Have you ever seen a great brand without a logo? nope That's because there aren't any. A logo has a huge impact on how your customers perceive your brand. Of course you want your logo to get noticed.

But how does it get there? Don't worry! This handy guide will teach you everything you need to know to design the perfect logo for you and your business. From defining your brand identity, to understanding what makes a great logo, to making the right design decisions and navigating the design process, read on to learn how to design a logo.

 

Here are the most important steps to designing a logo:

1.   Understand why you need a logo

2.   Define your brand identity

3.   Find inspiration for your design

4.   Check out the competition

5.   Choose your design style

6.   Find the right type of logo

7.   Pay attention to color

8.   Pick the right typography

9.   Communicate with your designer

10.   Evaluate your logo options

11.   What not to do when designing a logo

12.   Integrate your logo design into your brand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understand why you need a logo

Business really is like dating: you try to attract the right customers and make them fall head over heels in love with your brand. So think of your logo as your dating profile picture. It will get people interested and trying to learn more about you (or swipe left because it's not for them). So you want to look good, right? Your logo will have a huge impact on the first impression of your business: it will give your customers
information about your brand and let them know if it's right for them.

Because your logo is such an important part of your brand, you want to make sure it's done right. All of your branding materials will feature your logo. You will stare at your customers from your website, packaging and business cards. Make it count! A great professional logo design not only has the power to communicate what it stands for.

It will also make a good first impression and help you stand out from the competition.

 

Define your brand identity

You want your logo to communicate your brand personality. And to do that, you must first understand what your core brand personality is. Once you have a clear idea of ​​what makes you unique and what your brand is about, you will have a much easier time making design decisions that complement and complete that image.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself, to get to the bottom of your brand identity:

·       Why did we start this business?

·       What are beliefs and values that are important to us as a company?

·       What do we do better than anyone else?

·       What makes us special?

·       If we could describe our brand in three words, what would they be?

·       What are the three words we would want our customers to use to describe us?

 

 

Find inspiration for your design

The hardest part of the design process can be finding inspiration for the logo. Luckily, we have some tips for you that will make it really easy. Maybe you're a conceptual person and like to start brainstorming verbal ideas. A proper brainstorming session may be just what you need to determine the look you want to achieve. Here are three steps to help you extract the best creative logo ideas:

Follow the brainstorming rules: Brainstorming is all about pulling out all the ideas (even the really bad ones) and writing them down. Even a terrible idea can start a conversation that leads to a great solution. Think like your audience: Make a list of words that describe your brand and how you want it perceived. Think like a person in your target group and always think about what would be important to them. Include everyone: One person's brainstorming is fine, but just
diversity will do the magic.

Bring together people from all departments or even friends and business partners. The more perspectives, the better.

 

Check out the competition

The best place to borrow ideas? your competition! Take a look at what's already out there, what's resonating with your audience, and what to avoid. As you look at these other companies, think about what makes them different from you and how you can highlight those differences in yourlogo Design.Make sure you stand out from your competition.

If every other company in your industry is monochromatic, you might want to choose a color that will stand out. If everyone else is traditional, maybe a fun, modern logo will catch the eye.

 

Choose your design style

Now that you have a clear idea of ​​your brand and are feeling inspired, it's time to translate it into design. This is where many different elements come into play, from colors, shapes, and graphics to typography. By isolating each one individually and what it can do for your logo, you can take things one step at a time rather than being overwhelmed with the entire design at once. When thinking about your logo, the first thing to do is choose the right design aesthetic for your
brand. There is no one style that fits everyone, only what is best for your brand.

Classic - Fashion logos can be fun and exciting, but they can quickly become outdated. A classic style gives you better staying power and can help you reach a larger audience. This aesthetic keeps it simple and doesn't go crazy. Color palettes, graphics or fonts. A classic style shows people that you are reliable and down to earth.

Retro or Vintage: There's a reason vintage and retro designs have been in fashion for quite some time. They immediately evoke the past and evoke romantic nostalgic feelings. A vintage logo shows customers that you care about history and that everything you sell is done right. Distressed, hand-illustrated logos in brown and beige color palettes work beautifully with this aesthetic.

Modern and Minimalist: Brands often choose a clean and minimalist style to communicate how fresh and modern they are. This style uses lots of white space, minimal detail, and simple lines that often result in sleek, stripped-down logos. A minimalist and modern style The style shows your customers that your brand is current, cool and knows what matters. Funny and quirky:

This is a popular option for brands with a young (or young-at-heart) audience. The fun and whimsical style tends to be colorful and cute, often using symbols or illustrations to create a positive and friendly environment. Go for a whimsical style. a mascot or a cute illustration to let your brand's playful character shine through.Handmade and handcraftedThehandcrafted style sends a clear message: this brand is individualistic and stands for handcrafted quality.

The style works well in combination with other aesthetics like vintage to really get the message across. But it can also be combined with minimalist and fun styles for a simple and sophisticated or bright and youthful look. Can't pick just one? Of course, these styles aren't mutually exclusive—just mix and match to suit your brand. For example, your branding can be handmade and fun at the same time, just look at how the quirky illustrated logo for The Crafting Cactus sets it apart from
.

 

Find the right type of logo

In addition to the general style, there are 7 main types of logos to choose from when creating your logo. You can choose the one that best suits your company name or overall aesthetic, or mix and match them to create something unique. Lettermarks (or Monogram Logos): Lettermark logos can be a great way to enhance your company logo, especially if your name is too long or difficult to remember. Many companies use their initials, just think HP, CNN or H&M.

These monograms are great for minimalist logobut keep in mind that they don't convey very well what your business is about. Wordmarks (or Logos): Wordmarks are a very easy way to use your company name as a logo. Give them personality and recognition, it's all about typography, just look at the wordmark logo for ONE. If you have a big name for your brand, this could be the perfect way to showcase it.

Design marks (or logo symbols): Design marks or logo symbols are what we think of when we hear the word “logo”. They are iconographic images that are easily recognizable and represent your brand with an image. You can choose something simple or more complex, but be sure to choose an icon that creates a unique connection to your brand. These are often paired with a wordmark (you know, so customers know your name...at least until you're on par with Apple and Target in terms of brand awareness of
).

Abstract Logo Marks: Abstract Logomarks aren't recognizable symbols, but geometric shapes that don't create an immediate connection to an existing image, but instead create something entirely new for your brand. symbol that is truly unique to you. The Printy logo shows how modern an abstract icon can look while still having a lot of personality. If you want your abstract logo to evoke a certain mood or feeling, discover
meanings of

various geometric shapes of logos. Mascot –Mascot Logos are a fun way to add personality to your brand. These are usually colorful cartoon characters that represent your business in a familiar and approachable way, like the cheerful gadget mole above. Combining character:

A combination mark does exactly what it says on the can: it combines a symbol with a word mark to create an easily recognizable logo. The brand name is placed next to the symbol or integrated into the graphic element, as designer ludibes demonstrates with the Brite Side logo. People will associate both elements with your brand, so you can use them individually or together. Emblem: Like combination marks, emblem logos are often a combination of
word and picture elements.

They usually consist of text embedded in a symbol or icon, e.g. B. insignia, seal or coat of arms. Rockwell's lighthouse emblem shows how these traditional shapes can give you a classic old-school look.

 

Pay attention to color

Colors can have many different meanings. The psychology behind color is complex, but in short, colors are associated with specific emotions and ideas. To learn more about color theory, be sure to read this in-depth article. Guide to logo colors and their meaning.

Red: Red stands for excitement, passion and anger. It’s a great choice if your brand is loud, youthful and wants to stand out.

Orange: Orange is much less used than red but it’s just as energetic. This is a vibrant, invigorating and playful color.

Yellow: If you want to look accessible and friendly, yellow is the right choice. It gives off a cheerful, affordable and youthful energy.

Green: Green is extremely versatile and can work for any brand really. It’s especially perfect for anyone who wants to establish a connection to nature.

Blue: Blue is a very classic and common choice. It is calming and cool and symbolizes trustworthiness and maturity.

Purple: Purple can be your ticket to looking luxurious. Depending on the shade, purple can be mysterious, eclectic or feminine.

Pink: If you’re going for girly, nothing works better than pink. But that’s not all! With shades like pastel rose, millennial pink or neon magenta, pink can give your logo a grown up and cool, but still youthful and feminine look.

Brown: Brown may sound like a strange color choice at first, but it works perfectly for rugged and masculine vintage logos. It can give your brand a handmade, unique and aged look.

Black: If you are looking for a sleek, modern and luxurious look, black will be a great choice. A minimalist black and white logo is the way to go if you want to keep it simple.

White: You want your logo to look clean, modern and minimalistic? Use lots of white in your logo. As a neutral color it works in combination with all other colors, but adds a clean, youthful and economical touch.

Gray: Gray is the ultimate color if you want to achieve a mature, classic and serious look. Darker shades look more mysterious, while lighter shades are more accessible.

 

 

Combining colors:

Of course you don’t need to stick with a monochrome logo using just one color, but you can combine several logos colors to tell a complete brand color story. To choose colors that work well together, take a look at the color wheel.

 

·       Complementary colors lie directly across from each other on the color wheel. They bring out the best in both colors and create a very dynamic look.

·       Analogous colors fall close to each other on the wheel. If you want your logo colors to be harmonious, these will work well together.

·       Triadic colors draw from three equal sections on the color wheel. Pick these for a stimulating and bold effect.

 

 

Pick the right typography

You want to choose a font that complements and completes your logo. There are 4 basic types of fonts that you can work with to give your logo a unique look: Serif Fonts - See how the font gives the Avalon logo a sleek and timeless look. How does it look like? Serif fonts can make your logo look classy and premium.

Serifs - Serifs are the little "feet" at the end of the letter that make it look a little more dated. They are very versatile and look great with any type of design, but they go particularly well with vintage, elegant or classic. Drafts.

Sans Serif Fonts – Sans serif fonts are perfect for a clean, modern look. They don't have the small feet that serif fonts have, which makes them look very elegant and simple.This works great for modern branding, like the cool, minimalist Delta Salt logo above.

Scripts: Scripts are reminiscent of handwriting. Use them to make your logo look more customized, like the Moon Rabbit logo above.

Display fonts: Display fonts are decorative typefaces that are highly stylized and really catch the eye. Take a look at the Perfect You logo above, which uses a screen font to give the design a fun '70s twist. Your typography can become really strong when you combine different logo fonts together. This guide will show you how to choose fonts for your brand.

Now that you have an idea of ​​all the different elements that make up your logo, you need to make sure they work together. You want to combine them harmoniously to create the desired mood. Skincare brand Voany's logo leaves no doubt that this is an elegant and natural high-end brand that uses a blended mark in an organic shape, a classic serif font, and a natural brown and beige color palette. Reflect Academy, on the other hand, is considered disruptive and eye-catching by, which combines a modern font with colorful, abstract shapes for a fresh and unique look.

 

Communicate with your designer

Now that you have considered all the necessary design points, you can start designing! There are many ways to get a logo, so you need to consider which one suits you best. Agency, logo contest, 1-to-1 project or logo maker? Different prices come with different qualities, and all options have their pros and cons. For a good overview of your logo options, check out this comparison of the best ways to design a logo.

Read more about how much your logo design should cost here. We may be biased, but we believe a logo design contest is the best way to get a logo. To ensure your design comes out perfect, the first rule when working with your designer is to communicate clearly. Writing a clear creative brief is your chance to show your designer who you are and what you need.

Make sure you give them as much information as possible about your business and style so they can create something truly unique for you. Sometimes a little trust in your designer is required, but try to be open to suggestions. .Remember, your designer is an expert and has a great idea of ​​what makes a good logo. Plenty of clear, detailed feedback gives designers an understanding of what they like. It may sound cheesy, but it's true: the best design comes when you and your
designer work together.

Evaluate your logo options

Evaluating your logo options can be difficult. So get feedback from friends, potential clients, and co-workers to help you make a decision. What makes a good logo? A good logo is instantly recognizable, reflects your brand message, and makes you stand out. out. An effective logo looks professional and fits perfectly with a brand identity. A great logo should also work at any size and anywhere you choose to use your logo.

A good logo:

1-is unique and distinctive

2-is memorable

3-works at any size, anywhere

4-reflects your brand identity

5-it's timeless

 

But how do you make a good logo? Here are some general questions to ask yourself when evaluating your logo options:

1-Can you tell what it is in 2 seconds? Will people immediately know what your company does?

2-Is it simple and memorable? Will your customers remember it?

3-Is it versatile? Can it be applied to all your branding needs?

4-Is it timeless or would you need to redesign it? in a few years?

5-Is it unique?

 

Is it different from its competitors?6-Is it attractive to your target audience?Of course, when you sell children's clothing and you need a design, your brand's needs and expectations for a logo are very different. Logo that can be sewn into fabric, whether you're making a high-end fancy wine with an intricate label or a high-tech app that lives on people's phones. So don't forget to step back and look at the bigger picture as you design your
logo.

It's not about personal taste, it's about what suits your brand best.

 

What not to do when designing a logo

There are some common pitfalls that await you when you’re designing your logo. Here are some tips on what not to do:

·       Don’t give in to the clichés of your industry. You’re a dentist so your logo needs to have a tooth in it? Definitely not. Here’s how to avoid generic logos.

·       Don’t make it too complicated. Simplicity is key for a memorable (and printable) logo.

·       Don’t try to be too trendy. Trends are fantastic, but make sure your logo won’t look dated in three years.

·       Don’t settle for a low quality logo just to save a few bucks. Your logo isn’t the place to skimp and oftentimes you get what you pay for.

 

Integrate your logo design into your brand

Now that you know how to design a logo, what's next? Once you have your logo, you have created the ideal foundation for all of your company's branding needs, whether it's business cards, packaging design, or web design. Your logo sets the tone for your style, color palette, font, and overall image. It's the starting point for your branding material and your designer will be able to create a perfect look for you. And so your company is ready to show the world its new
face!