What Makes a Good Logo?

The most important part of marketing is an effective logo. Your logo should be an easily recognizable identity for your business that not only communicates who you are, but what you are as well. There are certain logos that you recognize right away, but what is it that makes those logos so great and recognizable? Iconic logos are:

Recognizable

Your logo should catch the viewers eye and evoke and immediate response about your company. Recognizable logos all catch the viewer’s eye and hold attention. Your logo should be a representation of your company’s mission and values.

Simple
The expression “less is more” definitely applies to logo design. Iconic logos are simple, using simple shapes and a limited color palette. The simpler the logo, the easier it is to recognize while passing a billboard on the highway or shopping at a store. Things like shadows, gradients, and lots of colors will make your logo less recognizable and should not be included in your design.

Another important thing to mention is that your logo doesn’t need to show what your business sells or offers. Think about some of the most iconic logos of the world, such as McDonalds, Nike, and Coca Cola. These logos do not sow what the company sells and are purely for identification.

Timeless

Your logo should stand the test of time. Trends come and go, so ask yourself this: will your logo still look good 50 years from now? Trends are great for fashion, but when it comes to logo design, you shouldn’t follow them.

Versatile

Well designed logos are easy to identify on a variety of different mediums. Your logo should display well on everything from a ballpoint pen to a billboard and work in both vertical and horizontal formats. Your logo should work in color and well as in black and white and reverse colors (a light logo on a dark background).

Your logo is what identifies your company as you, so if your logo isn’t right, people could be getting the wrong message. Is your logo effective? What are some of your favorite logo designs?