The Top 7 Dos and Don’ts of Designing a Quality Logo

Your logo is going to serve as the face of your business, so you want to make sure that it fits your brand. After all, it’s going to serve as the first impression your company gives to any potential customers or clients. Everything about your logo matters, from the font you choose to right down to the colors on the image. That is why custom logo designing is so important and it’s necessary to create an icon that properly communicates your company’s mission, values, and overall sentiment.

That being said, custom logo designing has some essential dos and don’ts you need to be aware of. Keep reading to learn a few tips courtesy of our Salt Rank design team!

 

#1.) Choose a Conceptual Logo

Conceptual logos can be a great choice for your business. These are logos that aren’t necessarily as straight forward, but still do a great job of showcasing your brand and what your company is all about. Play around with color, movement, and the art of subtlety.

Do focus on movement and concept. For example, if you own a chain of car washes, opt to incorporate the color blue or some kind of design that reminds you of water.

Don’t go for the obvious choice such as adding a car or soap bubbles to your logo. While this is fine if you want something that is to the point, it doesn’t fall in the ‘conceptual’ category.

 

#2.) Work Within Your Space

Logos should be memorable and easy to recognize. Remember that when designing your logo, you only have a set amount of space to work with, so it’s vital that you find the right balance.

Do stack your icon and your tagline. A good rule of thumb is that most logos fit well when they’re designed to be square shaped. This helps when printing branded marketing materials or putting your logo on a polo or jacket.

Don’t jam too much together. While it’s important to maximize said space, you also don’t want things to look overcrowded. Play around with different ideas and font sizes to see how everything fits together in your set space.

 

#3.) Use Both Lower and Uppercase Letters

If you really want to capitalize on making the most of your custom logo designing efforts, pay attention to what letters are lowercase and which are uppercase. Remember that this is a logo, it doesn’t necessarily have to be grammatically correct. If you want to stand out, you have to be willing to bend a few rules.

Do hit the caps lock button when typing out your company name. This will be more eye-catching and help customers to remember who you are loud and clear. Adjust the kerning (that’s the space between letters) to play around with how the letters all fit.

Don’t capitalize both your name and your tagline. This can be overwhelming to the eye. If your company’s name is already all uppercase, choose lowercase letters for your tagline. This will create a nice visual mix.

 

#4.) Use Creative Typography

One trend that has gained a lot of traction over the recent years is using creative, handwritten typography for your logo. Font usage matters, and this can be a great way to add a personal touch to your business.

Do opt for this kind of font if your goal is to show that you are a personable, creative company. For example, a photography studio or interior designer might use this kind of design.

Don’t use this font should your company mission have a more serious tone, such a divorce attorney or financial manager. By doing so, this creative typography might send the wrong message to potential clients.

 

#5.) Frame Your Logo

Another fun way you can get creative with your custom logo designing efforts is to give your icon a fun frame. This can be done in a wide variety of ways, including adding a few embellished lines on the top and bottom of your image, or simply adding a colorful drop shadow behind the text.

Do properly space and frame your logo so that it fits nicely within the boundaries that you have set.

Don’t make the text bump up against the frame. Again, this will contribute to making your logo look rushed or overcrowded.

 

#6.) Emphasize Readability

Remember that your customers or clients need to be able to read your logo. Should they glance at your design and not clearly be able to read your name or your tagline, this is going to have a huge, negative impact on your brand’s reputation.

Do use a balance of fun fonts as well as more straightforward typography, such as Arial or Times New Romance. You can bolster your brand awareness by keeping your logo neat and readable.

Don’t put a light font over a light background or a dark font over a dark background. This will make things difficult to read and can cause your customers some serious eye strain!

 

#7.) Be Able to Scale Your Design

As mentioned before, your logo is going to show up in a wide variety of places and be printed on a number of items: your website, business cards, flyers, advertisements, team shirts, and so much more. This means that your logo is going to need to be scaled to accommodate various shapes and sizes.

Do create a high resolution vector image that can be manipulated and is able to, quite literally, fit all of your branding needs!

Don’t add an extremely intricate image to your logo that will lose its appeal should it become too small, such as when added to a business card.

 

Custom Logo Designing From Salt Rank

While all of these tips and tricks are great advice, if logo design isn’t your forte, it’s okay to call upon the experts. Here at Salt Rank, we specialize in custom logo designing for businesses across a wide array of industries, including senior living communities. Our team is highly creative and up to date with the latest trends to be able to design a logo that is truly one of a kind and suited for your mission. For more information about our services or to request a free consultation, be sure to contact us today!