First impressions matter, and your logo is one of the earliest things a potential client will notice. So obviously, you want your logo to be the best logo you can possibly get. Starting the design process of your new logo may sound daunting, but don’t fret. An amazing logo design is well within reach with this article on hand.

At the top of your business card, set as the profile picture of your socials, in presentations - your logo is everywhere. It represents your brand, so naturally, you want it to be good.

Designing a logo is no walk in the park. It requires specific skills and experience. Let’s unpack what defines a good logo and, more importantly, how you can get one.

What is a logo?

Before we jump to any conclusions, first things first: What is a logo? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a logo is “a design or symbol used by a company to advertise its products.”

So at the very basics, a logo is a symbol. But don’t let that definition fool you because they can be so much more. It can help customers understand who you are, what you value, and what you do. That’s a lot of responsibility for just a symbol. A well-designed logo is the perfect visual representation of your brand.

The importance of a good logo

Being the proud owner of a good logo is vital for your company. It illustrates key information about your company and makes you stand out from your competition. This helps both potential and existing consumers of your brand recognize you.

If you’re not convinced yet, think about a few highly successful brands. Chances are, you can picture their logos in your mind without looking them up. And if you ask us, those are some priceless assets right there.

Of course, your branding is a perfect blend of multiple elements, and just having a fantastic logo isn’t going to make the difference. But a logo is often the first glimpse consumers will get of your brand. Let’s see how you can make that first impression last.

The characteristics of a good logo

With so many different fields and industries, there is no one size fits all formula for a fantastic logo design. If only things were that easy! However, when you think of an exceptional logo, chances are they have one or more of the following characteristics.

A good logo helps consumers understand who you are

Your tiny logo can do many great things, such as helping your consumers understand who you are as a brand. A well-thought-out logo doesn’t use just any color or typography. It carefully uses colors, a typeface, and imagery to its advantage.

Choosing different design elements wisely will help consumers understand who you are at first glance. You can show in which industry you operate, your target demographic, and your brand values, to name a few examples.

A good logo makes you stand out from the crowd

When designing your very own logo, it is not the right time to be shy or humble. No other business is exactly like yours, and it’s important to act like it. People want to go off the beaten track, so presenting them your unique logo will make them want you even more.

On a different note, your logo must be unique and recognizable because you don’t want to violate any copyright laws. A logo that looks far too similar to a competitor is a risky business.

A good logo promises high quality

Would you purchase from a webshop that has a grainy logo with pale colors and text you can’t decipher? Neither would we.

When it comes to logo design, there are a lot of specifications to keep in mind. You want to make sure that each showcased logo has the same high-quality visuals and the same colors. Therefore, skimping on the logo designing process is unwise, to put it lightly.

A good vs. a bad logo

It only takes a tiny design slip-up to go from a good to a bad logo. No pressure, right? Before embarking on your logo quest, it’s not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of bad design.

With the devil in the details, let’s go over a few things you definitely shouldn’t do when attempting to design the best logo for your brand.

Clichés

Picked a purple lotus symbol for your new yoga studio? Although we have nothing personal against the color purple and the lotus flower, we wish you good luck standing out in the sea of other purple lotus yoga studios. Avoid a cliche by doing your research and thinking outside the box.

Overcomplicate things

Our brains like things simple. Overcomplicating your logo and throwing in too many elements will make it complex and unremarkable -key characteristics of a bad logo. Focus on simplicity and recognizability instead of pouring everything into your logo you can think of.

Being trendy

No matter how fun and exciting a trendy logo may look right now, it can become outdated quickly. Choosing a classic design will help build long-term recognition. Additionally, it shows people your brand is reliable.

Being stingy

Saving a few bucks to hire a cheap designer can end disastrously. Chances are, the project will be executed in a hurry (which is never a good idea when it comes to designing a logo). We recommend finding someone specializing in either logo design or brand identity design.

If you want to turn your logo design into a DIY project, there are so many things to consider. The best logo colors for your brand, for example. Or: What adobe program is best for logos?

A quick Google search on “What adobe program is best for logos?” will show you that you need Adobe Illustrator. Apart from the monthly fee, it will take a lot of time to get the hang of this specialized program. It might be well worth it to consider hiring someone proficient at graphic design already.

How to create the best logo for your brand

With the do’s and don’ts imprinted in your mind, it’s time to get real and start the process of designing your new logo. Great logos don’t just come out of anywhere. We’re here to guide you through the steps to make it as foolproof as possible.

Know your brand

If you’re unsure about what exactly you stand for as a brand, your logo will tell. So the first step towards the best logo for your brand is getting to know your brand.

You may think you already know your brand very well since you’ve been there from the beginning. But being too close to something may blur your vision. Take a step back and be as subjective as you can.

There are a million questions you can ask yourself to get to the bottom of your identity. Involve your employees as well as your target audience to get different perspectives. Here are a few examples to get you started:

• Why did we start this company?
• What can we do better than anyone else?
• In which three words do we want to be described?
• What makes us unique?
• Who is our ideal customer?

Do your research

Now that you’re fully acquainted with your brand identity, it’s time to lay the groundwork. Of course, you should research colors, fonts, and all the other fun stuff. Pinterest is a great tool to build a mood board that captures your vision.

In addition to your mood board, you should also do some digging and find your competition. Your competition is the best place to get inspired. About what works well, and more importantly, to avoid ideas that don’t work at all. We don’t want any copyright issues, nor do we want a design fail.

Make a mood board of your design preferences before spying on your competitors. If you see your competitors’ logos first, it can be difficult to erase these visuals from your memory and be objective about your design.

Combining your mood board and inspiration from competitors will lead you to the best logo design for your company.

Find a designer

Once you have your vision established, it’s time to bring it to life. Before you hit Google with a ‘best free logo design site’ search, you might want to read this bit.

A professional graphic designer specializing in logo design can make all the difference.

Finding a quality graphic designer to design your logo for you will save you a lot of time. Sounds expensive? Bear in mind; a well-designed logo can become a priceless asset to your company. It can be the difference between consumers choosing your brand or your competitor’s.

From a freelance graphic designer to a subscription-based service, the possibilities are endless when it comes to finding a designer. Not sure how to get this show on the road? Our guide on how to find a quality designer might help.

Launch your new logo

Got your fantastic-looking logo? Congratulations! Now there is one final step, which is to integrate your new logo.

Nailing your logo launch needs to be a carefully executed operation like designing the logo in the first place. Spending extra time to think things through is recommended.

Send high-quality versions to your employees, change your profile pics, or go all out and throw a reveal party. Follow these steps for a successful logo change:

1. Make a checklist of every place you can find your logo. Carefully think this through, as not changing your logo everywhere at the same time can result in confusion.
2. Make the logo changes to any stationery and other material items first. This may take a little longer, so it’s best to put this in motion straight away.
3. Don’t rush the launch. Make sure you drop plenty of hints to grab your audience’s attention.
4. Get creative! Ask your designer to make a flashy video that introduces your new logo or host a sharing action on your social platforms.

A well-thought-out launch can mean the difference between creating excitement or just a lukewarm acceptance.

After going through the rollercoaster of carefully crafting the best logo for your company, it deserves all the cheer it can get.