Your logo should capture the essence of your business, letting your audience know exactly who you are. If you need a new logo, or you’re setting up a business for the first time, we’re going to look at how to create a logo that really stands out from the crowd! From design to capturing brand identity, let’s dive into great business logos!
What should a logo include?
You want to ensure that your logo really communicates the personality of your brand, and in order to do this, you must be 100% clear on who your brand is! Get the whole team involved in an idea-sharing session, writing down everything that they feel represents your company, group or organisation. From words and imagery to colours and symbols, you will start to build a picture of what your logo should include.
Create a mood board with everything that you’ve come up with and, hopefully, you will start to see a pattern emerge. Another great way to start visualising your logo is to see what your competitors are doing. We’re not saying steal their ideas, simply take note of what works well with your audience and what doesn’t. If everyone else in your industry opts for a classic style, a contemporary design might help you stand out from the crowd.
Practically, your logo should incorporate your brand name and colours that are easily associated with your brand or industry. Beyond this, you can look at including things like mascots and symbols or keep things simple with just a lettermark or wordmark.
How do I make my logo stand out?
To make sure your logo is the one that catches the eye of your audience, you have to keep it simple. Your logo should stick in the mind but shouldn’t be overly elaborate, less really is more when it comes to creating a great logo.
If you’re using symbols or a mascot in your design, be aware of any negative space that’s created. Any negative space should be subtle or be used in a clever way, think about the FedEx logo with the arrow connecting the ‘E’ and the ‘X’. This small design feature captures what the brand is all about and helps ensure your logo is unique.
Colour is one of the most important factors to consider when it comes to logo design and by taking colour psychology into account, you can ensure your logo really makes an impact. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular logo colours and what they evoke, emotionally!
Red: Passion, excitement and anger.
Blue: Calm, cool, trustworthiness and maturity.
Yellow: Accessible and friendly.
Orange: Vibrant and invigorating.
Green: One of the most versatile colours, ideal for establishing a tie to nature.
Black: Sleek, modern and luxurious.
White: Clean, youthful and economical.
How can I make a logo for free?
If you don’t have the budget to employ a design agency to create your logo, there are tools available that will help you create your own. For a professional-looking logo, we recommend taking a look at programmes such as Canva, a graphic design suite that has its own, easy to use, logo design feature. With easy to use templates and plenty of step-by-step guides, you don’t have to be a whizz at Photoshop to use these tools. Create a few different options that you can show your team, then simply download your favourites for free!
What makes a good company logo?
Let’s recap to see if your logo ideas are hitting the mark!
A good logo is….
- Unique
- Distinctive
- Sticks in the mind
- Reflects your brand
- Utilises great colour
- Appeals to your target audience
A great logo is also versatile, allowing you to use it for all of your brand’s needs - whether it’s your company website or company merchandise such as custom stickers, keyrings and pin badges.
Ready to get started? Let’s bring your logo to life at Zap Creatives. Our help and advice centre has all the tutorials you need to get going!
