In this post we’re going to check off 10 things to remember when designing a logo.
I’m a professional branding designer with over 20 years experience.
I know a thing or two when it comes to logo design.
By the end of this checklist you’ll be super confident when it comes to designing a logo.
Or working with a logo designer.
Let’s dive in!
1. Make sure your logo works on small screens
These days your logo will be seen mostly on screens.
In fact, a mobile phone screen is probably where your customers will see your logo first.
So it’s really important that your logo design works in all sizes.
Everyone can see a logo on a billboard.
But making sure it works on small screens is the most important.
Ensure your logo is readable on small screens.
If not, it’s time to rethink that logo design.
2. Use quality fonts
When it comes to designing a logo using high-quality fonts is a must.
You may be tempted to use a hot new font. That’s okay, as long as it’s a high-quality font.
There are a number of places to download high-quality fonts for your logo.
The reason we use high-quality fonts is that they are easy to read, and secondly, they stand the test of time.
You don’t want to use a logo font that will look out of date in 3 years time.
A quality font means your logo will always read well and look fresh.
3. Make sure your logo is easy to read
Being able to read your logo is of utmost importance.
There are a number of factors that can hinder the legibility of your logo design.
These can include over complicated fonts. Bad colours that have too little contrast.
Overcomplicated and over-decorated logo marks can also make a logo hard to read.
Bottom line, you want people to be able to read your logo.
Especially if you’re just starting out with a new business.
So keep the fonts and design simple and readable for everyone at all sizes and you can’t go too wrong.
Lastly, if you’re not sure, show your new logo designs to friends and family and make sure they can all read your logo too.
4. Use suitable color combinations
Colours for your logo are a big deal.
Firstly you have to get colors that suit your business.
For example, if you’re a business is about kids toys, you would want to use colors that are bright and bold in your logo.
If your business is about interior design, maybe you should be using colours that are a bit more pastel and sophisticated.
Another thing to remember when it comes to colours for your logo, you have to make sure your colors match.
Lastly, you have to make sure the colors used in your logo are readable on all backgrounds including black and white.
Check out our blog post for an amazing list of free color combination sites that are perfect for logo design.
5. Make sure the logo suits your business
When designing a logo, you have to create a logo mark that matches what your business does.
For example, if your business is about flowers, maybe you should feature a flower in the design somewhere.
If your business is about travel, it would help to have a hint about travel in the design. Maybe a boat or a ticket for example.
The same goes for colors in your logo design. If your business is about finance and cryptocurrency, for example, you may want to use serious colors like dark blues in the design.
If your business is about food, you should be using earthy, natural colours that can be found in food.
Making sure the design of your logo matches your business type is really the first step in creating a winning logo for your business.
6. Make sure your logo still works in black and white
This may sound old school, but there will be instances where your logo will be required to be featured in just black and white. Or mono colour.
It’s important to at least have a variation of your design that works in just one colour. This can be all black or all white.
There are always times when you’re sponsoring an event, or printing can only be done in one colour when you will need your logo to work in this format.
A good logo designer should always provide you with this option when designing a logo for you.
7. Don’t make your logo too wide
Your logo will have to fit in all different types of spaces, some tall, some short and some narrow.
It’s important that your logo is not too wide.
Now, you may have a long business name. That’s fine, you can use either a narrow font or put your logo on two lines.
If your logo is too wide, it will always have to be scaled down.
You don’t want your logo to be scaled down all the time. It will make it too hard to read.
8. Don’t make your logo too high
Your logo should also not take up too much vertical space. Remember your logo is going to be used in a variety of formats and used in a variety of different spaces.
Making a logo too high can really hinder your communications.
Especially if your logo is being used by another designer or company.
If your logo is too high, they will scale it right down so it fits. You don’t want this as a really small logo can be hard to read.
If you have lots of words in your logo, the best thing to do is use a font that is complimentary.
For example, a ‘low’ font that doesn’t take up too much space.
Or in the other instance a narrow font that doesn’t take up too much horizontal space.
9. When designing a logo, keep it simple
When designing a logo it’s really important to keep it simple.
You should keep your logo design simple for a number of reasons.
Firstly, complicated logo designs tend to be hard to read. Simple logo designs tend to be easy to read.
Also, simple logo designs tend to age well.
For example, the Apple logo design is very simple and it still looks amazing.
This is one of the reasons why most companies these days are going for a really simple, minimal logo design. They age well.
You don’t want to find yourself having a rebrand again in five years. That is a costly exercise your business does not need.
10. Make sure you’re designing a logo you’re proud of
This may seem obvious but you should be designing a logo you love.
This logo could potentially be with you for a number of years so it’s important that you like it.
You will see it everywhere. On your website, on your products on t-shirts and even billboards.
Make sure you spend time creating a logo design you are happy with.
Get a bunch of variations, show them to family. Sleep on them and check them out again the next day.
Make sure you’re completely happy and then when you are can get on with the task of building your business empire.
Conclusion
Designing a logo should be a fun experience. It’s an exciting part of your business journey that should be enjoyed.
When you’re creating your next logo design keep the above top 10 tips in mind.
To avoid most of these mistakes it’s best to start with a really great logo maker like DesignBro.
This way all of the above mistakes can be avoided up front.
If you are designing a logo yourself, it’s best to put in a few hours practice creating a number of logos before you decide on your final logo design.
I wish you the best of luck when designing a logo for your business.
Head of Design at DesignBro and is responsible for UI/UX Design, managing the global designer community, and ensuring quality levels of both designers and designs remain high.
