Designing a solid logo is a point of struggle for many a small business owner. A good logo design is crucial to any branding program. A good logo fits seamlessly with your company, supporting your message subtly and without notice. A poorly designed logo stands out like a sore thumb, presenting a less than positive image of your company and dictating your interactions from then on out.
In my years as a designer and web programmer, I have come across many great logos and many poor logos. The poor logos usually have a few common trends and are often the result of cutting corners.
Here are a few common pitfalls I have seen.
We’ve got gradients, pretty backgrounds, photos and colors overlaid on colors. Avoid the temptation to add every facet of your business into the logo. While your logo can be an iconic representation of who you are, it doesn’t need to tell the whole story. Simple is better. Think of the Golden Arches. Were you aware the Golden Arches was originally an ‘M’? Me neither. But I am sure that you know exactly which company has the golden arches.
The point here is to keep it simple. You have seconds to make an impression on a user and the more info you try to throw at them, the less they will remember.
Read more about the history of the Golden Arches here.
According to Solomon, there is nothing new under the sun. That being said, you don’t all have to have the same logo! Here in the mountains, we all love the gorgeous landscape we wake up to every morning. About half the logos I see in this area contain mountains or a mountain ridge or some sort and it is difficult to make it seem new and fresh. (My apologies if your logo falls into this category.)
Logos should avoid overused themes, stock photography, or copying a competitor.
A good logo will look good across many mediums. When choosing a logo, think how it will display from a large sign front to a business card or T-shirt. There is a trend right now for thin lined fonts. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as it will still be readable in all sizes. What about those backgrounds? How are they going to look on your letterhead? A good logo should be scalable and adaptable.
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