Your logo is often the first impression of your business, and it can either attract or repel potential customers. Let’s look at seven elements of a great business logo and some common mistakes to avoid.
Elements of a good logo
A logo should do more than just look good—it’s a visual representation of your brand and what your business stands for. Here are the most important elements of a well-designed logo.
Simplicity
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that your logo needs to be complex, but the best logos are often the most simple. Nike’s swoosh and Target’s bullseye stand out because of their simplicity.
Simple logos work because they’re easily identifiable and more versatile. Most people will only see your logo in passing, and many of the fine details will be lost on them. So be wary of trying to include too many elements in your logo design.
Memorable
Just because your logo should be simple doesn’t mean it should be boring. Most effective logos have one unique feature that makes them memorable and easily stand out to viewers.
A good way to determine whether or not your logo is memorable is to ask one of your customers to describe it to you. If they have a hard time explaining what it looks like, it may be time for a redesign.
Timeless
You also want your logo to be timeless—it should be relevant to what’s going on today but not so trendy that it will quickly become outdated. If you look at companies that have been around for a long time, you’ll notice that many have had the same logo for years or even decades.
For instance, Twinings Tea has had the same logo since 1887, making it the world’s oldest unaltered logo. The McDonald’s golden arches have been revamped several times over the years but have remained a core part of the company’s logo design since 1968.
Relevant
Your logo should also be relevant to your business and industry in some way. This doesn’t have to be literal, but customers should understand how your logo represents your company.
If your logo includes an icon, it could represent some aspect of your company or its history. For instance, the Starbucks siren doesn’t have anything to do with coffee, but it represents the company’s origins.
High-quality typography
The typography you choose communicates a lot about your brand to customers. Choosing the right font can communicate likeability, whereas the wrong font could create negative connotations.
In general, it’s best to choose simple and easy-to-read fonts. Serif fonts are a more traditional choice and communicate reliability, while sans-serif fonts are more modern. Make sure to only use one or two fonts so your logo doesn’t look cluttered.
Just because your logo should be simple doesn’t mean it should be boring.
Color Scheme
Your logo’s colors communicate a strong message about your brand:
- Blue: Communicates honesty, trust, and reliability.
- Green: Communicates balance, health, and knowledge.
- Red: Communicates excitement, love, and anger.
- Yellow: Communicates adventure, happiness, and enthusiasm.
- White: Communicates order and cleanliness.
Choose colors that align with your company’s values and the emotions you want to evoke.
Versatility
Finally, you want your logo to be versatile and capable of being used in many different contexts. Your logo will appear everywhere—on your website, social media channels, business cards, and product packaging. An effective logo maintains its integrity across different formats and sizes. A skilled graphic designer understands how to create a versatile logo that works in many different contexts.
Common small business logo mistakes to avoid
Logos help customers recognize and remember your business, keeping your company top of mind the next time a customer is searching for your product or service. However, before spending money on a logo designer, make sure to avoid the following logo mistakes.
Forgetting to build your brand
A logo is just one piece of your brand—it doesn’t replace the work of building a unique brand identity that connects with your customers. Your brand identity is the overall look, feel, and message your business communicates. It includes elements like your logo, imagery, typography, color palette, core values, and tone of voice.
Don’t become so focused on the logo that you lose sight of all the other factors that create your company’s brand identity. A logo is important, but it can’t build trust or help customers understand the value your product brings.
Forgetting about the customer experience
Good design won’t make up for a poor customer experience. The first interaction someone has with your business could also be their last if you fail to meet their expectations. Over 50% of customers said one negative experience is all it takes for them to stop doing business with a company.
A high-quality logo or impressive branding won’t matter if your customer service is sub-par. New businesses should focus on nailing the customer experience before investing in logo design.
Never updating your logo
Your business will evolve and grow over the years, so your logo should change with it. Periodically updating your logo keeps your brand fresh and aligned with your current goals. Here are some scenarios when a redesign might make sense:
- Your company went through a merger or acquisition.
- The original logo design looks dated or is too complex.
- Your business is expanding into a new industry.
- Your company is launching a new product line.
There are a few natural points in a business's life cycle when it makes sense to update your logo. For instance, consider redesigning your logo after acquiring or merging with another company to form a new brand.
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