5 logo design mistakes to avoid
There are few things more critical to your business’ branding than the logo. It’s the visual representation of your brand. Think of the logos of the brands you love. They’re instantly recognisable. You might not be able to put your finger on why, but you know they all ‘work’.
How can you devise a logo that communicates your brand as well as Apple’s or Amazon’s? Logo design is not an exact science; even the biggest brands change theirs from time to time. However, here are some things you should never do when designing your logo.
1 – Don’t copy anyone
OK, this should be pretty obvious, but it still needs saying. Your logo has to be unique. Don’t base your logo on anything anyone else has done, whether they’re a competitor or not. If you do this, you leave yourself open to a lawsuit. Even if you don’t get sued, you know your customers will notice the similarity and compare you to the other brand in their minds.
You don’t need to chase trends when designing your logo anyway. Trends come and go; you want to create something that is timeless. So, avoid clichés, don’t worry about what your competitors are doing, design something that works for you.
2 – Don’t try to do too much
The best logos are the simplest. Look at Apple’s. It’s an apple!
You want your logo to be memorable, that means your customer needs to be able to understand it after seeing it for less than a second. Don’t make it too busy. Don’t pack it with images, words or anything else that distracts from the core message.
Don’t try to be too clever. Something abstract may look cool, but if you need to explain it to people before they ‘get it’, it doesn’t work. Your logo is your opportunity to make an impact. Don’t waste it.
3 – Don’t forget the fonts
If you have text on your logo to communicate the name of your brand, you need to seriously consider the fonts you want to use.
Firstly, use a simple font. Nothing old-fashioned, elaborate or ridiculous. Using something like Comic Sans will make your brand look unprofessional! Next, don’t use too many fonts - no more than two maximum. One is better.
Use a font that is easy to read, but reflects your brand’s style and attitude. You don’t have to be the same as everyone else.
4 – Don’t rely on colour
While there’s nothing wrong with a colourful logo, if you’re relying on a colour to communicate your brand, you’re doing it wrong. Sure, the biggest brands use instantly recognisable colours in their logo, but their logos still communicate perfectly in black and white.
Your logo may not always be seen in colour, when it’s printed out or featured in a newspaper, for example. Make sure it works in monochrome too.
Also, make sure the colours you use do not clash. They need to look good together.
5 – Don’t design for one medium
As your business grows, you want your logo to work everywhere. Sure, it needs to look good on a screen, but remember it also needs to look good on:
· Signage
· Paper
· TV
· Clothing
· Anything else!
Make sure your logo is technically perfect, so you can shrink it, blow it up, display it on anything without any loss of quality.
Remember, when designing your logo, a professional graphic designer will always be able to point you in the right direction.
For help on choosing the right logo for your brand, Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call with THE FUTURES today.
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William Villalobos is the founder of The Futures, an unlimited graphic design company whose prime objective is to help business owners, entrepreneurs and marketers automate their graphic design needs. Connect with William on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.