What is a logo?

What a loaded question!

A logo is more than just a simple text or image we attach to our business. It’s a symbol; a message that says not only what your business is, but who it is.

In this blog, we dig deep into the significance of a logo and why its a necessary part of your brand, no matter how big or small your business may be.

What is a Logo?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a logo as an “identifying symbol” or “identifying statement”. Think about that for a moment… a symbol and a statement.

That’s a lot to pack into a 2D image or text, yet that’s exactly what businesses do. They package their identity, their brand, and their purpose into a small representation of who they are and what they do.

It’s effective, too. Think about the logos that stick into your mind today:

• McDonald’s golden arches
• Nike’s swoosh
• Starbucks’ two-tailed mermaid
• Apple’s half-eaten… well, Apple

You get the point. They stick with you as a mental image of the brands you’ve come to know. It’s a symbol and a statement that embodies the business.

Why Does My Business Need a Logo?

Big or small, corporate or independent, your business needs a logo. It’s used in multiple aspects of your business, from your print collateral to social media, advertisements, and products.

Your logo plays a key role in marketing and branding, including:

• Business cards
• Uniforms
• Letterhead
• Signage
• Banners
• Promotional materials (shirts, mugs, pens, etc.)
• Website design
• Social media accounts
• Email signatures
• And more…

Simply put, it’s everywhere you are: online, on paper, and in person. It’s a first impression packed into a glance.

When done right, people will remember your logo, and, in turn, your business. But if you design a poor logo, it can make your business appear unprofessional or forgettable.

That’s why quality matters. You achieve this by putting conscious thought into your design. Below you’ll find tips on how to create a logo that your customers will keep top-of-mind.

How to Create a Logo

There are two main options for designing a logo: you can hire someone to create one for you or do it yourself. There are pros and cons to each option and deciding which is right for your business depends upon your budget, skills, and tools.

When you hire a graphic designer, you hire someone who is trained in logo design. He or she will have both the expertise to help you choose a color scheme and design that looks professional.

Depending upon the graphic designer’s level of experience, you can expect to pay less than $300 (on average) for a logo design. This includes mockups, proofs, edits, and your final design.

However, if you’re just starting out with a small business or you already have a keen idea of your logo design in mind, you may choose to create a logo yourself. There are several resources available to help you do this.

If you already have experience in design, all you really need is a design program, such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. But if you aren’t a design guru, you’ll need a little more help.

That’s where logo maker programs come into play. These typically easy-to-use programs are complete with stock graphics and fonts. You don’t need any design expertise. Instead, the program walks you through the design process step-by-step.

What to Consider Before Designing a Logo

Whether you hire someone or plan to tackle your logo design yourself, there are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind as you hit the drawing board.

1. Aim to Stand Out

Forget what’s trending and what you’ve seen before. Your logo should be unique to your business. Think outside the box.

Start by identifying what makes your business unique from its competition, then expand on that. Drive your special attributes home with a special logo that sets you apart.

Some businesses may use an animal in their logo they feel represents their company’s culture and mission. UC Browser is a great example. They chose a squirrel because it’s fast, smart, and strong.

The animal has a personality, which influences their brand’s voice.

2. Consider How Your Idea Will Look in Black and White

It’s important when designing a logo to make sure it looks good no matter how it’s printed. This includes grayscale formats.

A best practice is to design your logo in black and white first. This will keep you from getting too attached to a color scheme only to realize it won’t work.

You can always add color to a black and white photo, but it’s much harder to fix a color logo when you realize it disappears or doesn’t make sense when converted to a colorless format.

3. Keep It Simple and Scaleable

Simplicity is important in a logo. It should be easy to recognize at a glance. Whether your design is shrunk to fit onto an address label or enlarged to cover a trade show banner, people should be able to read and recognize it.

As you design your logo, take out any excess or unnecessary details. Also, make it a point to test it out in different sizes. This will help you prevent or correct problems before you present your logo to the public.

4. Give It Meaning

All good logos have meaning. That meaning may not be philosophical or life-changing, but it does have to make sense. Before you settle on a logo design, ask yourself what it means to you or your business.

This answer may be as simple as a word or as complex as a narrative. So long as you can explain it, you’re good to go!

Whip Up Your Next Logo Online

If you’ve just discovered the answer to “What is a logo?” and realized you desperately need one of your own, don’t fret! We have the perfect solution. With our online logo maker, you can whip up a custom logo in minutes.

Get started with our free logo making program now and start breathing new life into your brand.

Have you ever seen a logo that didn’t look right? Considering all the ways a logo can go wrong, it probably happened.

Some logos completely miss the mark; they have nothing to do with a company’s product or service and confuse customers. Others are too flashy or over the top, making them hard to use for various sizes and surfaces.

Then, there’s the matter of whether or not a company uses vector format logos. This is an essential part of logo creation. A logo can only do so much for you if it’s saved as a PNG file or it’s rasterized.

In fact, this goes for all graphic design as a whole – whenever you can save something as a vector, do it. If you aren’t sure what a vector is, keep reading to find out more about logo vectors and why they’re the best choice for a logo.

What Are Vector Format Logos?

To create something in a vector format is basically the cleanest way to create a digital design. Vectors are made of mathematic equations instead of color pixels. This allows them to scale as large as a billboard and as small as a logo for a business card without compromising quality.

Rasterized images, PNGs, and other file formats, on the other hand, will be pixelated when the sizes change in such dramatic ways. Not only that, but the proportions of a design may change as well. This looks blurry, it’s hard to understand, and it’s outright sloppy.

Thankfully, you can avoid such a situation by always saving your logo as a vectorized logo.

Beware that vectors can be rasterized, but rasterized images cannot become vectors. You always have to start with the latter, then use the former if you happen to need it.

More often than not, though, you can do everything you need with a vector logo. If you’re still not convinced that this is the optimal file format to use, check out the following reasons to make a vector logo.

5 Reasons to Make a Vector Logo

Before you start making excuses as to why you shouldn’t make a vector logo, consider all the reasons this is of benefit to you. Then, look into how to make this happen – which is arguably going to be easier than you think, considering all the vector illustration software programs out there.

Here’s why you should design a logo with such a program.

1. To Have Something Ready for All Your Campaigns

Think about all the various uses of your logo.

One day you’re using it to design company t-shirts, and the next, you need it for a sign or banner of an event you’re sponsoring. You’re also going to need your logo if you ever redesign your website or need new product packaging designs.

Other uses of a logo include business cards, car wraps, and promotional products of all kinds. Even if you’re not planning on using some of these things now, you never know what may happen in the future. It’s always better to be prepared for situations like this than to be playing catch-up.

2. To Put Watermarks on Company Images

Just as you’re going to have to make a logo bigger and smaller for all the uses above, you need a logo to watermark images too.

Think of all the professional company photos you’ve paid for and invested your time in. Don’t you owe it to yourself to make sure these don’t get stolen and reused without your approval? A vector logo can help you prevent such copyright issues.

When you use your logo to watermark a photo, it’s practically impossible for someone else to use it. Think of this as a form of insurance for all the content you’ve worked hard to create.

3. To Save Time

Speaking of working hard, how long does it usually take you to put a marketing campaign together?

Whether it’s digital or print, it surely takes a significant amount of effort to go from idea generation to completion. Having a vector logo ready can speed the process.

Instead of having to make a new version of your logo every time, or finding ways to compensate for pixels and blurriness, you can get the perfect image no matter what the campaign involves.

A vector logo makes it easy to create large uses of your logo one day, then scale it down the next.

4. To Save Money

When you save time, you save money. This is especially true if you aren’t much of a graphic designer, or if you don’t have one on your team. If you didn’t have a vector logo ready, a situation like this would mean you would always need to hire someone in order to make your logo the right size for a certain project.

Considering all the marketing that goes into a business, that’s a lot of back and forth and plenty of transactions to get a clear logo image at the ideal size. Save yourself the trouble, the stress, the time, and the money by making your vector a logo right off the bat.

5. To Express Your Level of Professionalism

The final benefit to consider is your brand as a whole. No one is going to take you seriously if you have an illegible logo on your business card or a sloppy design on your company apparel.

It’s in your best interest to always look sharp, which is exactly what a vectorized logo can help you do. Regardless of the logo design, this is the main thing that will preserve the integrity of the overall aesthetic appeal.

How to Make Your Logo the Right Way

It’s one thing to understand that you need vector format logos, and another to know what goes into making this happen. Thankfully, we’ve made the process easy for you.

With our logo design system, you can make all your logo ideas come to life and save the final result in a vector format. The process is simple and incredibly efficient – all you have to do is get started.

Click here to create your new company logo!

When it comes to representing your business to potential and current clients, few things are more important than your company’s logo.

Your logo is responsible for a huge amount of your company’s branding, including elements like establishing recognition and trust with clients, as well as amping up your company’s financial value in general.

So, does it feel as though your company’s logo has been pulling its weight?

If not, it may have something to do with factors like how long it’s been since the logo was last update, or whether it was professionally designed in the first place.

Your logo could be detracting from your company’s success and relevance in clients’ minds–and if so, a fresh logo change may be just what you need to get back on top!

But how can you tell if your logo is due for a change? Here are 5 of the biggest signs it’s time to freshen that little guy up!

1. Your Logo Looks Out-of-Date

One of the easiest ways to tell you’re in desperate need of a new logo is to look at your current one with a critical eye and decide whether or not it looks…well…old. If your logo was super trendy at the time it was made, it’s likely it hasn’t withstood the test of time. If your logo looks cheesy or tacky on second glance…it’s time for a new logo.

Some logo designs are simple and classic enough that they’re really pretty timeless and aren’t easily subject to poor aging–but, unfortunately, logos like this are pretty few and far between. Your logo should always appear as cutting-edge and customer-based as your services are.

Sometimes, when it comes to logos that feel a little outdated, a simple-but-modern revision is enough to kick your design into gear again. Either way, though, if your logo has started to look old, something’s gotta change!

2. You’ve Evolved…But Your Logo Hasn’t

Businesses change. They become more complex, their missions become different, and the clients they serve evolve. As startups, Apple and Microsoft had no idea what they’d evolve into! But over time, as they did change, their logos changed along with them.

Chances are, if your company has been around for a while, it’s done some significant changing over the course of its existence. If your company is still sporting the same logo from its startup marketing materials, there’s a good chance it’s outgrown its logo.

This is a really important consideration to recognize, since you’ll want to be sure your clients know you’re staying flexible and on top of things, rather than getting lazy and set in out-of-date old ways.

3. Your Logo isn’t Attracting Clients

Your logo’s #1 responsibility is to represent your company and to attract new clients to your services. Current and potential clients should see your logo and immediately be interested in your services and what it is your company is about. If your logo isn’t managing this, it’s definitely time for a new one.

The reason your logo is failing when it comes to attracting new clients could be any number of things–an evolved audience or changed demographic–or just good old fashioned ugly logo design.

Whatever the exact reason may be, if your logo isn’t attracting traffic, it’s time for a change. A really sleek, cutting edge logo may be just what you need to drive the clients to your page! A logo is a small-but-mighty tool. Be sure to take full advantage of its potential power.

4. Your Logo Blends in with the Competition

One of the other main goals of a logo should be to help your company stand out against all other logos in the world, and against the logos of your company’s competition. If your logo is too cookie-cutter or trendy-driven to do that…you might just need a whole new logo!

Just because the services you offer are similar to other similar companies’ services doesn’t mean it’s alright to blend in when it comes to your company’s branding. Other companies offer similar services–but yours are the best, right? Your logo should help prove this.

If it’s not working to set your company apart from the rest, you logo isn’t working! A brand new logo may be the perfect refresh-button your company needs to make your services stand out from others. Plus, a fresh look can work wonders for sparking clients’ interest in your company for the first time or all over again!

5. Your Logo is Just…Well…Bad

Even if your logo is new and different, there’s a chance it’s still…uh…not great. If you have a hunch that your logo isn’t working as well as it should be, it’s probably not.

Good logo design is super hard to accomplish. The principles of good design and other marketing concepts are what ultimately determines the success of your logo. If your logo designer isn’t versed in these things or in the technologies used to make most logos, there’s a good chance your logo isn’t as good as it should be.

Your logo might have a poor color scheme or lack of balance. Maybe it doesn’t agree with the tone of your company, doesn’t look professional or polished enough, or just feels “off” somehow. It might be all-around too-busy or…well, ugly.

If it seems like your logo could benefit from enlisting some more professional logo design services, chances are, you should definitely, absolutely seek these out and nab a new logo as soon as possible!

So…Ready for a Logo Change?

The bottom line is that, if you’ve got a feeling you might maybe possibly be due for a logo change–you probably are.

Whether it’s been a while since your last update, or you’ve just got the feeling it’s time for a logo reset, go for it.

If you’ve determined that your logo is, in fact, a no-go, start your revamp with us! Check out our awesome online logo maker and other services to amp your logo up so it’s as awesome as everything else about your company.

There are almost 28 million small businesses in the United States. So as a small business owner, you’ve got a lot of competition out there.

Well, one of the best ways to make a lasting impression on your audience is through having a strong logo.

In fact, the best logos showcase your brand’s personality. But it can be hard to make that happen.

That’s why we created this guide to help you portray your brand personality through your logo. Read more below!

The Basics

Let’s start with the basics. What is a logo and why is important? Well, a logo is a brand element that gives a face to your brand.

In other words, it’s your visual identity. It’s a key way for your audience to recognize your company.

Since there is so much competition out there, it’s crucial that you stand out from the crowd. When someone sees your logo, they should understand a little bit about your brand’s personality.

In fact, in many cases your logo is the first impression someone receives about your company. What do you want people to think about you when they see your logo? Thinking through this question will help you develop a logo that correctly conveys your brand values.

It’s easy to wonder why corporations spend so much money on logo creation. Often, companies that have been around a while go through extensive logo updates. This is because industries and trends evolve and change.

Fashion changes over time and so does design. So you should be conscious that your logo is up to date so you don’t come off as outdated or behind the curve.

Next, let’s go over the key parts of your logo.

The Graphic

First, let’s start with the graphic element of your logo. This can be an illustration, an icon, or a pattern. If you think about logos you know, there’s a huge range of graphic elements used.

Apple uses a simple apple as their graphic. Burger King has a burger. Almost every sports team uses a little illustration of their mascot.

Some graphics are more conceptual and less concrete. This could be a pattern or a line.

A great example of this is the Nike swoosh. When taken out of context, the swoosh is just a simple curved line, but now through years of successful branding, the swoosh has come to represent Nike.

The Typography & Font

Fonts can say a lot about your business. Fonts themselves convey feelings and personalities.

For example, Times New Roman is known for being stoic, professional, but also a little boring. Comic Sans, on the other hand, is the classic font for more playful or youthful settings.

Think about your brand values and personality. What adjectives do you want people to use when they describe your company? These answers will help guide your typography choices.

In everything you do with fonts, make sure they’re legible. Also make them unique. Don’t just use a common font that anyone could find in Microsoft Word.

Instead, work to find a unique font that conveys your brand’s personality well.

The Colors

The third and final crucial element of your logo is your color palette. The colors you choose will also convey specific things about your company’s personality. You want to make sure they convey the right things.

Think about the emotions you want people to associate with your brand. It’s simply not enough to choose colors because you like them.

For example, in design blue is often used because it comes across as friendly, authoritative, peaceful, and trustworthy. But every shade of blue is a little different and can mean different things.

At the end of the day, the key here is that you think through your color choice and experiment with different options and combinations before making a final decision.

Need help with your logo design? Check out our online logo maker.

Choose a Design Style that Matches Your Brand Personality

Now that you’ve gone through deciding on graphic, typography, and color, it’s time to put it all together. The most important thing here is that your logo design style matches up with your brand personality.

But the truth is that while this is all great information, it can be hard to know how to move forward without seeing a few examples. So here are some common brand personality traits and brands that you can draw inspiration from.

Simple vs. Complex

Think about the McDonald’s logo. It’s just a simple M. But the key here is that it’s in a unique font that has turned into an iconic symbol.

Their M is so iconic that it even has it’s own name: the golden arches. But at the end of the day, it’s just a letter in a unique font.

On the other end of the spectrum is Unilever. Their logo is also a letter, this time a capital U. But it’s very complex.

Inside it has all types of illustrations and elaborate decorations. This is because Unilever is a large corporation with more than 400 different brands in all types of categories.

Playful vs. Serious

Do you want your brand to come off as playful and fun or serious and experienced? It totally depends on your industry and your brand positioning.

When it comes to playful, Toys R Us is a perfect example. They use a super fun font and bright colors that grab both kids’ and parents’ attention. They also utilize their friendly giraffe mascot often in their branding, which is the perfect graphic element for their lighthearted toy store brand.

Think about most law firms on the other hand. They typically use darker colors in a serif font. This portrays seriousness and expertise.

When you’re in need of a lawyer, you want someone you can trust who knows what they’re doing. You’re paying them a lot of money and you want them to win your case.

So in this case, straightforward, serious branding works perfectly.

Closing Thoughts

Now that you’ve read all about portraying brand personality through logo design, it’s time to try these tips out with your logo!