In order to compete in the online arena, businesses have to create compelling images for their websites, social media profiles, and promotional materials. Unfortunately, small business owners usually don’t have an in-house design team to satisfy all of their graphic needs. While it’s ok to post less than stellar photos on the company Facebook page, your logo is another story. The impact of logos is up for debate, but we strongly believe in their branding power. Before you set out on a mission to design your first logo or update your image for a rebranding campaign, make sure you go in with a solid game plan. The tips below will give you plenty of food for thought and put your project on the path to success!
Top 5 Do’s For Logo Design
- Do Use Vectors – Right now you may be thinking, “Great advice, but what the heck is a vector?” Without getting too technical, vectors are ideal for logos because they are scalable, meaning you can resize them without distorting the image. Most graphic designers use Adobe Illustrator for logos instead of Photoshop because Illustrator is vector based whereas Photoshop relies on pixels. Vectors also don’t have a built-in background, so it’s very easy to save an image with a transparent backdrop. Since logos are placed everywhere, being able to modify the size saves you the headache of trying to maintain the original image quality.
- Do Keep It Simple – Apple CEO Steve Jobs said it best: “Simple can be harder than complex.” There’s a bad tendency in logo design to go overboard. But take a step back and think about the logos of well-known brands . Almost every big corporation represents itself with a pretty basic logo. The multi-nationals tend to shy away from multiple colors, cartoon characters, and unnecessary elements. Sure, an amazing abstract logo with tons of fancy swirls may look great on a webpage, but busy artwork may detract from your message. A smart, simple logo stays on point because there are no distractions to overwhelm the eye. Nevertheless, simple doesn’t mean bland; effective design finds a way to stay clean without being boring.
- Do Separate Icons and Text – This sounds a little funny because lots of logos combine the two in a way that renders separation impossible. That’s fine so long as you’re working with a designer capable of pulling it off. Otherwise, put your symbols to the side, or above/below the text. There will come a time when you find yourself having to go with the text only version, so this technique helps you prepare for these situations in advance.
- Do Think Versatile – Remember that your logo is something that may eventually end up on a button, sticker, magnet, or company uniform. You want a design for all seasons, so to speak. It’s also a good idea to sample the image in several different colors just in case you decide to change it up for a themed advertising campaign.
- Do Consider Your Brand Image – Many of the most recognizable logos don’t really tell you anything about what the company actually does. Case in point: the infamous Nike “swoosh.” Nike sells sporting goods and apparel, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by their logo alone. Still, the curved check mark symbolizes the brand by conveying movement and achievement. Ask yourself what your brand really represents, what is your brand’s persona? If you’re having trouble with this, It may help to think of your brand as a person with an individual identity rather than as a company.