Your logo is the visual symbol of your brand. It encapsulates your identity and creates a sense of trust and familiarity in the minds of your audience. Whether you are starting a new business or revamping your current branding you can assess your logo design with the following 6 important factors in mind to see if your logo is up to the task of being the beacon of your brand.
1. Is It Appropriate?
Your logo design should be an integral part of your branding and feel consistent with all of your other visual assets. As well as being appropriate as a symbol of your company it should also feel authentic to your industry. Choose symbols carefully to avoid any disconnect between your audience and their perception of your products or services.
2. Think Minimalism
Trying to cram too much into a logo will end up making it look cluttered and confusing, especially when used in smaller sizes. Avoid photographs or images that include text or lots of fine details as these not only lose clarity when used in small dimensions but can also become irrelevant as your business grows over the years. Try to stick to one, simple shape or symbol for the maximum clarity and longevity.
3. Keep It Clear
Don't compromise a clear graphic logo by applying special effects such as drop shadows, bevelling or patterns. Subtle effects can quickly be lost or distorted across devices and platforms and can reduce the effectiveness of an otherwise fine logo design.
4. Color Carries Meaning
Colors carry meaning and can create an immediate impression of your brand. For example, orange and yellow give a feeling of fun and energy, while blue and gray inspire trust and authority. Intensity of color can also convey meaning, with soft pastel shades traditionally being chosen in the beauty and health industries with neon colors picked by brands that want to make a bold impression. Flat color blocks will be more visually effective than subtle shading and grading effects.
5. Make It Multi-purpose
Your logo design needs to work in a variety of different dimensions. It should withstand being blown up to billboard proportions but agile enough to still look great when squeezed into a tiny box on social media. A professionally created vector graphic will scale properly where a graphic file can become distorted when resized. Likewise, lots of fine detail and text will quickly make your logo illegible when shrunk to fit small dimensions.
6. Protect Your Brand
If you have worked hard to create a logo to be proud of, protect it by taking the time to write up brand guidelines that instruct your staff, affiliates, media and any other third parties how to use your logo. Guidelines can include the exact CYMK or RGB details of each colour, the scale and white-spacing around each of the elements of your logo as well as the use of any strap-line you have.
Don't forget one last key element of your logo design: you need to love it! Try out different variations with your logo designer until you are completely satisfied. Your logo is one of the most visible elements of your business, and you need to feel a sense of pride each time you see it.
For more detailed information about what makes a great logo check out this logo design article on the 4 fundamental of a great logo.