The importance of a good logo
A logo is key to represent your company or personal brand. That is why it must be attractive and capable of attracting the attention of consumers. Designing a good logo seems like an easy task, especially if you are willing to invest time and know about design. But if this is not your case, you will surely fall into the 7 most common mistakes when designing logos.
7 common logo design mistakes
A good logo design is worth a thousand words. We see it daily, there are even board games
to guess the brand just by seeing part of the logo; the best known companies have recognisable logos. If you want to position your brand in all the minds of potential customers, you need a unique and appropriate logo.
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about designing a logo is hiring professional graphic design . Whether you decide to do it yourself or hire it, it is important that you keep in mind the mistakes that you should avoid when designing your brand logo.
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Make a logo tailored to your tastes
A logo doesn't have to reflect your personal tastes. It must adapt to the taste of your customers and project the personality of your company .
A very common mistake is to capture the personality of the owner on the premises. Although sometimes the personality of the owner and the company are in tune, for example, a furniture store can have an oriental style. But in other cases not: a fast food restaurant with the typeface of Spiderman can denote inauthenticity and creativity. Each example gives a different feeling to customers, a typeface can greatly limit the target audience. When designing a logo, keep in mind that it is designed for your clients, not for you.
What is our advice? Avoid reflecting your personality in the logo as much as possible. Remember that it is a serious business, not a stand to showcase your tastes.
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Not researching the market enough
Not researching the market and customers is one of the main mistakes.
Don't forget: it's not about you , it's about attracting customers. But, if you want to achieve this it is important that you do enough research about their preferences and determine what you want to communicate with your logo.
The more knowledge you have about it, the chances of creating a good design for your company will increase considerably. If you don't know where to start, you can take a brand audit survey that clarifies your business goals and objectives; as this information further clarifies the landscape of the logo you will need.
What is our advice? Observe the customers. If it is a physical business you can look at the bags of other stores that they carry. That will give you a hint of their tastes in clothing, perfumery, etc. and you can make a customer profile (or several). Another good option is to have a Social Media Marketing Plan . So you can have more data on interested customers and discover their tastes and needs.
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Design a boring logo
That your business is serious or B2B does not mean that the logo has to be boring. In the market there are countless examples of serious , sober and presence logos that know how to convey the character of the brand.
Introverted and low-spirited personalities are usually not very attractive, the same is true with logos. A logo must tell a story and engage the audience with the company.
What is our advice? Observe the companies in the market. The most serious ones or those that want to convey seriousness usually combine metallic tones (gold or silver) with a black background. A classic serif typeface always brings a touch of intelligence.
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Copy another logo
Copying the designs of other companies and giving them a proper name is a huge sin in the corporate world. Even so, copying others has become a trend and a very common bet in the market.
As we said at the beginning; the goal of the logo is to represent your company. Therefore, if it looks the same as that of another company, your business will be seen as an unethical and professional organization. A cheap copy. Make sure you bet on the authenticity of your business and add something original and eye-catching .
What is our advice? Obviously: don't copy. If you like a logo from another company, take a few seconds to analyze what catches your attention. Maybe it's not worth copying the entire logo if what you like is the typography. You can try a different color to better convey the essence of your business while maintaining that typeface.
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Use multiple fonts
Speaking of fonts; try to always use the same font style. Many businesses insist on conveying originality using very different fonts and they end up being illegible . Resorting to this is considered totally insane , yet it is one of the most common mistakes made by design beginners.
Remember: your logo graphically embodies the personality of your company. Using different fonts projects clutter and instability .
What is our advice? If you want to convey joy and originality, try a little explored font. On the Internet you can find countless innovative sources. If not, try a cheerful color combination: orange + green + fuchsia is the cheerful combination par excellence.
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Spelling errors
Not sure exactly how to spell a word? Don't write it down until you are sure. This could save the life of your company. A business with spelling mistakes in the logo will be ridiculed and scared off potential customers. Without costumers, there is not business.
If you decide to write your brand in another language, you must make sure that it is well written and makes sense. Being sloppy with spelling can blatantly change the target audience for your business.
What is our advice? Look up the word in a dictionary before you do on the Internet. As we know, the Internet is based on searches and the content that users do so it will not always be correct.
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Complicate more than necessary
Wanting to turn a logo into a colorful and super eye-catching image could lead you to make a huge mistake. The logos should be simple so that they are imprinted in the minds of the clients. It is not necessary to add many elements, it is always recommended that it be three or four characters . You can use the business name or make an abbreviation: Zara, H&M, BMW, BSHK, YSL, PdH, etc.
Failure to obey this rule will make the logo look heavy and unusual as much as possible . Keep in mind that including elements excessively takes more time for the consumer to process the message, and as its size is reduced the design will lose more its details.
What is our advice? A simple design will be easier to include in labels, packaging, bags, boxes, icons for social networks, website, etc. Thus, you can create a much more powerful brand concept than if you only appear on the sign at the entrance.
Conclusion
To create a good logo design, you have to make sure to study what the target audience likes. Based on this, choose the right type and colors to create a dynamic, attractive and original logo. Avoid copying the style of others, reflecting your personal tastes and complicating yourself too much.
It is important to get the logo right rather than fast. Now that you know the 7 mistakes you shouldn't make, it 's time to design the logo that will help you sell!