12 quick steps how to design a logo.
Have you ever seen a big brand without a logo? No? That’s because there aren’t any. has a major impact on how your customers will perceive your brand. So naturally, you want your logo to be outstanding. But how do you get there?
Here are the most important steps to designing a logo.
You may be asking yourself: How can I design my own logo? These are the steps you need to follow:
1. Understand why you need a logo
Business really is like dating—you’re trying to attract the right customers and make them fall head over heels in love with your brand. So think of your logo as the picture on your dating profile. It’s what’s going to make people take interest and try to learn more about you.
2. Define your brand identity
You want your logo to communicate your brand’s personality. And in order to do that, you first need to understand what your brand’s core personality is. Once you have a clear idea of what makes you unique and what your brand is all about, it will be much easier for you to make design choices that complement and complete that picture.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself, to get to the bottom of your brand identity:
- Why did we start this business?
- What are beliefs and values that are important to us as a company?
- What do we do better than anyone else?
- What makes us special?
3. Find inspiration for your design
The hardest part of the design process can be the search for logo inspiration. Luckily we’ve got some tips for you that will make it really easy. Find logo inspiration here
4. Check out the competition
The best place to steal borrow ideas? Your competition! Check out what’s already out there, what works well with your audience and what you should avoid. While stalking those other businesses, think about what makes them different from you and how you can emphasise these differences in your logo design.
5. Choose your design style
Now that you have a clear idea of your brand and are feeling inspired, it’s time to start translating that into design. There are lots of different elements that come into play here, from colors, shapes and graphics to typography. Isolating each component and what it can do for your logo will help you take things step by step, rather than getting overwhelmed with the whole design all at once.
6. Find the right type of logo
In addition to the overall style there are 7 main types of logos you can choose from when you are creating your logo. You can pick the one that suits your company name or overall aesthetic best, or combine them to create something unique. Find 7 main types of logos
7. Pay attention to color
Colors can have a ton of different meanings. The psychology behind color is complex, but to keep it short, colors have certain emotions and ideas attached to them. Learn more about color psychology
8. Pick the right typography
You want to pick a font that complements and completes your logo. There are 4 basic types of fonts you can work with to give your logo a unique look:
- Serif fonts
- Sans serif fonts
- Script fonts
- Display fonts
9. Communicate with your designer
Now that you have considered all of the necessary style points, you’re ready to start designing! There are many ways to get a logo, so you should consider which one suits you best. Agency, logo contest, 1-to-1 project or logo maker? Different prices come with different qualities and all options have their pros and cons.
Sometimes it may take a little bit of trust in your designer, but try to stay open to suggestions. Remember, your designer is an expert and has a great feel for what makes a good logo. Giving lots of detailed and clear feedback is what gives designers an understanding of what you like.
10. Evaluate your logo options
Evaluating your logo options can be hard, so get some feedback from friends, potential customers and colleagues to help you make a decision.
A good logo:
- is unique and distinctive
- is memorable
- works at any size and anywhere
- reflects your brand identity
- is timeless
11. What not to do when designing a logo
Evaluating your logo options can be hard, so get some feedback from friends, potential customers and colleagues to help you make a decision.
There are some common pitfalls that await you when you’re designing your logo. Here are some tips on what not to do:
- Don’t give in to the clichés of your industry. You’re a dentist so your logo needs to have a tooth in it?
- Don’t make it too complicated. Simplicity is key for a memorable (and printable) logo.
- Don’t go with an amateur. Your friend/intern/cousin has used Photoshop before, so they can save you some money and design your logo? Just don’t.
12. Integrate your logo design into your brand
Now that you know how to design a logo, what’s next?
Once you have your logo, you’ve created the ideal basis for all the branding material your business needs—whether it’s business cards, packaging design or web design. By setting the tone for your style, color palette, font and overall look and feel your logo is the starting point for your brand collateral and your designer will be able to create a seamless look for you. And just like that, your business is ready to show the world its brand new face!
