Your logo is the cornerstone of your brand identity and although small in stature it has to carry a lot of weight on its shoulders.
It has to grab the attention of your audience, it has to convey your brand personality, it has to distinguish your brand from your competition, and it has to be memorable.
Also Read : Psychology of Color in logo design
But, how do you ensure your logo lives up to expectations?
In this post, we will share 8 tips that will help you nail your Graphic Design Free that hits the mark.
#1. Understand Your Brand Personality
Before you start the design process, you first have to understand the brand personality you want to convey. This will impact the color choice and also the types of fonts you use.
For example, is your brand fun or serious, modern or traditional, luxurious or modest.
#2. Research Your Competition
While you don’t want to copy your competitors, it’s good to get an idea of their logo styles. This will give you an idea of common design elements such as icons and shapes, and also colors and fonts that are synonymous with your industry.
This is a good starting point that puts you in the design ballpark of what resonates with your target audience.
#3. Decide on Your Logo Type
There are different types of logos. Depending on your industry you might find that some types of logos are more prevalent than others.
Wordmarks – these are logos that comprise of text only, there are no other design elements.
Lettermarks – these initials based logos, for example, ‘H&M.’
Icon-based logos – use iconographic images to represent your brand. These type of logos often work in tandem with Word Marks, but they can also stand on their own once a brand is established. A great example of an icon-based logo is the Nike swoosh.
Mascots logos – these logos look like badges or emblems they are commonly used by sports teams and vintage type brands.
#4. Choose an Appropriate Font
The font you choose is key to conveying your brand personality. There is a wold of fonts available, but there are only four basic font families.
- Serif fonts are used to express timelessness, luxury, chicness. Ultimately they have a high-end, elegant, classic feel.
- Sans fonts are modern; they have a clean look – Google, Facebook both use these types of fonts in their logos.
- Script fonts have a handwritten look, they are commonly used by Eco brands or businesses that want to convey a vintage or homemade feel.
- Display fonts, these types of fonts are big, bold and fun, they are great for brands that want to appeal to kids.
#5. Choose an Appropriate Color
The use of colors in logo design goes beyond the aesthetic. Colors have a psychological impact on your audience, they elicit emotions and invoke feelings, and you can use this to your advantage to convey your brand personality and values.
For example, Red is associated with passion, anger, and excitement. Blue instills calm, and feelings of trust. Orange is youthful and energetic.
There is a whole science around color psychology so ensure you make use of its power in your logo design.
Also Read: Easy Logo Design Tutorial: How to Make Logos in Canva
#6. Less is More
With logo design, less is more. So, keep your design simple. Don’t go overboard with colors, or use fonts that are too intricate, the same is true of other design elements.
The more simple your logo, the easier it will be for your audience to remember, which means it will have more of an impact.
#7. Avoid Design Trends
The best logos stand the test of time. Sure, you can update and change your logo as part of a brand refresh, but when you design a logo, you want it to be relevant for many years.
To ensure you get good mileage from your design avoid incorporating design trends and fads that although in-vogue might be old-hat in a year down the line.
#8. Remove Unnecessary Touches
This last tip is in-line with keeping your design simple. Your logo is only complete when there is nothing left to subtract. Which means getting rid of any design flourished or touches that are not necessary.
This will give you a final design that will be the best representation of your brand. Until you feel that you have reached this stage, your logo isn’t finished.
Now It’s Your Turn
Designing a logo is fun. But, it’s not easy! It requires a lot of thought, research, and brainstorming but if you get the basics right and follow the above tips, you will craft a logo that will position your brand and business for success.
If you have any tips that you think are also important, please let us know in the comments below.