Are you searching for logo design tips to help your brand stand out in today’s crowded marketplace?
It will interest you to know that the average person sees about 5,000 logos each day.
If I see your logo will it stick in my mind, or will it be just one of those other five thousand logos that couldn’t make an impression?
Not sure?
This is for you.
Whether you need a logo for your new business, or you want to rebrand your already established business to give it the eye-catching look it deserves, we’ve got you covered.
Today, we’ll share 10 logo design tips to help you stand out, make lasting impressions, and own your place in the hearts of your customers.
What truly makes a great logo?
Although the smiley face of KFC’s Colonel Sanders, and the simple swoosh of Nike don’t look alike, they’re arguably two of the most memorable logos ever made.
At the surface, one may think that making great logos is a random process, and some brands just got lucky, or their logos stand out because they’re already established.
But that’s not the case.
A great logo captures the essence of a brand, its values, and personality, and is also appealing to its target audience.
The best designers have a systematic way of making great logos. So it doesn’t matter whether you’re into real estate, beauty, wellness, law, or any other profession.
You too can have a great logo that represents you well.
10 Logo Design Tips
Here are 10 tips and tricks to keep in mind when designing your logo. These are the things world-class logo designers think about consciously or subconsciously.
1. Understand your brand
If Nike’s logo were the face of its founder alongside its name, would it have been as memorable? Most likely not.
Remember that your logo is a representation of your brand. If you’re not clear on your values, personality, and who you’re trying to attract, you could misrepresent your business.
Understanding your brand not only helps you pick the right *type of logo*, it also guides your choice of color and font.
You can start by asking yourself if your brand is fun and cheerful like food chains, or more professional like law firms and medical practices.
Are you trying to evoke a luxurious feeling or a more inclusive atmosphere?
2. Sketch ideas before designing
Once you’re clear on your brand, what it stands for, and the perception you want to build in the mind of your target audience, it’s useful to sketch logo ideas on paper before touching your computer. Sketches don’t have to be detailed, you’re only trying to come up with ideas.
Going straight into designing without preconceived ideas can keep you stuck in a loop.
Sketching different variations helps you explore different logo ideas on paper before picking the best. Implementing the design becomes easy.
3. Simplicity is key
The best logos are simple. Think Nike, Apple, and McDonald’s.
While it’s essential that your logo captures your brand’s values and personality, and appeals to your target audience, you don’t want to cram everything about your brand into a logo.
Distill your brand into 2 to 3 words, its essence, and create a logo that represents it well.
4. Think about prints and publications
Consider how your logo will look on different print materials and platforms like your website, business cards, t-shirts, mugs, pens, caps, packaging materials, etc.
Designing with usability in mind helps you keep your design simple and adaptable to different scenarios.
You can try out mock-ups.
5. Start with black and white
It is advisable to start your design with black and white, and only add colors later.
This way, you get to focus on the essentials of your logo, making it simple and adaptable to different formats.
6. A timeless logo will serve you best
Your logo isn’t something you should change every now and then. It should serve you for decades, with minor modifications to keep up with the times.
While it may be tempting to jump on trends, you risk making a logo that would become obsolete in a few months.
Don’t chase trends. Design for the long-term.
7. Ensure elements are proportionate and aligned
This is especially important if your logo contains text elements. Having proportionate elements and aligning them appropriately creates a positive perception in the subconscious mind of your customers.
Many decisions we make happen in our subconscious mind. Deciding to interact with a brand after seeing its logo is one of them. Subtle differences in proportions and alignment can be the difference between people perceiving your brand to be professional or seeing it as sloppy.
8. Use no more than 2 colors
If you decide to add colors to your logo, 1 or 2 is recommended. 9 out of 10 of the world’s top 100 brands use only one or two colors in their logos. Some logos have successfully used 3 or more colors. But there’s a high chance of missing the mark and making your logo more complex than it should be by adding more than 3 colors.
Also, ensure the color you pick matches your brand or the feeling you’re trying to evoke in your customers/target audience.
For example, blue usually signals trust, and yellow/orange evokes feelings of cheerfulness.
9. Confirm that your logo is yours
You’ve done everything right. Your logo looks perfect. You can now sit back and rest yeah? Not quite. You need to scour the internet and ensure the idea you just brought to life doesn’t already exist.
If you don’t confirm that your logo doesn’t look like a duplicate of someone else’s logo, you risk being dragged into a lawsuit for trademark violation.
A simple Google image search cuts it. Furthermore, you should trademark your logo, to prevent others from copying your hard work.
10. Save your logo in a scalable format
The last tip is to save your logo in a scalable format, such as SVG of EPS. These are called vector file formats. When you save your logo as vector files, it can easily be scaled up or down without affecting the quality, alignment, and proportions of your elements.
Any colors will render properly, and the elements will be clear.
Do’s and don’ts of designing a logo
Infographic – The do’s and don’ts of designing a logo
Why Get the Perfect Logo?
A brand’s logo is like the face of the company. It is usually one of the first parts of your business a customer sees or interacts with. Therefore, you need to create a logo that can speak well of your brand and make a good first impression.
You’re most likely not going to be there to explain what your business is all about when a customer first sees your logo.
Given that the average viewer spends only 5 seconds looking at a logo, it’s essential you put in the effort to make yours memorable.
Frequently Asked Questions about Logo Design Tips
What should be avoided when developing a logo?
Some things not to use in a logo include images, too many colors, and multiple fonts. Also, many businesses don’t need to include excess information like the year founded and the slogan of the business (schools and a few other organizations may add them as a show of pride in their heritage).
How can I make my logo unique?
2 ways to make your logo stand out include using your brand name to make a wordmark logo or designing an abstract logo from scratch.
Examples of brands with wordmark logos are Disney, Coca-Cola, Google, SONY, and FedEx.
Examples of abstract logos that stand out include Nike, Toyota, Mastercard, Spotify, and Apple.
What is the most attractive color for a logo?
There’s no right answer to this question. Color choice for a logo depends on your industry, target audience, and brand personality.
Different colors represent different feelings and ideas and make people react differently.
Nevertheless, blue is the most used color for logo designs by Fortune 500 companies, followed by red.
What makes a logo stand out?
To make an unforgettable logo, you have to research your industry well, notice patterns and common themes in the existing logos, and then create something that doesn’t follow the general pattern.
Conclusion
On one hand, creating a logo for your business might come off as a trivial thing, just another box to tick in the routine steps of setting up a business.
But once you realize the weight your logo carries, you might be tipped off to the other extreme of feeling overwhelmed and not wanting to miss the mark.
Need Help With Creating a Logo?
Here at Suffix Designs, we specialize in creating logo and marketing designs that give businesses the perfect face to attract their target customers.
To get your unique logo send a message now.