You have a bazillion decisions to make and tasks to complete when starting a business. So, it’s no surprise that you may not want to spend much time or energy on logo design. But it’s a vital element of your business’s branding and is directly tied to its future growth. In other words, cut corners somewhere else! 

Your logo grabs attention and helps people recognize your brand, so you want to get it right from the beginning. Designing a fantastic logo for your startup will lay the foundation for how people recognize your brand and what they associate with it.

Considerations When Choosing a Logo

There’s a lot to consider when conceptualizing a logo for your startup. It’s a key component of developing your brand. Here are just some of the things to think about.

1. Unique Design

You immediately know the brand when you see the Nike swoosh. No other brand has anything like it. You want the same for your business. You don’t want a logo that looks like a poor imitation of someone else’s. You want something uniquely representative of your business.

2. Relevance to Your Brand

It only makes sense that the Apple logo is, well, an apple. You don’t have to be quite that on the nose, but your logo should be relevant to your brand. It’s a visual representation of your brand name, what you do, and the tone or values you assign to your work. Every detail matters.

3. Audience and Target Market

It’s great if you think your logo looks cool, but will it resonate with your current audience and the people you’re targeting for your business? You can attach a lot of complex meaning to the visual, but if it’s lost on your audience, it won’t help your business. 

Want to know what your audience thinks of your ideas? Test them out! Show a small group of audience members versions of your logo and see if they see what you do. What does the logo represent to them? What adjectives do they assign to it? Revise your logo until you get favorable responses that best fit your brand. A business consultant can help you narrow down your logo options!

Principles of Great Logo Design

After thinking of your logo conceptually, it’s time to consider how to make your vision a reality. When designing, it’s essential to think about the principles of logo design. 

1. Logo Type

There’s an obvious difference between logos like Apple’s and Coke’s. One is an illustrated graphic. The other is a typographical name. That’s because they’re two different types of logos. A typographic logo is almost entirely text. It’s a visual representation of your brand’s name. A symbolic logo doesn’t include your brand’s name. Instead, it’s an image that people can easily and readily associate with your brand. 

Think about which type of logo you want for your business long-term. It may be easy to decide if your business name is long or if there isn’t an obvious visual association. You may even want to play around with and sketch each type. 

And, of course, there’s always the option of creating a logo that’s a hybrid version of the two types—including your business’s name and a symbol.

Color

Color will be a huge part of your brand’s identity. The colors you choose for your logo and other brand communications set the tone for your target audience. When choosing colors, do a bit of research into color theory and make sure your logo is saying what you want it to.

Typography

The font you use for any words on your logo has a tone all its own. Think of it as your brand’s handwriting. It could say “doctor” or “fifth grader.” Don’t just choose a font because it looks cool. Consider what it’s saying about your brand. Also, make sure it’s easy to read and has ample spacing between characters. A logo people can’t read or decipher does your brand no good. 

Simplicity

Sometimes you get so wrapped up in the logo details that you forget that simple design is generally best. You want people to recognize and understand your logo at a glance. Simple, effective design will serve your brand long-term. Think: simple, subtle, impactful.

Memorability

You want your logo to be sticky. Not physically, of course. That would be gross. You want your logo to stick in people’s minds—to leave an impression. That’s why it’s vital to consider your target market and what would appeal to them when designing your logo. It’s also important to ensure your logo is unique and creative.

Scalability

Just like you want your website to scale for screens large and small, you want your logo to work on everything from a business card to a billboard. So, you probably don’t want to put small details on your logo that won’t scale well. Most people design logos that look good at their intended size or larger, but they tend to forget about what they’ll look like as a profile image or on a business card. Sure, you can create versions of your logo for these various spaces, but why not envision an original that will work everywhere?

How to Create the Best Logo for Your Startup

You have two options when it comes to getting the best logo design, which you choose depends on your abilities, time, and individual situation.

First, you can do it yourself if you know how to design a logo. Of course, designing the logo on your own will take time and consideration. You’ll have to be able to pull back enough from your detailed knowledge of the business and the pressure to get it right so you can be creative. And one rule of design is that it’ll always take longer than expected.

Second, you can hire a designer to design your startup logo. You’ll have to consider the design costs of this option, but you’ll also get a fresh perspective from someone who can bring their unique creative spin to the project.

Graphic design and branding is some of our favorite work to do at Charm School. If you want to hire someone to create a logo for your startup or any other part of your branding, reach out. We’d love to help you create something unique and memorable.