Building your logo with effective branding in mind

Your logo is the visual representation of both your brand and business. You can even say that it’s your real identity – at least to your customers. It offers a sense of familiarity and trust in the minds of your audience.

Whether you’re starting a new business or planning to upgrade your current one, you need to take a look at the following considerations to see if your logo is up to the task of being your brand’s branding frontrunner.

Is it appropriate for your business? Your logo design above all things needs to feel consistent with all your other visual assets. It must also be appropriate to serve as a symbol of your company while being authentic to your industry. Choose symbols that will let you avoid any issue between your audience and how they see your products or services.

Is the logo clear and easily understood? You don’t need to compromise a clear graphic logo by using unnecessary special effects. This includes drop shadows, patterns or bevels. Many subtle effects can be lost or look distorted across devices and platforms, this lessens the efficiency of an otherwise good logo design.

Does it follow a minimalist design? Putting too much into a logo can actually end up making it look confusing and cluttered, especially if used in smaller sizes. Do not use images or photographs that have a lot of text or fine details because this can end up in the design losing clearness when used in small dimensions. Moreover, it can also become inappropriate as your business grows over time. The best method is to stick to one, a simple symbol or shape for the maximum endurance or clarity.

Do you use the right colours? Colour gives a lot of meaning to a logo. It creates an immediate impression of your brand. For instance, yellow and orange give a feeling of energy and fun, while grey and blue inspire authority and trust. The intensity of colours also conveys meaning, with soft pastel shades being chosen in the health and beauty industries with neon colours picked by brands that are looking to make a bold impression. Flat colour blocks give visually effective than subtle shading and grading styles.

Will it serve other needs? In short, will your logo become multipurpose? It needs to work in different dimensions. It must withstand being on a billboard, but still be good enough to fit into a tiny box on websites or on social media. A vector graphic scales instantly where a basic graphics file becomes distorted when resized. Also, lots of details and text can make your logo illegible when shrunken. When designing your logo, you will need to consider your trading hours. Choosing a predominantly black design may make your business sign difficult to spot in the dark. A neon logo sign may be more suitable in this instance.

Can I have it designed? Yes, definitely. By expert designers who specialize in your industry or are connected to a top design agency. Of course, you can always take the chance and design your logo yourself. However, as said earlier, it is the face of your business and brand to the world – so there’s absolutely no room for error. You can get a logo design by simply going to a web developer or designer’s website and asking for a quote. Make sure to do your research before committing so you’ll be confident about the choice and the output.

The last key element of your logo design is you need to love it! Ask or try out different variations with your logo designer until you are fully satisfied. The logo is one of the most visible and used elements of your business, so you need to feel a sense of pride every time you see it. Best of luck with that logo!