If you think your brand’s logo isn’t a crucial part of your business, you will have a tough time raising it. Logos may look simple but successful ones are packed full of wit, originality, appeal, and style. Something that your potential clients want to wear or trust, not otherwise.
People don’t want to be associated with a brand that feels embarrassing to display – which is why people plaster themselves with flashy Gucci clothing and post their Starbucks drinks on Instagram.
When starting a business venture, the one thing in mind among business owners is to stand out. The more you stand out, the more people will recognize your business. And in business, being recognized goes a long way. Whether you’re a first-time business owner who knows the technicalities of creating a brand logo or not, this blog should be able to help you on how to choose a logo.
So, even if you’re going to hire someone to create a logo for you, it’s better to have a guideline like this to know so you know how to design a logo for business.
So what should you do to make your logo stand out and bring income to your business?
After endless research and studying, we came up with 6 of the most important steps to creating a logo for your business.
1. Your Logo Should Speak For The Brand
Your logo will be a visual representation of your brand, even without any words, it should be recognizable just by the mere design, shape, or color.
Amazon’s logo, for example, has gone through lots of changes as the company transformed from selling books online to becoming the number one e-commerce company that sells everything – A to Z.
Now, the clever arrow rendition starts from the letter A pointing to the letter Z – which visually translates to the customers as a company that has everything, A-Z.
When you’re creating a logo for your business, bear in mind that it should be unique. Other symbolic examples that speak to themselves include:
- Gyms using a barbell or bicep graphic
- Barbie’s iconic shade of pink
- Target Store using a simple dartboard
- Taco Bell with a bell icon
These examples resonate with what people identify them with and it helps when you’re trying to make an impression using your logo.
If you’re thinking of hiring a really cheap logo artist to create your logo, think twice. You could end up getting a very generic logo, which won’t help you in the long run, no matter how cheap the deal was.
The idea is to think of what words people are using to describe your brand and capitalize on those words to create a logo. Now, you’re turning your logo according to what your customers resonate with, and that should be your priority.
2. Spice Up Your Logo With The Right Color
Spicing up with color doesn’t mean that your logo has to be super colorful and flashy. It can still work even without much color – even black and white. It turns out that black is often used as an expression of strength, tradition, and trust which is why so many established businesses use the color black in their logo.
To add, the color of your logo speaks the message of your brand. Red ignites passion, excitement, and danger. Yellow is for warmth and happiness. Gold is prestigious, expensive, and elegant. The list goes on, but I'm sure that you can envision the logos associated with these colors.
If you want to know how to create a logo even if you aren’t familiar with color combinations, take a look at this chart below. You can imagine a drink like Fanta to be cheerful, friendly, optimistic and playful – exactly like how the color orange is described.
Nike uses a simple black check as a logo, defining itself as efficient, powerful, elegant, and luxurious. Facebook being a social media platform is blue because it wants to appear secured, trusted, confident, and serious.
3. Familiarize Yourself With Different Types Of Logos
I’m sure you know that there are different types of logos and they can become categorial. It’s important to look for what you want or don’t want in a logo for your business based on what’s already existing, and from there, you can narrow down your choices.
If you have a basic idea about the different types of logos, then you will know how to choose a logo for your business. Here are a couple of examples for your reference:
There are so many logo types that you can use to create your own, but make sure to stick with something that will help people recognize your brand and remember its name.
4. Be Timeless, Don’t Follow The Trend
Trends aren’t a bad thing. They can be really good for business. But not when it comes to creating a logo. Trends, as they are, tend to fade away after some time. And you don't want your business to fade away into the background just like the logo it was inspired from (your clients will associate it with your business, of course!).
Take a look at classic fonts from Disney, Coca-Cola, or Nike. The one thing they have in common is having a unique and timeless logo. Disney was founded a hundred years ago, but you wouldn’t think that their logo is ancient or that it reminds you of your great-grandma.
Most importantly, the goal is for your brand to be recognized anywhere and anytime.
5. Choose The Right Font
A bad font can cause a setback in your business. This is mainly because fonts play a huge part in creating your brand’s identity. If you want your business to make a bold statement, use thick and edgy fonts to emphasize its statement.
Figure out what your brand is all about: is it quirky, serious, luxurious, minimalist? There are tons of fonts out there that you can use – even simple ones. For example, did you know that skype’s logo is just the arial font? It’s super simple, yet there’s character because of the surrounding elements. So for this, you can experiment using a simple font but with imaginative elements.
6. Balance The Elements In Your Logo
There are different elements to consider when creating a logo. There’s the font, color, shade, shapes, and icons. You should be able to strike a balance when combining these elements to form what would be your brand's logo.
As an example, if you plan on creating a logo following a monogram design, then having a clean space between the letters is your goal. Ensure that it looks professional and the color scheme doesn't take away from the letters. Stick with a more conventional color theme.
If you want to make a bold statement, choose a bold font that represents the mood of your business. Balance it out with a simple color palette and vice versa.
Business Logo Checklist
To wrap up and make sure that you have everything checked out for your logo, here’s a summary of how to choose a logo for your business.
- Create a logo that represents your brand’s value the most – it will make your brand recognizable and memorable
- Pick a color that matches the vibe of your business
- Take inspiration from already existing and well established brands – what are they doing and how can you implement them to your logo
- Choose the right font. Just like having the right color, a good font should reflect with your business
- Stick with a timeless design and become unforgettable
- Find balance in your logo. If you want to be loud, pick an element that screams the most – but don’t make every single element scream
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
If you have more questions about designing a business logo, here are the answers.
What is the golden rule of logo design?
What sets a good VS bad logo?
To figure out whether your logo is a good or bad, here are some things to keep in mind:
- A good logo has a meaningful concept behind
- Good logos perfectly visualize what the business stands for
- A good logo successfully conveys the message of the brand
- Aesthetics aside, your logo should represent your brand’s values
What should be avoided when developing a logo?
The world of business is a competitive one, with so many options to choose from, it’s hard to stand out and be trusted. You need to make sure that your logo embodies your business and resonates well with your target market.