Selecting a logo to sell 8 Mistakes and Examples to beware of

May 6, 2023

When you're beginning an online business or are considering the possibility of an overhaul of your brand's image, one of the primary aspects of this process is to create a high-quality, eye-catching logo that conveys your brand's message. When you start brainstorming concepts, it is important to think about the factors that go into your logo's style and what kind of style will work best for the business you're aiming to create and the potential clients you're hoping to attract.

In this post we'll discuss the importance of logos, as well as the many varieties of logos. It will also cover some tips for practical issues like the most effective techniques for designing logos, software options to design these, and ways to outsource design.

What's the symbol for an emblem?

Even though we might be a little nutty about the nature that is "logo", the phrase is typically used for the clear design of text, images or a combination of the two to signify a brand or an organization.

Logos are important.

The logo you choose to use will allow customers quickly and effortlessly identify the brand of your business, whether you are posting your advertisements and posts on social media, browsing results on the search engine, looking at products in the online marketplace, or buying from your own site.

If you're looking for your e-commerce firm to stand out from the crowd, having a distinctive logo is crucial. With so many online retailers competing to grab the attention of consumers You'll need to choose an attractive, distinctive and memorable logo that's reflective of your brand.

A visually appealing logo can help establish credibility. Think of your favorite reliable brands. The logos of their brands are likely to pop up to your mind. The mere sight of a specific design or color might evoke brand recognition.

The logo you choose to use is an investment into your brand's development, so ensure you spend the time and effort to design a logo that represents your company and conveys your message to your targeted public.

There are eight types of logos.

The most common logos fall under 8 different kinds:

  • Wordmarks, logotypes,
  • Brand mark, logomark or pictorial
  • Mark of combination
  • Dynamic logo
  • Emblems
  • Letterforms
  • Lettermark, monogram
  • Mascots

Wordmark/logotype

Wordmark logos like Coca-Cola and ebay

"Wordmark" and "logotype" are basically the same thing and both pertain to the same design that uses the use of typography, typically the company name or a portion of the name of the company. Logos using this type of design usually use unique typography that is distinct from the branding of the company.

The most well-known instances of a trademark logo are Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola logo is instantly recognized, thanks to its iconic typography that has not changed much over the past 130 years. L'oreal and eBay's logos are examples of wordmarks and logotypes.

Brand mark, logomark, or an image

brand mark logos like Apple and Twitter

"Brand mark"," "logomark," and "pictorial" are all used to describe the description of a visual element in a logo. These can also be accompanied by letters or words as an additional element to the imagery, however which does not include the name of the company. It could be representative, for example, such as the apple bird and the shell logos of Apple, Twitter, and Shell Oil, or they may be more abstract as the Atari or Dropbox trademarks. Dropbox trademarks.

The Atari logo is a hint of the shape of an A, without being an actual A-shape. The Dropbox logo is made up of a variety of delicately placed diamonds to create an abstract box appearance.

Mark of combination

A combination mark is an image of the business name, which is paired with the graphically-oriented brand mark. The majority of the time, firms will employ its combination mark in every situation, but it is also possible to use alongside its wordmark or brand mark separately depending on the scenario.

Dynamic logos

Google Doodle of a rabbit

Dynamic logos are flexible, contemporary logos with elements that alter in accordance with what a business wants to communicate with a particular audience. Google is perhaps the most popular example of this through the use of its Google Doodles. Logos that are dynamic can be static, animated, or interactive.

Google makes use of all three them in their Google Doodles series. The only thing that stays constant throughout each Doodle is that the name "Google" is used in a certain way. The remainder of the design is able to be altered.

For the majority of companies using the Google method might not be a good option, particularly for brands looking to create their name known. It could be confusing for clients to view different versions of your company's logo that have drastically different styles.

Keep in mind that Google doesn't make this kind of flexibility available to all uses of its logo. The Google Doodle is specifically used to create Google's Google Search landing page. Otherwhere else, they adhere to their trademarked wordmark and brand mark.

If you are looking to design an appealing logo, you should be considering something that is more similar to the style of MTV.

different variations of the MTV logo
Image is courtesy of Logopedia.

Most of the time, MTV uses the same design of its logo, however it uses distinct color schemes and may even include co-branding alongside other businesses. Its logo remains immediately identifiable as MTV however the variations in its color scheme and style can help viewers associate MTV with other notions, ideologies and even brands that trigger different feelings and keep viewers engaged.

Emblems

emblem logos like Ford, BMW, and Starbucks

The word "emblem" is used to describe an emblem layout that incorporates images and words to make an integral logo. Emblems typically look similar to badges or crests. The type of style most often seen in teams, schools of athletes and automobile companies However, a lot of companies use emblems for their brand names. The likes of Starbucks, Warner Bros. and Stella Artois all have emblem logos.

Letterforms

letterform logos like WordPress and Facebook

The letterform is a way to use the initial letters (or sometimes or the initials of a brand ) to make a base brand name. While they're usually less intricate than monograms, they could be a monogram too. be monograms, such as the one above. New York Yankees letterform/monogram.

Lettermarks/monograms

lettermark logos like Gucci and Chanel

Monogram or lettermark logos utilize an acronym or initials for the company as the entire or even a part in the overall logo. Letters often cross-over in order to form patterns. It is also possible to place them in the background.

Monograms first appeared during the early years of Greece for identifying coins to indicate the city they were issued by. Later, they were signed by people with money and power, as well as by artists and craftsmen.

Monogram logos have a lengthy tradition and are frequently utilized by fashion and beauty brands to express a touch of sophistication and a sense of heritage. Monograms aren't only used by these industries. Just about every category of business has made use of monograms. Monograms are cost-effective and durable method to create an identity, and they're ideal for any type of enterprise.

Mascot logos

mascot logos like Lacoste and Wendy's

Mascot logos employ famous characters to represent the business of a company. The alligator from Lacoste, Cheetos' Chester Cheetah, Reddit's fictional creature Snoo and KFC's Colonel Sanders, and Wendy's character, Wendy Thomas, are some of the famous characters that have been utilized as a corporate logo.

Mascots are a great way to highlight the brand's personality, and make the brand more relatable and casual. It is also possible to use them as creative elements in your marketing. But using a mascot in the form of an image could be a challenge since it's simple to change the persona that you want to use (see: Ronald McDonald) however it's difficult to remove their image from the mind of consumers.

So you'll want to carefully take a look at the image your mascot is portraying and make sure it's on-brand and scalable according to your plans on growing your business.

sample logo designed with Looka
Image made by with the assistance of

The logo is the first contact a potential customer experiences with your business. Your logo should be memorable, easily identifiable and represent your brand's image, but there are known best practices for designing your logo that you should consider in deciding on your logo.

Even if your logo looks attractive and distinctive It doesn't mean it is a good design. A lot of large companies have experienced certain insecure logo launches that have resulted in criticism from the media.

Many businesses believe in the old saying that "any publicity is excellent publicity." However, unless your business attempts to draw attention, it is best to follow tried and tested methods of designing that will prevent being ruined by a blog post about the worst logo designs ever.

Easy to follow

It is possible that you have heard of the expression "less is more" which was invented by Minimalist designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1947. It is tossed around often in the jargon of corporate communications and may be employed as a reason to justify low-effort design work. But the idea of "less implies more" is not to keep the design simple and uninteresting.

It's a belief system that is focused on functionality as well as aesthetic. Ultimately, the goal is to use as few elements as are necessary to convey the intended message and supply the required function, while simultaneously creating an aesthetically-pleasing appearance.

It is crucial to consider this principle when creating logos, as the design should be easy for people to comprehend. It should be possible to place it on backgrounds that have a range of colors and textures. configure it for different spaces and aspect ratios and utilize it in various dimensions without becoming confusing or messy.

spa logo on different colors of backgrounds

This doesn't mean it's necessary to select a minimalist logo design, neither. It can be applied to any kind of logo - modern, traditional and old-fashioned, or any other style which is trendy or contemporary.

Choose a style that represents your company's image and your target market

If your company makes vintage or antique items, it's possible to select an antique logo which evokes the era the brand belongs to.

In particular, Big Chill appliances use a vintage-styled typographic logo that evokes iconic appliances that date back to the 1930s-1960s.

The brand's logo Trader Joe's is a 1960s look that has a tiki-art vibe, just like Ben and Jerry's. The logo has a fun and playful style from the 1970s that is in keeping with their aesthetic. Altoids' serif font logo that has a gold embossed design that runs along the edges provides it with the timeless look and feel of traditional.

example logos like Altoids and Jack Daniels

Jack Daniels whiskey has not significantly altered its logo since 1947, and it is still a look-alike of its iconic logo from before Prohibition. In contrast to brands like Levi Strauss that massively changed their logos throughout through the years, Jack Daniels has only altered their logo over the time, and was able to remind customers about their long-standing tradition.

If your company sells software as a service (SaaS) and provides tech-based products, or you prefer an identity that is clean clear and easy to understand It's possible to opt for simpler designs. These companies use elegant, contemporary designs.

Some of them include logos, while others strictly type-based and use distinct letterforms in order to establish their own identity others have emblems, badges, or a style of appearance.

example logos like Automattic and Slack

If the shop you are operating is geared toward niche demographics It is essential to choose the right logo to resonate with the target group of clients. If you're selling food items that are organic and healthy, toy, comic books, women's apparel, or hunting equipment, it's feasible to achieve an effective and targeted logo that isn't too slick and stray into the realm of adorable and kid-friendly.

Some examples of niche audience logos include Walt's Comic Shop, Nelson Rare Books, KiwiCo, and Chewy.

example logos like Chewy and KiwiCo

Walt's Comic Shop makes use of a cartoon-like design and uses simpler lines, as well as two shades and an uncluttered, sans-serif font. It's enjoyable and draws inspiration from the field, however it's not overly cartoonish, and both typography and graphic elements work well and work well together.

Nelson Rare Books uses an elaborately illuminated initial in their logo, like what could be found at the beginning of a chapter in an old book. As opposed to the decorated serif font, they use a clean, wide sans-serif font which is utilized to create all the uppercase letters of the name of the business. It creates a balance in the visual and conveys the essence of the brand's image as a vendor of rare and antique books, and an online shop that utilizes the latest technology and organizational systems.

KiwiCo provides science and art kits for kids as an on-line subscription. They've picked a modern minimalistic logo but kept it a bit playful with a kiwi-themed mascot as well as a serif font that is large. Making the logo less generic will allow them to grow their company to different directions and without having to alter the design whenever they want to.

Chewy is a delivery service that caters to pet owners. Their logo isn't comprised of any images, and is solely dependent on the their type. They've used a sans-serif, rounded pattern that's been dotted, giving a fun look typically used to refer to pets.

Only use clip art.

If you think that it is possible to simply select your logo from a clipart free site, consider a second thought. There is a possibility that you could apply clip art to your logo, if you wish, but there is an excellent chance that other companies have used this method. There is a chance that someone may recognize the logo and think it for another company's logo or give an amateur appearance.

Additionally it is important to note that not all clip art works are accessible to the general public. The fact that you are able to access it online does not indicate that you can use it legally. Do you really want to be the focus of an action!

This doesn't mean you can't make use of a design designed before for use as the basis of your brand. It is possible to find royalty-free photos on marketplaces such as IStock Images as well as Creative Market that are where you can get higher-quality graphics that could be used to design your own logos. Also, logos that are completely designed. The only thing you'll need to do is change the placeholder in the design to reflect the name of your business.

examples of ice cream shop logos
Ice cream shop logos courtesy iStockPhoto

If you choose to use a feature that was pre-designed in your logo, then be sure to keep an eye open to the possibility that someone else may be using the same feature in their own as well. Also make sure you're using an appropriate license that is compatible with the purpose you intend to use it for. Some stock image sites have different types of licenses which you can buy for a variety of reasons, including print, web, and editorial usage.

Avoid overused and cliche pictures and fonts

A search of "worst logo fonts" as well as "worst logo design" could give you ideas about what you should not do. You should make sure the elements of your logo as well as typography aren't used by businesses which aren't yours. This can not only keep your brand from being confusing, but could be a great motivator to come up with an innovative and original design that you'll be able to take pride in.

It's not a bad idea for a standard symbol or logo in the design of your logo in the event that it is relevant to your industry. Veterinary logos are a great illustration of this. How the majority of vets use a mixture of dogs or cats with a paw print an emblem of medicine and the heart?

Most likely. This doesn't mean that it's not possible to utilize that type of imagery - it's just means it's much more difficult to come up with the original concept employing the same themes.

Below are some great examples of typical logo options that are well-executed:

two veterinary logos side-by-side
Images taken from Dribble Aurora Veterinary Hospital as well as Advanced Veterinary Care Center

In order to design Aurora Veterinary Hospital, the artist chose a minimalist palette, with an almost abstract representation of dogs... Perhaps the animal. The style is wide enough to portray the two animals. The design is adorable, but doesn't appear cartoonish. It's sleek, contemporary and easy to read offering a different version of the popular design of a dog and cat in the logo of the veterinary medical profession.

Advanced The logo of Veterinary Care Center is extremely innovative, and pointing to the tail of a cat and also making use of the medical standard + symbol that is in the shape of the letter A to signify "Advanced." The logo is a more professional-looking mark, but still in line with the profession it represents. The design is completely different one that Aurora the Veterinary Hospital's logo. The logo is less abstract and minimalist, but still using the most common design.

The creation of your own typeface, or modifying the style of an existing font in a way to suit your brand design, can be a good way to create an original and powerful logo. If you're interested in the field of typography or graphic design, but it's not something that you have an academic background in the field, it's best to learn basic typographic principles before you start working on creating custom fonts or altering the existing ones.

Be careful not to go too far using visual effects, colors or other coloration.

Limit yourself only to a maximum of four colors. If the logo you are designing requires over four color options then you should limit your colours to one component of your logo.

In this instance, for example, the NBC logo has an image of the rainbow on their peacock logo, but the text on their logo is black. The elements are easy to discern by themselves. The solid colors as well as a tiny number of geometric shapes makes peacock shapes recognizable in spite of a variety of hues.

But, when you start applying different colors to every alphabet, the logo starts to fade in importance. Going further by applying rainbow gradients, drop shadows and glow effects the logo becomes chaos. The result is definitely original, however it's pretty difficult to stare at.

NBC logos in different colors side-by-side

Make sure that the layout you decide for use is clear on every application

When you're setting up an e-commerce site You'll want to ensure your logo appears great and is able to be easily accessible particularly on mobile. However, you should make sure it looks good in print, can translate easily to horizontal as well as vertical layouts and has the option of color variation for various textures and backgrounds.

Take care not to muddle or squash the ratios of your logo order to fit into a specific size. It is possible to rearrange the logo elements or make your logo smaller or more expansive while maintaining its aspect ratio, but stretching or squeezing the logo could make it more difficult to read and less professional.

There are two types of images that you can develop using design software: both raster and vector. Vector images are using mathematical formulas which enable their scale without losing their clarity or getting distortion-prone.

Images of a raster format on however, comprise the same amount of pixels. Once you've scaled your image, you can't increase the size without damaging the image or distorting the image in some way.

designing a logo with software

As your logo may be used in a broad number of situations and in different sizes in your marketing materials it is important to make sure your logo will be expanded without sacrificing its quality. Utilizing a vector layout can make editing your logo later much more simple and allows you to maintain the image's high quality regardless of how often you alter or increase the size that your image.

You should also save versions of the logo you want to use in several vector (ai, pdf, eps) format, as well as exporting both raster formats with high resolution (png or jpg), tiff or png) and web-optimized lower resolution documents like webp.

Are you interested in learning more about different logo formats? Mean Creative provides a handy cheat sheet on logo file types. Mean Creative has a helpful cheat sheet.

Logo design software

Are you looking for the perfect software to design a great logo? With the many options available there, it's difficult to decide which you should pick. If you already have some understanding of graphic design, you may want to utilize a computer or an online design tool that offers you complete freedom to create the logo for your business.

If you don't have any experience in design, it is possible to choose an online automated software for designing logos. Even if you can't find the solution you're searching for this could provide a great base to start from if you decide to select an artist.

If your generated logo has a lot in common with what you want however, it still requires a small tweak, you may be able to save money by giving the designer you hired to create the logo a design that is 90 percent of what you would like it to be and requires only a couple of tiny modifications.

Design software for desktop and online choices

blank canvas in Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator

  • ProfessionalsIllustrator has become an industry leader in vector design software. Versions for iPad as well as Desktop are now available, and the software is feature-rich.
  • BenefitsIllustrator utilizes a pay-per-month model, meaning it has a constant monthly fee. It can also come with an extensive amount of training, and it may be suitable only those who intend to perform a significant amount of graphic design.
CoralDRAW homepage

CorelDraw

  • Advantages:It offers a one-time purchase option along with the option to purchase a subscription. Additionally, it offers a lower version that is compatible with Corel Vector online software, with the option of a trial of 15 days for free.
  • AdvantagesThe one-time purchase price surpasses $500 and the online Vector software is limited to a monthly subscription. Similar to Illustrator however, the process of learning may be somewhat difficult for those who are new to the field. Furthermore, the CorelDraw iPad app has an average rating of 1 1/2 stars review within the Apple App Store.
working within Canva

Canva

  • The benefits Canva comes with a free account that lets you create a logo as well with other designs, for no cost. Canva also has an option to create a logo if you are unhappy with your work. Canva is a well-known design tool that is easy to use for both professional designers, both creative and not You can be assured it's well-supported with ongoing updates and additional innovative functions. It also offers freemium access to a selection of photographs taken from Getty and other stock content sources.
  • Cons: Premium content and alternatives are limited to users who have different paid accounts. It is a software that cannot be used offline. Search features to search for images from stock, in particular, can be a bit clunky, and may be challenging to locate exactly the picture that you are looking for.
Creating within Vectr

Vectr

  • The pros: Vector is a basic, no-cost graphic design software that's simple to utilize.
  • Cons:It's online only and might be far too simple, depending on the kind of design work you're planning to perform. Additionally, it displays ads inside the program, which could cause annoyance.

Online logo creators

In addition to Canva's feature for creating logos, which we've previously discussed and also on the web, there's a software which is focused exclusively on automatic logo designs.

Checka along with Smashing Logo both offer free custom logo design tools. It is possible to create absolutely nothing the quantity of logos you'd like, but if you want to download the vector files and brand packages, you'll need to buy premium levels.

Intro wizard from SmashingLogo.com
Intro wizard by SmashingLogo.com

Online logo creator software can be an excellent option to discover the best logo for the job with little cost. However, there is no guarantee that you will get the logo you're searching for. Because these platforms allow for use at no cost and test, they could be able to at minimum help you think about the direction of your logo, consider what you do and don't like, then take your idea to a graphic designer or agency as starting points.

Outsourcing logo design

Do you have no interest in creating your own logo or never-endingly creating iterations using the Logo Creator program? Sometimes you should hire a professional from the get-go.

Hiring a freelance logo designer or agency to create your brand is an excellent decision to ensure the longevity of your business. Designers with experience will provide ideas that are fresh and you could never have thought of. They'll be able handle making all of the needed drawings and files.

designer drawing logos on a tablet

It's important to understand the risks that could arise when you outsource your logo's design. Make sure that you select a reputable specialist who is experienced in designing logos for companies in your industry, who is praised by past clients and can meet your needs within your budget.

Some people have good success finding freelance designers through marketplaces on the internet like Fiverr and Upwork. Other people prefer to work in a local company or someone who was recommended to them by a friend or colleague, or even the local chamber of commerce. These are all excellent options to consider when searching for an artist to work who you can work with.

If you're a potential client, it is important ensure that you are ready to work with a graphic designer. Conduct a thorough research on the logos you love and think about what you would like to achieve with the logo you choose, and be able to define your objectives.

Designers thrive when they are given both clear parameters and some flexibility in their design strategies. If you're not able to be flexible in the way you'd like your logo to look like, or you're unclear about what you want, your result may be an unsatisfactory logo. your requirements.

The final stage in creating a logo in conjunction with the graphic designer you've hired is an exchange of ideas, and you could go back a couple of times over sketches before you can find the logo that's just right.

Your mark will be visible

Now that you have some concepts for logo designs that you can look up and start creating and put your logo into action. Look up various logo designs. Look for a logo's color scheme and a general aesthetic.

Decide if you prefer creating your logo your own or employ software to design logos, or hire an experienced designer. If you've found the logo you want ensure that you've got all the appropriate file types for web as well as print before implementing it across your site, as well as marketing channels, social media as well as merchandise.

It is also recommended to look over your logo carefully and run it past some trustworthy source to receive feedback prior to you go live. Be aware that your logo represents an image of your business. There might not be a consensus of opinions on whether your chosen logo is a good design, but you should at least be aware of any obvious flaws that could make it appear in blog posts on the top logos of all time.

It isn't easy to come up with a logo however, with careful planning, extensive research, and the top designers or tools for design to create stunning, memorable logos that creates trust and confidence with your potential customers.

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