Last updated on January 7th, 2020
Image Source: mashable.com
A business needs a lot of different things to be successful. If you’re a business owner working on developing a start-up, you’re probably worrying about a million and a half things every day. But out of all those different concerns and issues to keep your mind on, there’s one critical, yet seemingly small, factor you need to ensure about business logos. If you haven’t already figured out how you’re going to get a business logo made, it’s time to do so. If you’re a logo designer trying to create that perfect logo for a client, then it’s time to continue reading these great logo designing tips.
1. Colors to Catch the Eyes
As you might imagine, the color of the logo is rather important. But color is important for more than just giving a logo vibrancy and life; color is important in its absence as well. This means that a logo that looks fantastic with color needs to look fantastic without color as well. Not every instance that a logo is presented will have color, so when a logo is in black and white, it needs to be just as distinct and memorable as it is in full colored attire.
When looking at what colors might go best with a logo, Mashable provides a great list of colors and what they represent.
- Red – bold, energetic, sexy
- Yellow – inventive, optimistic, sunny
- Green – organic, growth, instructional
- Purple – evocative, spiritual, wise
- Blue – tranquility, trustworthiness, professionalism, medical
- Orange – youthful, creative, friendly
- Black – power and credibility
- Pink – flirtatious and fun-loving
- Brown – steady, historic, rural
- White – purity, cleanliness, simplicity
2. Custom Type Can Be Awesome
When creating a business logo design, another important aspect to pay attention to is the type and font. There are a lot of different font’s out there already available, and some have developed quite a reputation. So while it’s up to you to decide which of those you want to use, it may be a better idea to develop a custom font of your own for the logo. As Design Hack discusses, a custom-made font is one of the best ways to make a logo completely unique. And while it won’t be a surprise when someone tried to rip it off, those imitations will never match perfectly, and they’ll do more to remind consumers of the original logo over the rip-off.
3. Look at the Good and the Bad Out There
There are thousands upon thousands of logos already out there; enough to make it seem like true originality is gone. However, that’s not the case. What you can do with all those logos is study and research them to see which work well, which are just ok, and which are truly horrendous. This study can help give you inspiration for new creations while helping you steer clear of bad routes. If you’re interested in going deeper into logo history and study, David Airey suggests visiting sites like LogoPond, or visiting your local library and checking out some logo design books. Additionally, design sites like Designhill can be fantastic resources for not just logo information and inspiration, but also tools, news, and suggestions.
4. Get Inspired to Make Your Own
As you may have guessed from the previous couple sections, originality and uniqueness are key components to a successful, powerful logo. One of the worst things that can happen with logo design is having your logo mistaken for another. To avoid this, 99 Designs suggests paying close attention to the color, shape, symbolism, and flow of your logo design. If something looks to similar to a current logo, get rid of it.
5. What’s the Message?
A business logo is more than just a symbol for that business and brand; it’s a message to the consumer. As such, Entrepreneur highly suggests taking the time to figure out what the logo is supposed to tell the consumer. Will it be lighthearted or serious and to the point? What sort of audience is it supposed to draw in? A logo isn’t just a symbol, it’s a statement.
6. Don’t Be Clichéd, But You Can Be Literal
If you’re even slightly tired of some clichés, there are plenty of people who despise them even more. Clichés may seem like an okay route to take; they are not, period. Using a cliché in a logo is an excellent way to break down any level of credibility a business has. However, being literal can totally work. As Forbes discusses, just look at logos for companies like Puma, Greyhound, Apple, and Red Cross. Their symbols are literal interpretations of their names and as such, they are instantly recognizable.
7. Timelessness Trumps All
When discussing instantly recognizable logos, the best of the best are those that have been around for decades or more. A logo that doesn’t need to change with the times is the epitome of logo design. As the Dallas Morning News discusses, creating a logo that can survive for years without change is the best way to ensure a brand’s place in society. Just look at Ford and Coca-Cola; their logos are pretty much the same as they were a century ago.
