Choosing the right logo can be a daunting task for any business. There are many different colors, shapes, fonts, and more to choose from! To make things easier on you, we have compiled some tips that will help you make an informed decision when choosing your logo. Keep reading to find out how to use these tips to design a cohesive brand identity!
Look At The Competition
Take a look at your industry to see what the current competition looks like. You can do this on Google searches, on social media sites, and even in person by visiting local competitor locations!
This is also an excellent way of ensuring that you are not using any logos or ideas that have already been patented or copyrighted, as professionals at Red Kite Design who extensively talk about the topic have concluded. Using common sense when looking for inspiration will ensure you don’t end up with legal trouble later down the line! Taking into account someone’s copyright without permission isn’t just rude- it’s illegal. We all know how important it is to stay within the confines of ethics so use good judgment when designing your logo based on another company’s work!
Make Sure It Is Clear
Your logo needs to be easily recognizable when seen from thousands of feet away! This means that all the details you are putting into your design need to stand out. You don’t want someone who is driving or flying by to have trouble reading what your company offers at a glance, right? Make sure it looks good in black and white as well- sometimes low-quality images can make logos blurry or illegible!
When designing anything for print, always keep in mind how it will look on paper rather than on screen. While this may seem like an obvious thing to note, I’ve worked with many people who prefer their work to look aesthetically pleasing online instead of printing correctly once they get their files back. Keep in mind that your logo will be reproduced in many different forms- it needs to look good on all of them!
Consider Color
Branding is all about creating an identity for your company, and colors play a huge role in this! You could choose to go with the color scheme of another well-known brand or you could create something unique that no one has ever seen before. It’s completely up to you what direction you want to take when it comes to choosing which colors work best with your logo design.
When designing a logo make sure not to overdo it on the coloring front by making the text difficult to read if printed in black and white. This can be extremely frustrating for people who are unable to see full-color graphics, so keep legibility paramount while adding details such as gradients or shading effects. Remember these two things do not need to be mutually exclusive!
Make It Memorable
A logo is an important part of your branding efforts- it’s what people will see first when they come across your business! Make sure that the design you choose leaves a lasting impression on everyone who sees it. You want to leave potential clients with something unforgettable so that they are compelled to do business with you over one of your competitors. If someone can’t remember which company came up first in their search for new services, how likely are they going to be able to recommend or hire you?
Keep It Simple
A simple design is much easier to reproduce and therefore will be more cost-effective when it comes time for printing. You want the best quality possible while keeping costs low, right? Keeping your logo minimalistic can help you accomplish this! There are many ways in which you can keep things streamlined without sacrificing any of the qualities that make a great logo.
Designers love adding unique elements to their work but there is such thing as too much detail! A cluttered look might not mesh well with how professional your company wants to appear so try out different designs until you find one that looks clean and classic instead of busy or unprofessional. Once again, simplicity does not mean boring! Just think about Apple’s iconic apple head silhouette logo for an example of this!
Make It Scalable
Your logo may look great on a business card but what about when it’s printed large and hung outside your storefront? You want to make sure that the design you choose works in any situation! Again, this goes back to considering how something will look when reproduced. If someone is viewing your company from across the street they are not going to have perfect vision so being able to see fine details isn’t likely. This means choosing colors or an overall theme with enough contrast for people at different distances away. White text on black backgrounds might be alluring if you’re designing digital content but could actually work against you in print form.
Remember that your logo should work well on any medium- nothing looks worse than a textured or pixelated image when it’s blown up to billboard size. Make sure you are testing out all possible scenarios before the official unveiling so there aren’t any problems later down the line!
