Logos aren’t actually all the same, but luckily there are only three kinds of logos that you’ll have to deal with! There are text logos that are strictly just straight up text, symbol logos that don’t say anything and are literally just a simple (like a happy dog for a pet food logo) or a combination that is both a symbol or picture and text that come together to make the logo great.

Text Logos

Text logos are just what they say they are: plain text. Google has a text logo, but from time to time they mix it up with some symbolic elements that make it a combination. The New York Times is another example of an all text logo; virtually all newspapers have text logos that are easily identifiable and strong to give people a sense of timelessness and importance. Netflix is another example of an all text logo, where the letters aren’t just text and have a little embellishment. You can go fancy with an all text logo, but you’ll want to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too crazy and you lose the message you’re trying to convey.

Symbol Logos

Symbolic or image logos will show people who you are without putting the actual text right on the page. Sites like Reddit have a symbolic logo, and Facebook’s icon is a stylised F with a blue square around it. This could be considered a symbol, a text or a combination logo depending on how you look at it. Symbol logos allow you to use an image to brand people’s idea of you; the best presentation of a symbol logo is the Apple logo! Apple is literally an apple that’s changed over the years but has remained the same to show people consistency and to get their message across to people over time. Symbol logos can work for virtually every situation, but for most businesses the best logo you could get is the combination logo.

Combination Logos

Combination logos allow you to blend text and a symbol together to create a logo people will remember. KFC is a great example of a combination logo; it’s bright red colour mixed with contrasting white and black make it a strong brand that everyone knows. Mercedes Benz and Adidas are also great examples of combination logos that blend text and a symbol together that we’d notice apart or together. The point of your combination logo is to get the point across with the best use of design and text that you can muster.

Choosing which kind of logo design is right for you can be difficult, but when you work with the right designer you’ll be able to find a great fit that works for your company. Your logo is the first thing people notice about your brand, so be sure that it makes an impression that people will remember for a long time to come, but doesn’t overpower the message you’re trying to convey!

While you might think the design of your logo is the most important part, colour plays an important role in all logos. From the colour pallet you use to communicate what kind of company you’re running, to complementary and contrasting colours that will define who you are, colours do matter. Here I’m going to show you how you can use colours to your advantage to really show the world who you are and how you can leverage the use of colours to win online.

Be Strong

Strong colours like primaries or Red, Green and Blue will show people you’re strong and will be here for many years to come. Red is the colour of power and the colour of fire, while blue evokes feelings of the vastness of an ocean, business and sky high limits. Green is the colour of money and the environment, and this could have many implications! Depending on how you use colour, you can influence people to think that you’re a strong contender without even making a single move!

Be Smart

Smart logo design colours are Green, Black and Blue (colour meanings can overlap pretty easily). Green shows forward thinking for your business and can show growth and interest, while Black shows you can get things done with its clear, clean and crisp edges that give a great contrast. Blue again shows intelligence, but it can also show business savvy and other things like that. It’s amazing how colours really play a role in perception, and it’s important to pay attention to how they work.

Contrast

Contrasting colours like purple and green in your logo design can give you a great look without getting too crazy, but there are many other combinations that can help you get the job done. A good designer will help you understand what colours are suitable for your niche, and how you can use them to get the best design possible. Figuring out how your colours can work together in tandem will give you a great contrast and can communicate some separate ideals that work together.

Complement

Complement is how two colours work together that are alike to give a stronger feel to the logo. This could be the McDonald’s logo that has red and yellow put together that will instantly evoke fries and ketchup, or really great colours for a fast food restaurant. Your colours will give you the best possible chance for success, so see what colours go together for the best fit.

As you can see, colours play an important role in how the world sees you and how your logo influences people. Your logo is the first thing people see when they’re identifying your brand, and it’s also what they’ll remember about you the most when thinking about you. Using strong or smart colours will help them form an idea about you (even if it’s not yet true) and contrasting and complementary colours will help this even more. Work with a designer to find the right colours for your business!

You need brand recognition to make sure that people know who you are, and to get it you need a real logo design to put it over the top. While you might be tempted to get a cheap logo and just “improve” it later, you’ll only end up hurting your brand recognition if you keep changing things around. You want a consistent brand, and that means having a good logo that people recognise! When people think of a generic term, you want them to think of your business, and most of all when they see your logo you want them to think of you.

Logos Are the Most Important Part of Brand Recognition

When you want people to KNOW you on the spot, you need the right logo. Each industry has colors that people tie to them emotionally, fonts and styles that will help brand recognition. You need someone who knows design, knows how color relationships and styles will get a consumer to look at your favorably and imprint on your brand. If you go with someone cheap, you’re not getting the benefit of experience and inextricably ruining your brand before it even gets its feet off the ground. Become a leader in your field with the right logo!

What Makes a Good Logo?

Every field is different, so you’ll want to tailor your own logo to fit your field. A consultation with a designer who has a portfolio and references is always the right way to go! Ask them about color relationships, custom fonts (if they’re using Arial or Comic Sans for your logo, run away!) and how they’re going to help you create brand recognition. Brand recognition is actually really controlled by your customers, but you’ll be able to help it along with some subtle psychological hints. You need to tip the scales in your favor as much as possible!

Choosing a Logo Design Team

There are many different teams out there and it can be hard to choose the right one. The first thing you need to do, like mentioned above, is ask for references. Do they have previous customers that you can talk to on your own (testimonials can be written by anyone, so never trust these). Do they have a portfolio of different logo designs that they’ve created; if so, use tineye (Google it) to see if you can find these in someone else’s portfolio. It sucks, but you need to ask questions to make sure you’re actually getting what you’re paying for and avoid liability on down the road.

If you want a good brand, it all starts with good logo design. You want to be able to come across as professional and smart, but you also need to make sure that you’re appealing to your audience with your design. A good designer will help you get your brand off on the best foot, and that’s why you need to hire a logo design team today!