Branding
Do's & Don’ts of Logo Design
When it comes to your brand, your logo has an important role: to convey the core values and purpose of your business. It’s like a welcome mat to your brand, inviting customers in and giving them a taste of who you are as a brand. Designing a logo that authentically represents your brand can be challenging, though. It involves plenty of decision-making, which can easily feel overwhelming when certain aspects of your brand are still unclear.
I want offer a few do’s and don’ts of logo design to help you get started on the right foot. Whether you’re working with a designer or DIY-ing it, here are a few pointers to consider:
Do: Ask "Why?"
Strong design starts with knowing your purpose, so you can communicate it visually. It’s important to know your purpose and what motivates you to run your business.
Your brand’s “why” is the north star that you can point to when making logo design choices to make sure the design aligns with the heart of your business. Keeping the “why” at the forefront of your mind while designing your logo ensures you’re incorporating what really matters to your brand into your logo.
If you want to know more about finding your “why”, check out my post to find some thoughtful questions that may be helpful.
Don't: Skip the Strategy
Brand strategy is your map to designing a meaningful logo.
Diving into designing a logo without a strategy is like trying to build IKEA furniture without reading the instructions. Not good. Save the headache and start by getting clear about who you are, what you do, and who you serve.
When you’re confident about your business, you’ll make better, more decisive design choices. You won’t be wondering whether to pick this color or that font because you’ll know what aligns with your brand and what doesn’t.
Do: Consider Your Audience
Knowing who you are and what your brand stands for is only one piece of the puzzle to creating an effective logo.
Your logo is a hinge where your brand and your customers intersect, so it needs to represent both. You need to know your audience and what appeals to them so you can form strong brand connections.
Once you’re sure of who you’re serving, hone in on what resonates with them visually. They want to feel confident that your brand is for them, that you completely get who they are and what they’re looking for. So do some research on your demographic to learn what would pop out at them and make them stop scrolling to check out your brand.
Don’t: Decide Based on Aesthetics Alone
It’s not that aesthetics don’t matter, but that they should be backed by strategy when designing an effective logo.
Designing a logo that looks pretty but doesn’t have meaning behind it won’t be much help for you and your business. You want your logo be attractive, but remember that it’s primary job is to accurately represent the core of your brand.
Instead of only thinking about what looks nice, consider how you can translate the key elements of your brand into visuals. Starting from a foundation of brand clarity guarantees a stronger logo, because it allows you to design something beautiful that’s also packed with intention.
Final thoughts
Strategic design is essential to creating a logo that truly reflects the heart of your business. The more intentional you can be in the design process, the more effective the logo will be.
I hope this post helps you understand what goes into making strategic design choices so you can create a meaningful logo for your brand. If you’d like to work together to design your strategic brand, please apply here. I’d love to connect!
Hi I’m Hayley, founder of Hidden Pearl Design. We help creative entrepreneurs gain brand confidence so you can grow with purpose.