Having a professional-quality logo for your website is vital for branding purposes. A professionally designed logo can catch attention, help your customers recognize your business, allow you to build your brand, and give customers a sense that they are working with a trustworthy company.
Types of logos
There are many types and subtypes of logos. The three main of them are text-only, symbol and shapes, and a combination of both. Let’s take a closer look at each of these types.
Text-only logo
Text-only logos, or wordmark logos (logotypes), consist of text only – business names, initials, or monograms – set in a particular typeface. Text logos tend to keep things minimal, and they are probably the easiest to create. However, their simplicity requires a careful eye for detail.
Since a wordmark doesn’t have any additional element of the brand’s symbol, its color can take a vital role and elevate your logo from forgettable to iconic.
Some famous examples of brands that use text-only logos are Coca-Cola, The New York Times, and Etsy. Yola also uses a wordmark.
Symbol and shape logos
A logo symbol or shape helps you set the tone for your business beyond just its aesthetic appeal.
Designing this type of logo requires understanding at least the basic psychology of shapes. Working with the subconscious meaning behind each shape can help you better present your brand and set the proper foundation for your logo.
However, a logo does not have to be a lot of fancy unrecognizable shapes and colors. For example, something as simple as a circle with three smaller circles could be used to symbolize someone in a bowling-related business.
Some well-known examples of image-based logos are Pepsi, Mastercard, Twitter, and Dominos pizza.
Combination of text and image
A combination of color and shape can make a logo more appealing. You can also create a background or a partial background with a contrasting color. When creating this type of logotype, you can give free rein to your imagination. The only thing to remember is that the logo should be easily read by the audience and interpreted unambiguously.
Tools for creating a logo
Today, you don’t need to hire a graphic designer to create your professional-looking and unique logo. Instead, you can use logo-making tools to make a logo that will make you proud:
- Logomaker is a free and easy-to-use logo-creating tool. The quality of logos is simple yet stylish. You can download the logo after registration.
- Canva is a go-to destination for all your DIY graphics needs, and logos are no exception. This tool allows you to create a professional-quality logo for free from pre-designed elements using a drag-and-drop image editor.
- DesignEvo presents you with hundreds of pre-designed logo templates. All you need is to add your brand name and a slogan (optional, this field can be deleted), and in a few clicks, you can download a professional-quality logo that you can use anywhere – and yes, it’s free, too.
What makes a great logo
There are five attributes of a great logo that you need to keep in mind:
- Simplicity. A simple logo design allows for easy recognition and allows the logo to be versatile and memorable, no matter if you are using text or a symbol. Simple logos look better on various devices and surfaces, such as print and marketing merchandise.
- Memorability. A good logo must be memorable to set your brand apart from the competition. Find out what you want your logo to symbolize using composition, shapes, and font. Remember, simplicity is key to better memorability.
- Timelessness. A strong and effective logo must be timeless and stand the test of time. Ditch the trends and imagine if your logo will stand out in ten, twenty, or fifty years.
- Versatility. This quality is also linked to simplicity. Your logo needs to be able to work across various mediums and applications, be scaled up and down, and look good in color as well as black and white.
- Purposefulness. Your logo should clearly convey your message. You should work on your logo with the target market in mind and the industry you are connected with.
Marketing experts say that customers need just 2 to 3 seconds to read, understand and decide on products or services they are considering. If your logo is illegible or too challenging to read or understand, your customers will move on to the next online offer.