How to Design a Logo: The Ultimate Guide

It is unlikely you will come across a brand without a logo. A logo plays a vital role in regard to how customers perceive brands. For this reason, it is only logical for any business to have an exceptional logo. But what is an exceptional logo all about, and how to create one?

Fear not, as this guide will give you everything you need to know about designing the perfect logo for any business. Without further ado, let’s take a look as to how you can design a great logo in no time.

1. Understand the Why

First and foremost, you need to understand why a business needs a logo. Then, you will need to determine why it needs to be great.

A logo has a huge impact on how a business is perceived. It will have a lasting impact on the first impression your business makes. It will give your customers the necessary information they need so that they can determine if it is right for them.

Seeing how important logos are for businesses, you will want to make sure it is done to perfection. Since all your branding materials, packaging, business cards, and your website will have your logo on them; you cannot make do with just about any logo. A professional, great logo will communicate what your business stands for, so make it count!

2. Define the Brand Identity

Your logo has to effectively communicate your brand’s personality. To do so, you will need to explore what your brand’s personality is all about. Once you know exactly what makes your brand unique, then it will be a lot easier for you to make design choices that tell your brand’s story.

3. Find Inspiration

As absurd as it may seem, finding inspiration is the most difficult part of the design process. To make this process simpler, here are a couple of tips for your consideration:

• Brainstorm ideas and write them down. Do not ignore ideas that may seem horrible.
• Think from your audience’s perspective.
• Bring in as many people as you can for more ideas and also to get more perspectives.

4. Check out Competitors 3

If you want to find inspiration, you can also check out your competitors. There is no harm in checking out what is already out there, this way you will know what your target audience appreciates and what you should stay clear of. At the same time, while analyzing your competitors, see how they are different from your brand, and emphasize on said differences in your logo design.

Remember, you need to set yourself apart from your competition, so try something different. Do not stick to the traditional styles and designs, come up with something unique to attract your target audience’s attention.

5. Choose a Style

By now, you may have a better understanding of your brand and are feeling inspired; it is time to translate that into your logo design. There are a lot of different elements that come into play, like typography, graphics, shapes, and colors. Simply isolate each element and determine what they can do for your overall logo design. This way, you will not get overwhelmed by working on the logo design, since you will be working on each element individually.

When it comes to logo design, the first thing you will need to do is to pick the right style. Some styles for you to sink your teeth into are as follows:

• Classic – Offers better-staying power, but can look outdated.
• Vintage – Instantly reminds the audience of the past. The style is trending a lot these days
• Minimalist and Modern – Express how fresh and modern your brand is. Revolves around simple lines and minimal details.
• Quirky and Fun – The perfect choice for newer and upcoming brands. The style is all about color and using illustrations and symbols.
• Handcrafted and handmade – Perfectly suited for brands that want to portray their handmade products. The style is quite similar to vintage, but it can be combined with fun and minimal styles for a greater impact.

It is not necessary for you to stick to one style. If need be, you can mix and match these styles for your brand.

6. Choose the Right Type of Logo

Apart from the style, there are several types of logos you can choose from while creating your own logo. You can pick one that best fits your brand’s aesthetic or company name. You can even combine both to create something truly special.

Here are some logo types for you to choose from:

• Lettermarks

Perfect for brands with names that are long and hard to recall.

• Wordmarks

A straightforward way of using the company name as the logo.

• Pictorial Marks

Logos that use images to represent brands .

• Abstract Logo Marks

Logos that use geometric forms to create something unique for brands.

• Mascots

Logos that use characters to give brands a personality.

• Combination Mark

Combination of a word mark with a symbol for easily recognizable logos.

• Emblem

Quite similar to combination marks, but utilizes pictorial and word elements as well.

7. Color is Important

It is worth noting colors have an important role to play while designing logos. Colors have ideas and emotions attached to them, so be sure to learn about each color. Pick those colors that perfectly represent your brand and its ideals.

The aforementioned steps are just a few of many that can be taken into account to ensure you have the best logo design out there. Even if you just stick to the steps mentioned above, you will have a unique logo, but only as long as you are invested in creating a logo that does a good enough job representing your brand.

Remember, a logo can make all the difference in the world for your brand, so take your time and create a logo that will last for years to come. Avoid copying others, and try to stay original as possible; that is if you want your brand to be remembered.