Don’t Design Your Logo Before Considering These Factors

A recognizable logo is an essential part of any business’s branding. It takes a lot of work for people to start recognizing your brand, and it won’t happen if you don’t put the effort in. Having visual elements for your branding is one of the primary factors in getting your name out there. Designing a logo that has an impact and is easily remembered is a difficult task. Most business owners will work with a graphic designer to help them achieve the look they want. When you discuss what you’re looking for with your designer, you need to keep the following things in mind.

Picture via Roman Pohorecki

Be Unique

Some people might think it’s a good idea to have a logo that looks like an already recognizable one. But appearing too much like an established brand will only create confusion. You need your logo to be creative and unique, giving you your own image that speaks for your brand. It’s difficult to create something that’s original, but you need to give it your best shot. Think about your brand and what you stand for before you get started. But remember that your logo design doesn’t need to be straightforward. A bicycle company doesn’t need to have a bike in its logo, and a jewelry company doesn’t need to use a diamond or a ring.

Think Simple But Flexible

It can be difficult sometimes not to get too complicated when you design a logo. If you want to have an impact, you might be trying to do something sophisticated. But sophisticated doesn’t have to mean complicated. Keeping things simple but effective will give you a better chance of having a memorable logo. If you have a look at some of the most recognised signs in the world, you’ll see them none of them are particularly busy. They are often just a stylized name or a very straightforward icon. Of course, it helps that many of them belong to big brands with excellent reputations.

Brand and Audience

It’s essential to consider your brand and the audience you’re targeting when designing a logo. You have to think about the brand’s message and what the logo needs to do. Is your focus on practicality, or do you want to evoke emotions using the image? You should think about whether you want to be contemporary and up-to-date, or if you want something long-lasting. Will you be able to change your logo slightly in the future, but keep it still looking recognizable?

Words vs. Symbols

Some of the most recognizable symbols are just images, without words. For example, think about Apple, Mercedes and Lacoste. However, many other recognizable brands stick with their names, such as Coca-Cola. For a symbol to work on its own, a brand has to have gained a lot of traction in its chosen field. You may decide to have an icon to go with your brand name, but don’t expect to use it on its own for a long time, if ever.

Designing a unique and memorable logo isn’t easy. Working with a designer will give you a better chance, but you can also look for tools that could help you.