A logo forms the first impression of your brand. It defines your company and communicates its identity to your customers. But that’s not the only reason why logos are important.
Think about it.
There are over 30 million small businesses on Facebook alone!
If you’re just starting out, it can be extremely difficult to stand out from the competition.
A good logo can help you do that.
So, how do you create a good logo?
For beginners, designing the perfect logo can be a daunting task.
“Where do I start? What colors should I use? Am I using the right font?”
First of all, calm down. It doesn’t have to be so complicated!
In fact, if you’re thinking too much, you’re not doing it right. Instead of working hard, it’s better to work smart.
Here are 7 useful logo design tips to help you get started:
1. Know Your Brand
Before you even think about creating a logo, do your research and understand your brand inside out.
Your logo represents the identity of your brand. If you don’t know your brand’s story, how do you expect to communicate it to your customers?
First of all, understand what you’re selling. What is the purpose of your business? What problems do your products/services aim to solve?
Next, it’s equally important to know who you’re selling to. Who are your target customers? What are their likes/dislikes? How would you define their typical lifestyle?
Once you’ve identified your brand’s personality, it’s easier to present it visually through a logo.
If you’re selling children’s toys, for example, a playful and colorful logo might be a better fit than a monochromatic, serious-looking one.
2. Be Creative and Original
Just like you differentiate your products and services from those of your competitors, you need to be original with your logo designs.
It’s usually a great idea to take inspiration from the best logo designs around the world, especially in your industry.
And why not? There’s a reason why they are successful in the first place.
But, here’s the catch:
Take inspiration, yes. But never copy someone else’s design.
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but plagiarism is illegal. And you can get into serious trouble for that.
Always be original. Even if you do take inspiration from another logo, give it a unique and interesting touch of your own.
Also, don’t forget to be creative.
If you’re a car company, your logo doesn’t need to be a car. It can be a bird representing freedom – if that’s what you’re about!
Take a look at Nike’s logo, for example:
Is it shoes? Or sportswear? No.
It’s a swoosh.
But, it does represent the core value of the brand: performance!
While designing a logo, always remember your brand story. In the end, your logo needs to reflect what your company is all about.
3. Pick the Right Colors
Choosing the right colors can improve your readership by 40%. They can help make your brand more visually appealing and easy to read and understand.
But, be very careful about the colors you choose for your logo!
According to color psychology, humans tend to associate certain feelings and emotions with different colors. For instance – using bright and bold colors might seem like a good option, but they might make your brand come across as aggressive.
To help you better understand what each color represents, here’s an infographic released by The Logo Company:
If you choose the wrong colors, your customers might end up associating unwanted feelings and emotions with your brand.
It’s very important to first know your own brand values, then use the right colors to communicate them effectively.
4. Keep it Simple
A good logo isn’t always a complicated one with multiple fonts, colors, and intricate artwork.
In fact, the best logos are usually the simplest ones – like, Apple’s apple!
If you’re a beginner, don’t waste time by getting into the technicalities of logo design. Try to keep things as simple as possible.
Don’t overcomplicate the design by adding multiple colors, gradients and symbols in it. You might end up giving a bad impression to your potential customers.
Say yes to minimalism. Remember – less is more!
Also, simple logos are more flexible.
This is important because businesses now work across multiple mediums – print, web, social media, and more.
Your logo will be displayed everywhere; not just outside your office, but also at the top of your website and on your merchandise.
Opt for simple designs that can easily be used for various purposes and still look great!
5. Don’t Lose the Name
There are several different types of logos you can use:
Most brands use a combination approach: symbol + the name of the company. But there are others who only use a symbol, or a Logotype (the name of the company as the symbol itself).
For a new business, the company name is just as important as the symbol. And their logo would not be effective without it.
Brands that use only symbols – e.g. Nike and Apple – have been advertising themselves for years. That’s why they now enjoy the luxury of being recognized only through their symbols.
New businesses need to first form the association between their names and symbols, before they decide to lose the name.
Another option is to go for a Logotype from the very beginning.
Like IBM does:
6. Get Customer Feedback
If you’re going to use your logo to sell to your customers, why not take their opinion?
To test out the impact of your logo design on your future customer, try rolling out a sample for them and see how they respond to it.
Better yet, start a logo competition!
Involve your customers in the process and you’ll end up with a clear, compelling and relevant design.
And if your customers know they contributed towards the creation of your logo, they’ll actually relate to it on a more personal level. This can translate into positive associations and loyalty for your brand!
7. Use the Right Software and Tools
If you’re a beginner, it’s important to use the right software!
Most professionals use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for logo creation. If you’re new at this, though, it might take you a lot of time trying to learn these on your own.
Again – why work hard when you can work smart?
For beginners, we recommend using an easy-to-use online logo design tool – like Renderforest.
The website lets you create an awesome-looking logo in minutes! All you need to do is type in your company’s name and what it’s all about.
The design tool’s AI takes into consideration both the company’s name and its description, and shows you tons of ready-to-use logo designs to choose from.
You can even customize the logos to suit your personal preferences. There’s something for everyone. The best part – it’s completely free!
Ready to Create Your First Logo?
Creating a logo can seem like a daunting task – but it doesn’t always have to be that way.
The tips and tricks above will help you design a gorgeous logo that reflects your brand identity and gets you actual results in no time.
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About the author
Mr. Arslan Riaz is an entrepreneur, marketer and writer. He can provide you best and quality services for SEO, and articles writing. Moreover he is customer manager of Eyet.org where you can find him providing best services for SEO, article writing, logo designing and some other services related to information technology.
