{"id":25174,"date":"2021-06-06T15:00:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-06T13:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=25174"},"modified":"2021-06-04T14:49:14","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T12:49:14","slug":"how-to-properly-use-wordpress-logo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-properly-use-wordpress-logo\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use the WordPress Logo and Trademark Properly"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The internet is not the lawless wasteland some people assume it to be: most of the content you find online belongs to somebody and is protected by intellectual property law, such as trademark or copyright. Some <strong>content found online may indeed be free<\/strong> for everybody\u2018s use \u2013 provided you attribute it to the original creator, for instance. Even then that can only happen because the original owner wills it. Other content, such as the<strong> WordPress logo and trademark<\/strong> which we will be talking about in this article, is even more deeply <strong>entangled in rules and caveats<\/strong>, even as WordPress stays true to its central tenet of the internet being for everyone.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]And while we can\u2018t dispense legal advice, we can \u2013 and will \u2013 talk about some of the rules regarding the <strong>WordPress logo and trademark<\/strong>. Here\u2018s what we\u2018ll be discussing:[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#why-care-about-logo-and-trademark\">Why Should I Care About the WordPress Logo and Trademark?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#what-is-gpl-and-how-is-it-connected-to-wordpress\">What is GPL And How Is It Connected to WordPress?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#rules-of-wordpress-trademark-usage\">What Are the Rules of WordPress Trademark Usage?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#rules-of-wordpress-logo-usage\">What Are the Rules of WordPress Logo Usage?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"why-care-about-logo-and-trademark\"><\/a>Why Should I Care About the WordPress Logo and Trademark?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Should-I-Care-About-the-WordPress-Logo-and-Trademark.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Why Should I Care About the WordPress Logo and Trademark\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Should-I-Care-About-the-WordPress-Logo-and-Trademark.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Should-I-Care-About-the-WordPress-Logo-and-Trademark-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Should-I-Care-About-the-WordPress-Logo-and-Trademark-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Should-I-Care-About-the-WordPress-Logo-and-Trademark-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]It is often said that a large chunk of the internet is \u201cpowered by\u201c WordPress. Chances are, if you are reading this, that <strong>you are using WordPress to run your website<\/strong>, or that you are designing a WordPress website yourself. WordPress is everywhere and used by everyone.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There is <strong>a lot to be gained by being affiliated (even unofficially) with WordPress<\/strong>, and using the WordPress logo and trademark to promote one\u2019s own business or design. Just think: businesses the world over are dependent on WordPress for their profits, and developers are dependent on it for their solutions. \u201cPowered by WordPress\u201d is a powerful label &#8211; you really should know when you are entitled to use it.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Small wonder, then, that, even though <strong>WordPress is \u201cfree\u201c<\/strong> (as per GPL; see below), the owners have taken steps to safeguard the WordPress brand and trademark. These are now owned by the <strong>WordPress Foundation<\/strong>, an organization dedicated to <strong>upholding the basic principles of WordPress.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The logo and trademark of WordPress have achieved global recognition, and if you develop, distribute, or sell WordPress-related software or run your website on WordPress, <strong>you are entitled to some degree of association<\/strong> with the brand and its \u201cWebsites are for everyone\u201c ethos.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]But before we get into the details of use of the logo and trademark, let us take some time to cover the basics of licencing. What does it mean to say that WordPress is \u201cfree\u201c?<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;new-top-picks-banner&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"what-is-gpl-and-how-is-it-connected-to-wordpress\"><\/a>What is GPL And How Is It Connected to WordPress?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]GPL stands for General Public License. It is <strong>a type of license which grants everyone the freedom to download, make copies, use, and modify code.<\/strong> WordPress is released under GPL, meaning that it is free, in a sense. The extent to which WordPress is freely available is defined in the (WordPress) Bill of Rights on <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WordPress\u2018s About Page<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]This section lists the four WordPress freedoms, in order:<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">The freedom to run WordPress for any purpose;<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">The freedom to study how WordPress works and modify it as desired;<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">The freedom to copy and distribute WordPress;<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">The freedom to distribute copies of your modified software.<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Note that we are talking about <strong>WordPress the software, not WordPress the blogging platform<\/strong>. There are important <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-com-vs-wordpress-org\/\">differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com<\/a>, as they are not one and the same.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]But what does all this mean in terms of the WordPress trademark and logo? Well, while you can modify WordPress software and distribute its copies, that doesn\u2018t mean you can call it WordPress. You can, though, if certain conditions are met, <strong>distribute it under the WordPress trademark.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"rules-of-wordpress-trademark-usage\"><\/a>What Are the Rules of WordPress Trademark Usage?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]WordPress being a registered trademark, it\u2018s no wonder that the WordPress Foundation is concerned with its proper representation. On one hand, the Foundation wishes to make it <strong>easy for anyone to use the WordPress trademark for WordPress-related products and services<\/strong>, but, on another, they are keen to make it hard on anyone to profit off the trademark unfairly.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The general rule is that the use of <strong>the WordPress trademark requires permission<\/strong> from the WordPress foundation. Permission will be granted for use in a project:[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">if the project is non-profit (though it can cover its costs or contribute to non-profit entities);<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">if the primary purpose of the project is to promote the spread and improvement of the WordPress software;<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">if the project does not promote or is not associated with non-GPL compliant entities.<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]But that\u2018s not all: the trademark <strong>can be used without permission in order to refer to a product, project, or service<\/strong>, as referring or related to the WordPress open source project without claiming affiliation. This is what is probably of interest to most web developers: you can use the WordPress trademark even for commercial purposes if your business is somehow related specifically to WordPress: website design, theme design, plugin development, and the like. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to <strong>use terms such as \u201cindependently developed\u201c, \u201cpowered by\u201c, and \u201cthird party\u201c<\/strong> when describing your product, project, or service.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There is an important exception:<strong> you cannot use WordPress as part of a domain name.<\/strong> WP, for instance, is completely allowed.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]One final thing: <strong>it\u2018s WordPress, with capital W and capital P<\/strong>. If you are going to use the trademark, use it correctly.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"rules-of-wordpress-logo-usage\"><\/a>What Are the Rules of WordPress Logo Usage?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/WordPress-Logo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WordPress Logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/WordPress-Logo.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/WordPress-Logo-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/WordPress-Logo-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/WordPress-Logo-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The conditions for use of the WordPress logo are the same as the ones for the trademark, as we have explained above: <strong>if you can use the WordPress trademark, you can also use the logo.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There is one specific, though: <strong>you have to use the <em>correct<\/em> WordPress logo<\/strong>. For unclear reasons, a \u201cfake WordPress logo\u201c is widespread, and WordPress is justified in disliking that. The WordPress logo is <strong>a white letter W on a dark grey circular background<\/strong>, or sometimes reversed.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You can find several <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/about\/logos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">correct versions of the WordPress<\/a> logo on the WordPress website.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">In Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]And there you have it: the rules of correct use for the WordPress trademark and logo are clear and simple. To summarize, if your business, service, or product is in any way related to WordPress, you are basically free to use the WordPress name and logo to promote it, so long as you make it clear that you are not working directly for the WordPress Foundation.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using the WordPress logo and trademark to promote your work? Our handy guide will help you make sure you&#8217;re doing it correctly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16990,"featured_media":25271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[4,13],"class_list":["post-25174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources","tag-tips","tag-wordpress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16990"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25174"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25174\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}