Making a Great Logo: 7 Logo Design Principles

1. Simplicity

Many companies make the mistake of overthinking the logo they want to use for their brand. They think the logo should represent their company’s sophistication. 

The only thing your logo needs to capture is what your company does for its customers. 

That doesn’t mean that your coffee shop can only have a coffee mug on it. After all, Nike came all this way with a swoosh, not a shoe, as their logo. Microsoft doesn’t sell windows. Apple doesn’t sell apples… you get the idea!

What you really want to strive for with this logo is how recognizable it can become over time. Keeping it simple, yet unique, will pique people’s interest as they see it more and more.

In the world you live in today, you only have a customer’s attention for a few precious seconds. Having a simple logo will help your potential buyers to register it in their head for future use.

You just want to make sure the logo is sending the message that you want to send to your clients. There’s a mission that your company has for its future, showcase it in the logo that you design.

Get your brand started by designing it through Looka. It will help you make the logo, develop a brand, and build a website in less than a day!

2. Color

For those of you out there that were thinking of using your logo as an opportunity to use you or your child’s favorite color, think again.

Color plays a crucial role in sending a subliminal message to those out there in the marketplace that you’re looking to attract. Those searching for companies, such as yours, that share their values.

It’s called color psychology, and like it or not, it’s a massive reason why customers choose to buy from the brands that they do.

Certain colors register as certain meanings in the customer’s mind. You won’t want to give them the wrong impression merely by choosing the wrong color.

For instance, if you’re starting up a marketing company then you might want to choose either red or purple as your main colors. Red translates to excitement and youthful, while purple translates to creative and knowledgeable.

Be sure to do some research into the colors you’re interested in using for your logo. From there be sure to play around with the shades and see what you like best.

3. Applicable to Your Market

Getting back to the brand that you have in mind for your company, the logo you create should apply to those you’re seeking out to buy your product and/or service.

Everything from the font to the color of your logo should point towards that brand image you’re striving for. 

For example, if you’re trying to give off a professional or sophisticated image to your brand, then try putting all the words in a cursive font. Just make sure that it’s readable!

This logo that you make will set the expectation for your company. It gives off the personality to let your clients know what they’re in for. It sets the tone for the services that you offer.

So if you were to start a grocery store with a goal of having fresh and organic products, you’d want the logo to reflect that. Having a green logo with a sprouting plant would help your customers to understand your grocery store’s priority of healthy foods.

You want to make the connection from your logo to your product as thin as possible for your potential buyers. Help them to get the gist of your ideals and the industry you’re looking to take control of.

4. Dodge the Trends

Designing your logo based on current trends may work out well for you right now, but it won’t work for the long haul. Because that’s the thing about trends… they come and go.

Getting your logo involved in a trend will leave it looking like a logo out of time in only a few short years. It will give off the impression that your company’s relevancy came and went as soon as the trend went out of style.

More importantly, using a trendy layout comes off as unoriginal to your customers.

First impressions are everything, and having an unoriginal logo will tell the customer that your company differs very little from the other companies in your industry… not the vibe you want to give off at all.

In order to avoid those trends, think of different things that inspire you. What design comes off pleasing to you? 

Just make sure to have easy to read lettering, perfect colors, and a symbol that you can use on collateral when words would be too much. 

The rest will take care of itself, and you’ll have a logo that no one’s ever seen before. Just like the company that you’re running!

5. Make it Unforgettable

As previously mentioned, customers in the market these days have a very short attention span. You’ll have their attention for about 8 seconds before they move on to something else.

Because of that, you want your logo to be something that pique’s their interest and thus burns it into their brains.

That way, the next time they see it they’ll stop to think about it. Where have I seen that logo before? Why do I keep seeing that logo everywhere? What value does their service have in my life?

You can make your logo unforgettable in several ways. Possibly a different color scheme than normal, the symbol you use, the catchy name of your company.

However, the best too for this is to combine all the elements in this article. A perfect blend of color, font, text, and individuality will create a logo your clients will never forget.

Don’t be afraid to differentiate from the normal logo style you see in your industry. Just make sure there’s a valid reason behind your decision and your customers will appreciate you for standing out.

Now when they see your logo, they’ll know that’s your batman symbol in the sky!

6. Take Advantage of the Entire Canvas

When you design a logo, whether it’s a symbol or your company’s name spelled out, there’s bound to be negative space… use that to your advantage.

Subliminal messages and hidden logos are a fun game for your potential clients. It’s almost like playing Where’s Waldo? for them.

Take the Milwaukee Brewers for example. Their classic logo is a baseball glove with a baseball in the middle of it. However, if you look closer then you’ll see the glove makes out to be an “M” and a “B”.

Baskin Robbins, home of 31 ice cream flavors, has the number “31” cleverly placed in the “BR” logo. Clever things like this scream your brand’s values to everyone that views it.

They’ll have an idea of your product or service before they ever walk through your doors.

7. Versatility

Your logo is going to be on a ton of things over the next several years alone. Things like collateral, promotional products, table covers, and company signs to name a few.

You’ll want to make sure that you can envision your logo fitting well on any of it. The logo should be what makes the promo item look slick, not the other way around.

Consider the fact that your logo will also have to be resized for various things. Keeping it with a simple design will help with that, but it never hurts to be certain. Make sure it maintains it’s sleek look regardless of how small or big you make it.

Having a versatile logo will open many opportunities to get your brand noticed. Be sure to make this a priority as you design it.

Use These Logo Design Principles to Your Advantage!

Now that you’ve seen all the different logo design principles, be sure to integrate them into the logo that you design.

You’ll have this logo for many, many years, so you want to make sure it’s the perfect blend of everything you’re trying to capture.

Be sure to read our other articles that pertain to topics such as this one as well as other interesting topics as well!