Five Top Tips to Design a Stunning Brand Logo

Know Your Brand

The first step in creating a striking logo is knowing your own identity. Before hopping into the specifics of graphics design, you need to define the intended target audience. What type of image, font, and style would appeal to your target audience? For instance, a design that fits children’s toys would differ fundamentally from advertising medical equipment. To create the perfect logo for your website, it would help if you started with a clear definition of the profile of your ideal client.
It also helps to familiarize yourself with the goals and values of the brand. That way, you will be able to create a logo that not only aligns with the brand but makes it stand out.

Choose a Striking Image

Since your company logo is a visual representation of your brand, it should be relevant and memorable. When potential customer first notices your logo, they should immediately associate it with your brand.
Logos should be simple and easily recognizable. Think, for example, the Ferrari logo. Very few of us have owned or even driven a Ferrari, yet we all know the car as soon as we see the logo! The correct term for this behavior is “Associative Recognition,” which is used heavily in advertisements.
Some crucial tips to consider when doing your logo design:

• Keep images to a minimum: It will be more effective to use one simple image than clutter a few images in a confined space.
• Clean images: Use clean, clear, and crisp images. Your target audience should clearly see what visually represents your brand.
• Consistency: Be consistent with your image and everything around it. All aspects need to be coordinated.
• Adjust image: If you use text over an image, adjust the background transparency so that the text stands out.
• Simple: Keep the image simple and easily recognizable.
• Unique: If you are using an established image rather than a contemporary design, be unique. Check if your logo differs from that of your competitors.

Do not Overdo Color and Font

The best colors for your logo tightly relate to your product or services. For most designers, the general rule of thumb is to use three colors or less. Working with more colors may potentially be distractive, especially if done unoriginally. The fewer items for the customer to focus on, the more likely your logo stays in their memory.

Color

The most popular colors used are often black, red, blue, or green. With your logo design, you want a color that complements the product or service your brand is offering. If your brand vibe is “fun and exciting”, you want a bright and upbeat color such as red or yellow.
If you are offering a “serious” product such as something in the medical field, you want a color that resonates with that mood, such as grey or blue. When you think of Nike, Adidas, or even Coca-Cola, they all prefer fewer colors. Everyone knows their logos, even those who have never been their clients!
Some major rules that govern the effective use of color:

• Colors should not be hard on the eyes: Do not use bright hues unless you want to give your customers a headache.
• The logo should be equally impressive in black and white, color and grayscale: It will make it easier for your logo to turn into anything from t-shirts designs to bumper stickers.
• Use complementing colors: Choose colors close to each other on the color wheel. For a warm palette, use yellow, oranges, and reds. Using opposites like purple and green will not have a remarkable effect. The importance of color composition in logo creation is undeniable
• Match the brand’s tone: Use colors that complement the mood and style of the brand and type of product. Many restaurants use red as the primary color – it is lively and engaging. Most people associate green with nature – a practical option for brands like John Deere.

Typography (Font)

Always remember that your logo will appear in varied sizes and on a list of various devices. Fonts must absolutely be simple and easy to read, no matter the size of the display. Potential customers should not struggle to read your brand name on their smartphone screens.
Some notorious font rules designers like to check when they design a logo:

• Avoid clichéd fonts: Comic Sans, for instance, is one of the most used fonts and implies a lack of creativity.
• Fewer fonts: Ideally, use one font. The absolute rule should be two fonts at most; anything above that is distracting. If your design calls for two fonts, you could use two contrasting options to make the design stand out. Think of significant logos like Coca-Cola and KFC, one font throughout.
• Use a modern, legible font: Font should match the style of your brand and product. If you are selling tractors, you do not need a curly font. However, for art supplies or cakes, a curvy-type font could be the thing.

White Space Makes all the Difference

Have you seen companies whose logos look more like paintings than actual brand logos? Business owners with wild imaginations might be under the impression that every inch of designated space needs to become something. It is important to remember that your logo space is not a canvas, and you do not have to color every inch of it. Typically, we speak of “Christmas Tree Logos” when too much color is used – or color being abused.
Have you ever heard of white space? White space - or negative space—refers to the area around an image. From a visual perspective, this white space gives potential customers a break from the distraction of your design.
Having your logo surrounded by white space allows your audience to focus on the critical points of the logo. It becomes unlikely that consumers will be distracted by an assortment of colors and images.
Think of your logo in the middle of a page of other images and colors. It will not stand out, and, therefore, your target market might not recognize it. Some of the benefits of white space include the following:

• Looks professional: A single image with no clutter or excessive color, pictures, or fonts is what the best business goes for.
• Easier to read and remember: It might be difficult for consumers to recognize the brand if the company name hides between many different images.
• Identifies the intended message: One clear image identifies the intended message. Consumers should quickly identify the product available.
• Focuses attention on the logo: If there is an image and a symbol, the image should be in the background. Emphasis should be on the wording in the logo.

Avoid Clichés

Just like everything else, logo designs have fads that come along and seem to dominate the market. These fads have become so popular that they turn into clichés. The important thing is to not jump on the cliché bandwagon.
Strive to think creatively but only enough for customers to still get the message. Use minimalistic and original design options that take your potential customer straight to the point.
Using a cliché means you will have to update your design logo when the fad ends, or your logo will appear dated. Consumers are more likely to remember a design that issimple but memorable.
Good examples of this include KFC, Nike, and Apple. Apple has had the same brand image since 1976. Their colors did change over the years, but the primary concept did not. This consistency adds to the brand’s iconic status.