The ultimate guide to business logos 2022.
Here’s a question for you. When was the last time you saw a brand without a logo? Never, right?
That is because a logo is an important part of all brands. A logo will have a major impact on how recognisable a brand is, as well as how customers perceive it. Branding is a huge factor when marketing a company.
But what is a logo? What does it do and why are they important? How can you design one for free?
This is a question many business owners are asking, so we created this article to help get you started. Let’s take a look.
What Is A Logo?
So, a logo is a symbol that companies use to identify themselves. It could be text, an image or both together to show what the company does and its values. It is all about being the perfect visual brand mark for a company.
What Is The Function of a Logo?
The purpose of a logo is to show what the company stands for, all in one simple graphic. It helps businesses to communicate between customers and their potential target audience by informing people about their values and personality.
Why Does Your Business Need a Logo?
Well, having a well-designed logo can build trust and make customers stay. Potential customers are easily able to recognise who you are and what service you provide. People that have no prior knowledge of your business can easily remember your brand through a logo.
Why Are Logos Important?
There are many reasons why logos are important, aside from looking good. Companies can spend millions of pounds to design one, so you can see they do serve a purpose. Below are some of the ways they are important:
| Identification | A good logo can provide customers with key information about your company. This could be the industry you are in, target audience and brand values. For example, specific colours can show you are environmental or imagery can show the field you are in. |
| Stand out from the competition | One of the best examples is being unique, differing your brand from other companies in your industry. If you have competition, you’ll want to stand out from the rest so that people choose your company. |
| Brand recognition | They provide a visual impact that impacts customers. A strong visual association can help customers to keep your brand in mind. The best companies do this well, identifying a logo without the name even attached. |
How Much Does It Cost To Make A Logo?
The cost of a logo ranges from £0, all the way to hundreds of thousands of pounds. However, for small businesses, a quality design can be done for free. The price will depend on who creates it, the quality and how quickly you need it.
How Much Should Your Logo Design Cost?
Logos are crucial to all businesses identity. Often, it will be the very first thing that potential customers see, so you want to stand out from the crowd. When it comes to cost, you should always be within your budget, weighing up the cost versus quality and value. Below is a table from 99Designs showing average logo costs.
| $10-$50 | $300-$800 | $800-$2,500 | $2,500+ | |
| Logo design options | Logo maker | Freelance designer or design contest (starting at $299) | Freelance designer or design contest | Design agency |
| Quality | Basic, using standard generic logos, stock icons and stock fonts with a quick turnaround. | Designers with limited experience or a smaller portfolio, however still can provide good quality. | Experienced designers offering a professional service. | Guaranteed high-quality designs from a full-service team of creative strategists. |
| Who should use it | Those on a tight budget and time conscious who are happy with generic designs. | Those with a good understanding of the design process, who are happy to spend more. | Those who want a mid-range budget quality design. | Those who want a complete, top-to-bottom branding package, who are willing to use resources. |
What Elements Make A Logo?
So, we now know the importance of a logo, but let’s break down what they are made up of. Firstly there is no set rule of what a logo design has to contain. It will be individual to each business. Here are some of the common elements.
Typography
This will often be some form of writing on the logo. Sometimes it can be a single letter, an abbreviation of the brand name or even the full title of the business. However, some businesses don’t do this, it all depends on your preference.
Imagery
Symbols or icons are common, composed of abstract geometric elements. They’ll typically be related to the industry of the company, for example, a brand may use a tennis ball if they are related to tennis.
Colour
Colours can play a big part in logos. They can be monochrome or multicoloured to stand out from the crowd. Usually, complimentary or similar hue colours will be used, as well as colours matched with the niche industry.
What Makes A Good Logo? The Dos and Don’ts
There is no specific answer to this question, as the main reason for a logo goes far beyond being just a pretty visual. However, good logos accomplish two things, a concept and an execution. One that resonates with its audience and reflects on its value system. Here are the dos and don’ts of logo design.
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Do avoid unnecessary wording – too many words can make your design less memorable and harder to share. Use a simple approach and avoid your logo looking like generic marketing copy. | Don’t use too many colours – colour is good, but too many can make it look bust and blurry. Keep it to two or three colours, making it simple and cleaner, rather than messy. |
| Do first designs in black and white – firstly, you should see what your design looks like without colour. If it Is illegible, then you need to change things. Add the colour later on when you’ve got a good idea. | Don’t use clip art – so you’ve used clip art, which is a great free tool. However, everyone else can use it too. Someone else may just be using the same idea, even in your industry. Don’t trap yourself. |
| Do disconnect the text from any images – separating the icon from the text is better so that it is easier to share. Especially with social media, this is key. Think about how your design will look on various platforms. | Don’t use the wrong font – see what your logo looks like from a distance, as often it can look great on a screen in front of you, but poor from further away. Try it out in different scenarios for better angles. |
How To Design A Logo For Your Business
Now let’s discuss designing a logo for yourself. If you’re looking to save some money, designing it yourself can be a great way to do this, as well as learning some skills along the way.
It always starts with the story
You need to be selling your brand, as well as the product, so think about adding some sort of story to your logo. What is the story behind your company, the “why” should shine in the cooler, shape, and typeface of your logo
Brainstorm
Try using Thesaurus.com and search for words that describe, then use these as a guide when refining your concept.
Sketch time
You now should have a bank of words that can help steer the design. Now let the ideas flood and get them down on paper. Don’t get frustrated, just keep refining and adding any ideas down, it’ll all start to come together. It only takes one idea.
Feedback
Okay, so you may have a few different ideas you like now. Next, ask your friends, family members, and colleagues about what they think. Even consider asking people who fit the target audience of your brand. Ask for honest feedback and don’t take any negative comments personally.
Refine
Take the advice on board and look for areas of improvement. Don’t forget your bank of keywords to refer back to. Think about your story and whether the logo represents this.
Use free software
With a solid idea, take your design to the next level and try online software. We will cover the most popular websites later on, so stay tuned. This is where your concept comes to life and allows you to get the right layout.
Add colour
As mentioned earlier, the colour part comes after the design is done. Think about if your design will be placed on backgrounds and how it will look. Ensure to have logo colour variations for both dark and light backgrounds.
Font selection
If you have decided to have some typography, then now is the time to decide which font to use. Try to avoid generic fonts that come standard on every word processor, making you less memorable.
Scaling
Your company will be shown on multiple platforms such as social media, print and your website. As you grow, your design may be blown up large for a billboard, as well as scaled-down onto the side of a pen. Remember the design should be scalable.
Best Free Logo Design Tools
Finally, let’s take a look at the best free logo makers online at the moment. There are many others to choose from, but these are the most popular for small businesses across the world.
Canva is home to some of the best free designs online. With paid plans, there are plenty of choices, however, the free tier allows you to download high-res logos without any issues.
Next up is Wix where you can even use the online business name generator. They can help you with the design after you input information about your business, allowing you to edit and then download.
Tailor Brands Last up, Tailor Brands have various options for you to choose which designs you prefer and then allow you to purchase one easily. You can use all three options to inspire future designs.