If you run a business and think that logos are nothing but useless bits of graphic frippery, just think again. Would Apple be the biggest tech gig without their iconic (half-bitten) apple logo? Would you be able to recognize Nike without their trademark swoosh? The same goes for countless other big brands with their unique logos. Your website logo is key to your brand’s recognition as it helps convey your business story and ethos to the public.
When professionally designed and executed, it helps the audience connect with your brand and relish a memorable experience. Hence, having a generic logo or brand identity won’t do you any good. The only way to survive and excel is to create a custom website logo that matches your company’s profile and appeals to the target audience. Here’s how customized logo designs can benefit your business. But before that, let’s take a quick look at how custom logos are different from template logos.
Custom Logos vs. Template Logos –What’s the Difference?
A template logo design, as the name indicates, is created using a predesigned site or app using certain templates. You can add your own images and texts to the templates, but you’ll be restricted in terms of the changes you can make to the design, for example color, font, shapes, and navigation. In other words, you’ll get a logo that’s similar to that of other companies in the industry.
A custom logo design, on the other hand, is planned and created completely from scratch. Your logo designer will work closely with you to create a design that conveys the specific traits of your business and provides an outstanding user experience for your consumers. This means that they’ll brainstorm and come up with something that they haven’t done before. Here, you’re also involved in the logo design process and you have full control over every aspect.
As a business owner, you get to give your own views regarding what you’d want to see in your website logo design. Typically, the custom logo design process starts with the designer having a detailed consultation about your desired brand logo. They will note down your ideas, expectations, and key information regarding your company. This is an excellent way to get exactly what you’ve wanted for your business. The design will be distinctive, relevant, and make your brand stand out from your competitors.
Custom Website Logo and Their Benefits
Did you ever choose a brand over others because its logo was too attractive and convincing? If your answer is yes, we get your point. After all, as discussed above, an organization’s logo is its most crucial visual asset that helps the audience build a perception about them. Brand identity, credibility, class, and many other factors depend on that single design. In order to understand the significance of logos for branding, you should know the kind of benefits they bring to your business.
1. Builds a strong and memorable brand identity
As an entrepreneur, you already know that first impression matters, but you may not know how little time you have to create one. People form an impression about your business in the first seven seconds itself, and some studies even suggest that it takes only a tenth of a second to determine your brand’s credibility.
Since your website logo is one of the very first things noticed by the audience, it’s worth investing in a professionally designed custom emblem. The style, color, font, size, and shape of the logo tell a lot about a business, so it’s important to ensure that it represents who you are (as a brand) and what you offer. It should be such that it grabs people’s attention and make them inquisitive about your products/services. In this cut-throat business world where everybody is striving for attention, make your first impression count.
It’s an established fact that humans recognize and recall images better and more quickly than either spoken or written words. So, if you have a creative image-based logo design, chances are that the audience will remember your brand even if they forget its name. When people associate your brand image with quality products/services, they’ll remember and even refer your business to their friends, family and colleagues.
Always remember that your first brand impression is also your way to claim authority over the products or services you offer in your niche industry. Do you sell food products for children with lactose intolerance? Do you provide special counseling for couples? Your website logo should introduce your brand as an authority in your professional niche.
2. Separates your brand from the crowd
Go for a distinctive and impactful logo, because that is what distinguishes your brand from your competitors. For example, there might be ten other bakeries in your locality, but yours is the only one with sustainable business practices like using less paper and reducing landfill waste. When you select a green, earthy logo, it conveys that same message to your customers.
A well-designed website logo can communicate a lot about the agency’s background (fun, relaxed, professional) and their purpose (innovation, entertainment, and competence) through the right font, icon, and color(s). Simply speaking, your logo is the most powerful tool to both convey your brand values and show the audience why you’re different from your competitors.
3. Custom logos are versatile and dynamic
When you design a custom logo, it’s not just meant to be used on the website and social media handles; it’s also used on other promotional literature like the billboards, flyers, brochures, letterheads, and business cards. Unlike a template based emblem, a customized logo is dynamic, which means it will change and adapt its layout to the various digital and physical touch points. The idea is to make it look equally appealing across all advertising mediums.
4. Gives your brand a professional look
There’s a huge disparity in the appearance of a template based logo design and a customized logo design. The finesse and professionalism communicated through a custom design is a winning bet for many entrepreneurs, making their business appear more real and credible to those visiting their site for the first time. This increased credibility helps establish your brand as an authority in your niche field, which often results in higher conversions and better sales.
Key Factors to Consider When Deciding Your Custom Logo Design
Here are a few tips to help you choose the right kind of website logo for your business.
- Color
From the Red Cross on an ambulance to a bride’s pristine white gown, colors are an instant way to convey vital information. Their quick and strong impact makes colors a key component of any powerful branding strategy. They are also one of the first things noticed by your prospective customers, so it’s important to choose them right.
Typically, bright, neon colors leave a strong and bold impression on the audience. Soft, pastel shades, on the other hand, convey class and sophistication. Traditionally, there are certain color trends in every industry, which you need to be aware of.
Food: Many restaurants and eatery businesses choose warm colors like orange, red, and yellow to grab attention and induce appetite. Some also choose green to promote nutrition and wellbeing, or pink and aqua blue for drinks and desserts.
Fitness: A majority of the health and wellness brands choose different shades of blue to suggest cleanliness, consistency, responsibility, and reliability. They may also choose green to represent nature, and orange, to denote energy and positivity.
Beauty and fashion: The beauty and fashion industry often uses black and white for quality and sophistication, and bright colors like pink, red, and orange for passion, enthusiasm, and confidence.
Tech: Most tech companies go for a blue logo, which stands for trust, efficiency, innovation, and intelligence. Some other popular colors in the tech industry are orange and purple, which signify quality, creativity, optimism, authority, and consistency.
Note: A flat color palette is usually more gripping and engaging than grading and toning.
- Type
Typically, there are three basic types of logos – Text-based (name of the brand), illustrations (depending on what your business offers), and quirky symbols (Apple’s bitten apple or Nike’s swoosh). Illustrations are best for small and medium businesses as text-based ones call for a strong brand and quirky symbols take a lot of time and marketing to become relatable with your business.
- Quality
According to an old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words. A quality, professionally designed logo draws the customers’ attention and makes them inquisitive about your offerings. That’s why, even if you’re on a tight budget, try to include a quality logo in your branding strategy. Hire a professional graphic designer who has a sound understanding of color, symmetry and scalability, which are the key elements of a powerful logo design.
- Versatility/Scalability
A good and effective logo isn’t just attractive, but also scalable. Scalability refers to the fact that the design can contract and expand according to the screen size on the mobile device. So, when designing a logo, it’s important to think about the places you want to put it on. Aside from digital platforms, you also need to think about various colors and textures (plastic, glass, fabric). Sometimes, you may not have the freedom to choose the surface material for your brand promotions. Always go for a clear and simple logo that’s equally attractive and adaptable to a range of advertising platforms.
Wrap up,
No matter what type of logo you choose, your audience should be able to relate to it and feel inquisitive about your business. If it’s too complex, chances are that they’ll be confused and leave immediately without further engagement. Investing in a custom website logo can make a huge difference for your business, both in terms of functionality and the way consumers view you.
Business Development Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Media and Digital marketing sector, Passionate about innovation and bringing the future into new business solutions.
