Logo Design Tips to Create a Strong Brand Identity

Your logo is the face of your business and an essential part of communicating your brand’s personality.

Think of all the brands that you come across every day: your favorite coffee, go-to fast food place, the spa you can’t stop recommending to people, or even the dental clinic you visit once in a while. If you saw their logo in a different city, would you still recognize it? If the logo design is aligned with the brand vision and tells the brand’s story, chances are you will recognize it no matter where it appears.

As a business owner, you need to create a brand logo that talks to people and instantly connects with your customers.

Related: How to build a memorable brand

How? Here are some tips to help you create a strong logo design.

5 tips to create an impactful logo design

Before you start generating a logo, think about all the channels you will use, from mobile websites to event banners. Does it need to work both vertically and horizontally? Will the size matter? Some logos are great on a large canvas but don’t scale well. Many businesses create beautiful logos that, unfortunately, lose their essence when applied to different media.

Consider a real estate business that uses a logo with a villa icon. The intricate details of the villa may look great on their website, but they might be impossible to see within a small circle on the business’s Instagram page.

Your business logo must look compelling and recognizable, regardless of where you put it.

Related: 6 Ways Your Brand Can Stand Out From The Competition

1. Brand Story

What is the story behind your brand? What products or services do you offer? What types of customers do you serve? How long have you been in business? You can use these elements in your logo design to help tell your story. Here’s an example of a logo design that is effective, conveys what the business is all about, and highlights the brand’s story:

The bicycle icon combined with the word ‘cycling’ in the name demonstrates the business is all about cycling. The bolding of ‘Southside’ helps show that the business has ties to the local community, and the ‘est 2002’ suggests that the business has years of experience. The logo encapsulates a lot of information.

2. Brand elements

Symbols and icons are a quick way to tell people about your business. Many industries have imagery that can be closely associated with them—chef hats for restaurants and bakeries, flowers for florists, scissors for hairstyles. These small but significant elements can catch the eye and highlight the business focus without needing a lot of text. Icon graphics in a logo can draw a broader customer base for you as the imagery is universal and understood by all.

This simple hair salon logo instantly conveys what the business is all about:

Even if the business name were printed in a different language, if I saw this logo on a sign, I would still know that I could pop in for a haircut.

3. Brand colors

Color is an essential part of your identity. Think carefully as you choose your colors because they communicate emotionally. Every color is associated with specific attributes, and using the right colors can enhance your brand identity, making potential customers take notice.

The simple visual above, enhanced with color, makes this logo stand out and highlights the brand story. Remember, once you pick your colors, stick with them. Be consistent with the colors you use for your communications to make it easy for people to recognize your business.

4. Font

When designing logos, pay attention to the number and type of fonts used. You want people to be able to read it. To avoid clutter, it’s best not to use more than two fonts in a logo. Choosing from the Sans Serif font category, like Arial, Helvetica, and Robo, is generally better. Opt or Slab Serif font categories, like Rockwell and Clarend, if you want a more artistic font. However, avoiding using the script font category, like Brush Script and Comic Sans, is a definite no-no for a logo.

The best logos use simple fonts, like this one, which includes the San Serif for “Jack” and the more artistic font for “BBQ.”

There are different fonts, but both are the same color and are legible. I could have guessed this logo easily, even if I had driven quickly past the sign.

5. Less is more

Remembering this is probably the most essential logo design tip: less is more. If you include too many elements in one logo, lots of fancy fonts that cannot be read, or a mix of colors that are not complementary, you will only create a confusing or unappealing face for your brand. Customers are drawn to straightforward logos that are clear, memorable, and consistent with the brand story.

Keep it simple, just like this agency does here with their logo:

The legible font, black for credibility, and red for passion make this a winning logo.

Let your logo do the talking.

Your business logo is the face that customers recognize. Building your business identity is all about communicating with your customers. Create a compelling and impactful logo that highlights your brand. Think of the elements that are the essence of your business, and then use the right colors and fonts to evoke emotions and capture your customers’ attention.

Please keep it simple; keep it strong.

Related: How to build a memorable brand