A captivating logo may be the most important aspect of a company’s overall visual design. Logos help potential clients, customers, or users to connect with a brand or company on a visual level, a dynamic sometimes more powerful than the connection one can get through spoken or written word. Logos identity the brand or company in a way that ultimately sets the very basic tone for the company as a whole, which is very important.  

From the color to the actual design, elements of logos communicate information and feelings to viewers. For example, the logo for a haunted house tries to be scary while a logo for a bank tries to be professional. To get to expressing feelings, though, one must put some effort into thinking about what goes into their logo, and hopefully these five tips will help.  

1. Keep it simple

If you think about it, some of the more memorable logos have simple elements and are easy to view and comprehend. Companies like Apple, Nike, and McDonald’s don’t have a lot of confusing parts, nor are they trying to do too much. Because of their simplicity and intriguing design, many people around the world can identify the company immediately.

Also, logos are sometimes put on multiple products and services (for example, McDonald’s puts their logo on all their food and their employee work clothes). So, it is important that the logo is flexible enough to be on almost anything. Simple logos work best in this regard.  

Other things to keep in mind...

• Stick to three or fewer colors.
• Don’t use more than one design trick or effect.
• Avoid thin elements for type and artwork.

2. Think about representation.  

Logos do a lot to represent a company. So much so that most of the time, logos are the first thing potential clients, customers, or users see that represents a company. Therefore, it’s important that your logo fits with your company’s style and mission, is professional, and is representative of what your company provides. Being unique and creative also helps, too.

Things to keep in mind…

• Think about the logo in the context of your overall industry. That will tell you whether your logo is on par with their logo.
• Make sure the imagery used does what you want it to do.
• If standing alone, does the logo represent what your company does as a whole? If not, why?

3. Use color with purpose.

Vibrant and interesting color schemes create viewership which will do nothing but wonders for your company. Colorful schemes also can say something about your brand, like whether it’s professional or not. (A rainbow color scheme, for example, might not be the most professional look for a serious bank.)  

Things to keep in mind…

• Simple color schemes work best. Try using no more than three colors for the logo design and see if it works.
• Bold color schemes draw viewers, but if you go too bold you may do more harm than good.
• Lastly, sometimes companies can’t use their full color scheme all the time. Does your logo look good in black or white or other single colors?  If not, maybe a change is in order.

4. Never use clip art or other previously used artwork

Original artwork for your logo is a must have. Original artwork shows that you and your employees are professional and that you are invested in your company. Other forms of art do not express that. Lastly, art should be used to express to the viewer what your company does.  

Things to keep in mind…

• Again, don’t use clip art.
• Hiring an experienced logo designer works best sometimes. Trust the experts.

5. Flexibility is key

Even if a logo has to change because of space constraints or other platform issues, it should still be recognizable to the viewer.  In other words, a logo for your company that works on your website should also work on facebook, or it should at least be recognizable.  

Things to keep in mind…

• Does your logo work well next to a picture, text box, tagline, etc?
• Does it look good whether it’s as big as a billboard or as small as the logo on some pencils?
• Does the logo look good on your actual product?

Conclusion

While creating a memorable logo is hard work, the benefits it brings are truly worth it. Having customers able to pick your company’s logo out from a plethora of other logos is great for marketing purposes, which means that, in the end, it’s great for your company’s bottom line, too.