When done right, your logo can convey in a single image what you usually need several full sentences to accomplish—the overarching qualities and purpose behind your brand. Better yet, it’s an immediate callback to what you’ve already managed to convey about your business. Concise, memorable, and lasting, a great logo builds that instant connection wherever you place it—whether it’s on your products, your website, or your marketing materials.
For that reason, it’s crucial to get your logo right. Here, we’ve compiled some tips for creating a memorable logo that will stand the test of time:
1. Help build a brand identity.
The primary function of your logo is to help you create a unique brand identity that all your branding elements will carry to your clients. First, spend time cementing what your business and your brand represent. What’s your target market? Your inspirations? Your business ideology? Your logo should support all these aspects.
2. Choose your tone.
Next, spend time determining the qualities your business needs to display to gain client trust, express authority in your sector, and appeal to users unfamiliar with your offerings. Do you want to convey strength? Versatility? Gentleness? The individual elements of your logo will work together to portray your brand the way you wish.
3. Stay true to your niche.
Your logo should convey the qualities of your brand as well as your sector of business. If you’re in the financial industry, for example, your logo should evoke values and feature elements that match it. Consider all design elements carefully when it comes to both brand identity and sector of business.
4. Choose colors carefully.
While you need your brand to stand out among others and catch the eye of your potential clients, consider the colors you choose very carefully. For example, red is an eye-catching color used in the food industry because it stimulates hunger. Green often represents wealth and financial enterprise but can also indicate an eco-conscious business. Blue traditionally represents trustworthiness, while black can indicate strength and authority.
5. Consider local and regional culture.
Remember that what works in one area may not work in others. If you have clients overseas, it’s well worth researching any phrases, symbols, or colors you use to ensure they don’t hold any negative connotations. Conversely, certain color combinations may carry positive connotations, such as colors that represent local sports teams or hold regional significance.
6. Choose fonts carefully.
While at a bare minimum, you need to choose a font that is legible and easy to read, put some serious thought into the tone your font can set, as well. For example, a bold, powerful font can convey a bold, powerful brand. On the other hand, a softer, more playful font can work well for a child-oriented company.
7. Move the viewer’s eye from left to right.
Conveying motion can cement your brand as a forward-thinking, progressive business. Consider the way the Fed-Ex logo pushes the viewer’s vision to the right, directing attention to the next thought ahead. If forward progress is a desirable focus for your brand, utilize this same motion within your logo.
8. Consider how your logo will be portrayed online.
Today’s business landscape is represented predominantly online—for that reason, your logo will appear in multiple places online, including your website, social media, and the appropriate e-commerce sites. Make sure your logo is scalable (reads well in various sizes as well as in grayscale) and will command attention by “popping off the screen” when your clients are online.
9. Keep it simple.
You want your logo to convey all the emotions and motivations that represent your brand identity. If viewers have difficulty deciphering its meaning or are distracted by too many colors, however, they’re not committing it—or your brand—to memory. When in doubt, simple is often better and can be much more powerful.
Whether you need help developing your brand identity, upping your web design game, or developing a logo to unify the two, the professionals at Arca Interactive can help. Contact Arca Interactive today for all your logo design needs.
