Logo Development: If your business doesn't have a strong logo, it probably won't sustain itself.
That's a lot of pressure for logo development.
So how do you find out what makes a logo strong?
Making a logo isn't easy, no matter how many times you've done it, but understanding what goes into logo development will give you a way to get started.
Look at these seven tips to help you create a strong logo for your company.
1. Understand the three Basic Logo Types for Logo Development
The first step in creating a good logo is understanding the different types of logos out there. This will give you a good starting point, especially if you've never made a logo.
There are three basic logos, so they should fit into one of these categories when you're finished creating your logo.
Symbolic Logos
These logos are made of simple symbols. The symbols represent what the company is or does, literally or abstractly. Though a symbolic logo should immediately make people think of the company, they're less direct than words.
The best symbolic logos are memorable and recognizable.
Here are a few examples:
- Nike's swoosh
- Disney's Mickey Mouse
- Shell's red and yellow shell
- Apple's apple
- Pepsi's globe
Even without seeing them, those logos probably popped into your head. If you design a symbolic logo, it should be something simple that links back to your company.
Wordmark Logos
A wordmark logo is made entirely from text, but this text is styled in a unique font for your company. This may seem easier than creating a symbol. Still, every type of font comes in thousands of different possibilities, and each of these variations will make your audience feel other things.
These types of logos must be easy to read and recognize.
Take a look at these examples:
Each logo is a wordmark, but its font and style are unique.
To make a wordmark logo, you need to understand different fonts' meanings. For example, script font is usually associated with formality, thick fonts make people think of strength, and slanted font conveys a sense of movement.
Combination Logos
As the name suggests, these logos combine symbolic and wordmark logos. In other words, they contain both images and text.
Here are a few recognizable examples of combination logos:
In some cases, the text in these logos is integrated into the symbols, but the text and the symbols are separate in others.
2. See What Your Competitors Are Doing
You may not think this is a priority, but checking out your competitor's logos should be one of your first steps. Seeing what they've done can be helpful for a few reasons.
First of all, it gives you ideas. Do you think their logo's characteristics are compelling? (This doesn't mean you should copy competitors' logos. Just use them to gather ideas.) Maybe you can find a way to take it, change it, and make it your own.
Seeing a competitor's logo also gives you an example of what to avoid. You want your logo to stand apart from everything else, so knowing what has been done can help you develop ideas for your company.
3. Make It Timeless
Your logo is the visual representation of your company. That means it could be around for several decades.
Look at modern logo designs, but avoid things that may go out of style in a few years. For example, building your entire logo around an internet meme is a bad idea.
Something like that will lose popularity quickly, leaving you with an old or dated logo. So, ensure your logo will look just as good in ten years as it does today.
4. Make It Versatile
Your logo should be simple enough that it's clear and recognizable no matter what you do with it.
Picture Apple's apple logo. Whether it's grey or rainbow doesn't change it. So you can still recognize it as Apple's logo.
And depending on how you use it, your logo could change colors several times.
Your logo could end up on T-shirts, bags, business cards, etc., so you can make it in different sizes without losing clarity.
5. Make It Mean Something
The best logos tell a story. Your logo should tell two different stories. One should be obvious, but the second should be more hidden.
Take Toyota's logo, for example.
The three ovals represent something different—the outer circle of Toyota's expansion goals. The two inner ovals symbolize faith and trust.
But when you look at all those circles, they make the basic shape of a steering wheel.
Customers like original logos, especially if you can show them the more significant meaning.
6. Choose the Right Colors
Designing your logo in greyscale is fine initially, but you need to pick the right colors at some point.
Don't go overboard here. Stick to two or three colors; experiment with different shades if that's not enough.
And remember, each color will make your audience feel something different.
Red: energetic, bold
Orange: youthful, creative
Yellow: optimistic, sunny, antique (some shades)
Green: natural growth
Blue: trustworthy, professional
Purple: high-end, wise
Pink: romantic, feminine
White: pure, medical, clean
Black: Powerful, sleek
Brown: historic, rural
Think about the emotions you want your customers to feel, and use your colors accordingly.
7. Hire a Graphic Designer
As you can tell, it takes a lot of work to create a strong logo, and a less-than-perfect logo won't cut.
If you don't have experience developing logo concepts, refining them, revising them, and perfecting them, you should hire someone to help.
This doesn't mean you can't be involved in the logo-making process. On the contrary, you should still develop ideas and colors you like and give constructive feedback when your designer presents you with drafts. But a graphic designer knows what to do, and they'll help you create the best logo for your business.
Take Your Time with Logo Development
Creating your logo will take some time, so be patient. But, on the other hand, don't settle for something just because you want a logo quickly. Spending time on each logo development step will ensure a suitable logo.
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