With all the other headaches that come from starting a business and keeping it afloat, your company’s logo and branding may be the furthest thing from your mind. But your logo is something you want to consider carefully. It’s the focal point and the face of your company. It grabs a person’s attention and, when designed correctly, stays with them long after they’ve stopped thinking about your company. Your logo is your business’s first impression, and you know what they say about first impressions.
But what exactly does a logo consist of? At its core, a logo is a symbol, usually made from images and text, that represent brands and companies. A logo is not only intended to identify your brand, but it’s also designed to convey your brand’s message as simply as possible. It can also help you stand out from the competition. And it can help you build brand recognition.
How exactly does a logo accomplish all of these things? It starts with the design. The idea is to boil down your company’s core message to what it is you want to communicate through your branding. Through imagery and typography, a logo is designed that best captures and communicates this message.
With that said, figuring out what makes a good logo for your business takes some homework. With all the different types of logos, it can be a little overwhelming.
Below are some logo design tips as well as three of the best logos for businesses.
Wordmarks
Wordmarks are the most basic type of logo, and they reside in the realm of typography. At its core, a wordmark is simply the name of your business in a stylized typeface. Though, this doesn’t mean the logo necessarily has to be simple: Think of Coca-Cola. Their logo is only words, yet its script is unique and memorable.
Typography in this type of logo is critical. The font you use should capture the core message of what it is your business does. As an example, you’ll see plenty of fashion brands that utilize elegant, simplistic fonts that give their logos an air of sophistication. Conversely, if you look at most government organizations, they tend to use heavier fonts that are more traditional. This makes them seem stable and secure.
Pictorial Marks
A pictorial mark logo is one that’s simply a graphic or icon, without text, that represents a company. When you think of the concept of logos, it’s likely the first few examples you think of are pictorial marks. The iconic Apple logo or Nike’s swoosh are good examples.
Pictorial marks are great for established businesses. They’re both memorable and instantly recognizable. But because of their nature, they can be a little challenging for newer companies to use. However, if you have a strong presence in your field, they can work great for brand recognition.
If you decide to go with a pictorial mark, you’ll want to think very thoroughly about what image you want to use. It’s going to be with your company for the rest of its existence.
Combination Marks
Combination marks are a literally a combination of the word mark and pictorial mark logos. The imagery and text can be arranged next to each other or they can be integrated. The combination gives you a versatile option when creating a logo. You get the text and typography to communicate the name of your company, as well as the pictorial to create a strong brand presence. Depending on how your logo is designed, you may even be able to separate the pictorial from it later on and use it as a stand-alone pictorial mark. These kinds of logos are also usually very easy to trademark since the combination of text and imagery makes them highly unique.
Deciding on a logo for your business can be daunting, but if you spend a little time learning about the ins and outs of logo design, you’ll be able to get a logo crafted for you that fully represents your business and its mission and stands the test of time.
