Your website header sits at the top of your pages and does a lot to set the tone of your site. You can use a header image from your theme, upload your own image, build a header with HTML, or display header text.

Permission required: Designer.

To open the header tools, go to Website > Design > Header from your admin dashboard. The page has four tabs:

• Template Headers — choose a ready-made header image for your theme.
• Upload Header Images (recommended) — upload your own header image.
• HTML Headers (advanced) — build a header with custom HTML.
• Header Text — control the text and fonts shown in the header.

Some of these options are not used by newer themes.

Template Headers

Select the option next to the image you want, then click Save and Continue. Your website updates right away.

Upload your own header image (recommended)

Uploading your own image is the best way to make an instant connection with your visitors and set the tone for your site. Most themes use a wide, panoramic header, so for the best result upload an image in that proportion.

1. Click Choose File, select an image from your computer, and click Open.
2. Choose either Header Background Image or Full Header Image, and check that your image meets the size requirements shown for your theme.
3. If you chose Full Header Image, pick an alignment from the menu.
4. Click Upload to add the image to your Header Library.

Uploading an image adds it to your library but does not change your current header. To use it, click Make Default under the image in the library.

Image files must be in JPEG, GIF, or PNG format. If your file is a .tif or another format, open it in a photo editing program and save it as a .jpg first. Files must be less than 16 MB.

HTML Headers (advanced)

This option requires knowledge of HTML. If you are not comfortable with HTML, use one of the other header options instead. Enter a header name and your HTML in the box provided, then click Save HTML Code. The header is added to your HTML header library; click Make Default next to it to use it.

Header Text

By default your header uses the name and company name from your contact card. Use Header Text to control exactly what text appears and how it is styled.

1. Click add line to add a line of text. Click Delete under a line to remove it.
2. Enter your text, then choose a font style and size, set bold if you want, and pick a color.
3. Choose a Horizontal Alignment.
4. Click Save Header Text. A preview appears at the top of the section.

Use good judgment with these settings — for example, avoid dark text on a dark header, and keep the text size from pushing your layout out of alignment. You may need to preview your site and adjust until it looks right.

Header Text does not affect your page if you are using an HTML Header or a Full Header Image.