logo designit can be intimidating. From conducting competitive research to selecting colors, fonts, and shapes, there's a lot to decide. To help you through the process, and create a standout identity for your business, we asked 16 branding experts for their top logo design tips. Read for inspiration!
1. Be distinctive and timeless.
“A brand is not a logo. It is the emotional and collective space that your organization has in the minds of your audience. The logo is just a spoke in a bigger wheel and acts as a stepping stone to a bigger brand story and richer brand experience.
There are four key qualities for a great logo:
- Simple:Great logos are iconic, timeless, and the core from which the other elements of your brand are built.
- Important:It's not the logo that does all the legwork - it's the images, ideas, color, type, and expression of that logo and with the logo that become associations in the minds of your audience.
- Memorable:All great logos are instantly recognizable and memorable.
- Scalable:The best logos are easily scalable, which means they look great no matter the size.”
– Sunny Bonnell, Founder + Director of Vision daMottoand author ofstrange breed
2. Make it work.
“For me, a logo is 'great' when it works: designers are not artists, we don't need to create something beautiful, but we do have to create logos that work. These are memorable, recognizable, functional for the project: these are for me the characteristics that make a great logo”.
– Pierpaolo Chiaravalloti, director of the en branddesire
3. Focus on your target audience.
“The best brand connects with the most specific target market possible, not all of them. A very focused look directed at this audience will connect the brand with the audience.
The message, channel, and tone should be based on the characteristics of the best target demographic for that business. Focus on who you are attracting, not your personal style or taste. Get out of the design.”
– Kyle Golding, CEO and Chief Strategic Idealist,the golden group
4. Tell a story, convey a feeling.
“The best logos tell a story and convey a feeling. Every time we develop an identity, we start with deep discovery and brand positioning, and our identity work builds on that strategy work. We also make sure to design logos with context in mind – where will it go?
On which products will it be necessary to apply it? How will the client use it? This means that the final product is never a surprise to the customer and feels like the living, visual version of the brand's story."
– Amanda Lee Smith, Partner atcreative monday
5. Get a second (or third) opinion.
“When you are in the process of creating a logo, you may miss some important details. Always have a second set of eyes to spot things you may have missed.
Once you have your logo design concept, always take the time to check for any hidden words, meanings, or even cultural misunderstandings. You don't want to end up on someone's "fail" list. Try to find people (preferably from your industry) and ask for their feedback.”
– Ivan Spasojevic, merchant,Ucraft
6. Start a conversation.
“A good logo has to have something for the viewer and the viewer.
In other words: it must respond to the most basic needs such as the recognizability and interpretation of the simple idea attached to the product or company it represents. But there is another level for those who really look at things. There has to be visual poetry, it has to generate conversations and stories”.
– Pablo Juncadella, Director of Design daMuch
7. Create a positive perception.
“A good logo must make a strong impression of what your company is, it must quickly create a positive perception of the purpose of your company among your target audience.
A good logo should also be extensible, easily applied to each and every touch point of your brand, content, website, social media, email, packaging, etc.
– Dain Walker, Founder and CEO ofvictory front
8. Avoid generic sources.
“If I had to give you one top piece of advice when designing a logo, it would be to avoid common typefaces.
While this may be obvious to most designers, it is not for many companies and organizations. Unique typography in logo design is an extremely easy way to look professional.”
– Erik Pitzer, Graphic Designer,Illuminate8 Marketing and Public Relations
9. Make it easy to see.
“A great logo design is all about simplicity. It has to be memorable and still be easy on the eye. You need to tell the viewer in a single image what your company, business or service is about.
– Gaby Salazar and Alex Román, Owners ofspicy mint
10. Prioritize simplicity above all else.
“The designer behind Twitter's famous bird icon once told me his general rule of thumb for logo design: 'Just do it with a trick.' I love this focused approach as it forces you to prioritize simplicity over excessive design.
Some of the smartest companies today are the ones with the easiest solution to a problem, and that philosophy extends to branding."
– Leif Abraham, CEO and Co-Founder,AND COMPANY
11. Make your logo scalable.
“Your logo should communicate your brand's personality, values, and tone through your style, concept, and color choices. With that in mind, something that is often overlooked is how it will scale.
Make sure your logo is a vector of the highest resolution quality and that it is scalable and easily identifiable and memorable.”
– Christine Lieu, founder ofCL projects
12. Be authentic.
“Your logo must be able to reflect the values of your company, product or service. You are the brand, you are the source of authenticity, and the role of the logo is to be a vessel for conveying those qualities to your audience.
The logo is not what makes the company; In many ways, the company makes the logo. The Nike logo is nothing more than a check mark unless it is connected to the quality, the stories and the marketing of Nike, the company.”
–David Langton, presidente,Langton Creative Group, Ltd.
13. Stand out with color.
“First, it is essential to know who your competitors are. That way you can assess what colors and fonts are currently being used.
Color is one of the most identifiable components of a visual identity, so if no competitor uses a specific color relevant to your brand, it's a color you can own as a business, allowing you to immediately stand out from the crowd. effort.
Being aware of competitor logos also ensures that you select a typeface that is not being used in the marketplace. Just make sure the font you choose has the right associations with your business and brand, not different for the sake of being different.”
–Ian Paget, Founder,logo geek
14. Analyze your competition.
"The biggest question I ask myself when criticizing logos is 'What is the competition doing?' A lot of detail, research, and effort goes into logo design, and every single one of your competitors (at least those with established brands) have already gone through the process.
Are there common fonts or colors? Is everyone trying to give a similar impression? If so, what is it?
Companies spend tens of thousands of dollars on a design and still end up with a logo that does not represent them or their industry well.
Use your competitors' decisions as a set of checks and balances to help you make better decisions (and probably save bundles in the process)."
– Kenneth Burke, Director de Marketing,text request
15. Make it memorable.
“As your business begins to grow, your brand will become one of the most valuable assets in your business. You have to create a story from scratch that you can scale and that your first customers will still remember.
Of course, there are many other components to a logo, but making it memorable is by far the most important. It is what identifies you as a company and keeps you relevant.”
– Andrés Tovar, Commercial Director,noetic trader
16. Make your logo your flag.
“If ‘design is the silent ambassador of your brand,’ as the incomparable Paul Rand said, then your logo is the flag they fly.
A great logo has the power to communicate your brand's unique belief, set you apart from the competition, and unite your tribe."
– Damin Sterling, Senior Designer,BLVR
Start creating your logo!
We hope these logo design tips have helped you in the branding process. Check out our full guide onhow to create a logoso you can create a logo you can be proud of.