expand the Color section
2. Click Background color
3. Pick a color

The full site editor is only supported by certain themes right now but gives more control than the customizer.

Using a Page Builder Plugin

For full customization powers, use a drag and drop page builder like Beaver Builder or Elementor. The benefit over the above options is you can completely design your own header from scratch.

Here‘s how to customize your header with a page builder:

1. Install and activate the page builder plugin.

2. Create a new header template.

3. Drag header elements like a logo, menu, buttons, etc onto the canvas.

4. Customize every element‘s size, colors, fonts, spacing, etc.

5. Click save and set the header template to display site-wide.

Page builders allow for fine-grained control over header design. You can create any layout you can imagine!

The only downside to page builders is you typically need a paid plan to set site-wide headers.

Using a WordPress Theme Builder

Another option is to use a dedicated WordPress theme builder like SeedProd. Theme builders allow you to customize your header, footer, and other theme elements without coding.

With SeedProd, you can:

• Build completely custom headers, sidebars, footers, etc.
• Edit colors, fonts, layouts, styling, etc.
• Use drag and drop to add elements like buttons, menus, etc.
• Create multiple header designs for different pages
• See changes live before publishing

Theme builders offer similar benefits as page builders but are designed specifically for designing WordPress themes. They‘re a great way for bloggers and small business owners to achieve a custom website design.

Customizing Your Header for Each Page

So far we‘ve looked at setting a site-wide header. But you may want different headers on some pages. There are a few ways to do this:

Per Page or Post

Page builder plugins allow setting a custom header for single pages and posts. For example:

• Homepage header
• Blog page header
• About us page header
• Contact page header

Simply design each custom header and assign it to display on the relevant page.

Per Category

To show custom headers for categories:

1. Design a header for each category.

2. Use PHP code to display the relevant header:

<?php
if (is_category(‘news‘)) {
  get_header(‘news-header‘); 
} elseif (is_category(‘tutorials‘)) {
  get_header(‘tutorials-header‘);
} else {
  get_header(); // Default header
}
?>

This checks the category and loads the matching header.

Using Theme Builder Conditions

With a theme builder plugin like SeedProd, you can assign headers to pages using conditions, no coding needed.

For example:

• Header 1: All posts in News category
• Header 2: All posts in Tech category
• Header 3: Contact page

The builder will automatically show the right header per your conditions.

Design Considerations for WordPress Headers

Now that you know how to customize your header in WordPress, let‘s look at some design best practices:

Include Your Logo and Branding

Having your logo visible reinforces your brand. For best results:

• Use an SVG logo for sharp image quality
• Set appropriate margins around the logo
• Make sure your logo is clickable to go to the homepage

Provide Easy Navigation

The main navigation menu ensures visitors can easily access key pages. Tips for setting up your menu:

• Include links to important content like About, Contact, Blog, etc. Don‘t overload the menu.
• Sort menu items logically
• Make sure menu links are clearly visible and easy to scan
• Use hover effects or active states to indicate selected pages
• Option to add a search bar to the menu for easy access

Keep It Scannable

Since your header appears on every page, avoid cluttering it up. Apply these scannability best practices:

• Break up long sections into columns
• Use plenty of white space between elements
• Limit choice of fonts, sizes, and colors
• Write short, descriptive headlines
• Add breathing room between typographic and design elements

Make It Mobile-Friendly

Most visitors will view your site on mobile at some point. To make sure your header renders well on mobile:

• Use a responsive layout
• Keep important elements visible
• Minimize height to avoid excessive scrolling
• Test the mobile experience and make adjustments

Match the Rest of Your Site Design

Your header should complement the overall look and feel of your site.

• Use colors, fonts, and styles that align with your content area
• Maintain a consistent design aesthetic across pages
• Strike the right balance between consistency and making the header stand out

Common Header Elements to Include

Headers can contain a variety of elements. Here are some options to consider:

• Logo – Insert your brand logo and make it link back to the home page.

• Title and Tagline – Reinforce your brand identity.

• Navigation Menu – Make it easy to navigate to key pages.

• Search Bar – Allow visitors to search your content.

• Page Title – Displays the title of the current page being viewed.

• Featured Image – Shows a relevant image for the page.

• Call To Action – Encourage visitors to sign up, subscribe, etc.

• Social Icons – Link to your social profiles.

• Shopping Cart – Display number of items for ecommerce sites.

• Contact Info – Add key details like phone number and email.

• Widgets – Embed recent posts, ads, notices, etc.

The right combination of elements depends on your specific goals. Add elements strategically to enhance the user experience.

Optimizing Your Header for SEO

Your WordPress header offers opportunities to improve SEO and increase traffic. Here are some tips:

• Include keywords in the page title displayed in the header, but avoid over-optimization.

• Add schema markup to define the page structure for search engines. Popular schemas include FAQPage, BlogPosting, and WebPage.

• Make sure your logo and navigation menu link text uses appropriate keywords where possible.

• The header loads first, so include important keywords up top. But don‘t force keywords unnaturally.

• Keep your header code clean and efficient. Avoid errors, duplicate content, and excessive load times.

• Design your header with responsive design and accessible markup for better indexing.

Focus on creating a useful header for visitors rather than cramming in keywords. Search engines will reward you for it.

FAQs About Customizing Your Header

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about customizing your WordPress header:

How do I edit my header in WordPress?

There are a few ways to edit your header in WordPress:

• Use the customizer if your theme supports it
• Use the full site editor if enabled by your theme
• Install a page builder, theme builder, or header plugin
• Manually edit header code in your theme

Refer to the sections above for details on each method.

What is the best WordPress header plugin?

Some top plugins for headers include:

• SeedProd – Theme builder for custom headers and footers.

• Custom Header and Footer – Basic header/footer customization.

• Swift Framework – Extensive design options for headers.

• Page Builder plugins like Elementor – Build custom headers visually.

How do I change the header image in WordPress?

To change the header image in WordPress:

1. Go to Appearance > Customize

2. Find the Header Image section

3. Click Add new image and upload your preferred header photo.

4. Click Publish to save your new header image.

How do I make my WordPress header transparent?

To make a transparent WordPress header:

1. Get a theme/plugin that allows header customization like SeedProd or Elementor.

2. Access your header settings and set the background color to transparent or none.

3. Adjust text and element colors to remain visible.

4. Save your transparent header settings.

This removes the background color so the page content shows through the header.

Can I use Elementor for my header and footer only?

Yes, the Elementor free plan allows you to design a custom header and footer. Just create new templates for each and set them to display sitewide.

The advantage of Elementor is you can create any custom design. The downside is it can‘t customize your full theme without upgrading.

How much does it cost to customize WordPress header?

There are both free and paid options:

• $0 with the WordPress customizer or editing code yourself if supported by your theme.

• $0 – $49 for a basic header plugin like Swift Framework.

• $49 – $99 per year for a premium page builder like Elementor Pro.

• $39+ per year for a dedicated theme builder plugin like SeedProd.

So costs can range from zero to less than $100 depending on the solution you choose.

Final Thoughts on Custom WordPress Headers

Your WordPress header has a big impact on first impressions and ease of use. Investing time in customizing it for your brand pays dividends in the long run.

Follow the tips in this guide to create a header that represents your brand, guides visitors, and enhances user experience.

Just remember to keep your header simple, focused on user needs, and consistent with the rest of your design. With the right approach, you‘ll have a header that boosts conversions!