A great logo is instantly recognizable, memorable, and closely connected to your brand’s core values and ideas. Just sit back and think about it, what logos are simply unforgettable? The first that comes to mind for me are iconic logos like Apple, Coca-Cola, and Nike. Logos like these are simple and elegant yet bold enough to leave a lasting impression.
When designing your logo, you can make a powerful impact on how your brand is perceived. Designing a timeless logo is challenging, I'm here to help. To get your logo right, you’ll need to have a firm grasp of your market, buyer personas, and your company’s ethos.
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Read on for logo design best practices, helpful tools, and a step-by-step guide to creating the perfect logo.
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What is a logo?
A logo is a visual symbol or mark that represents a company or organization, often used to identify and distinguish a brand from competitors. It typically consists of unique colors, shapes, and typography that convey the company's identity and values.
How to Design a Logo
Designing a logo that embodies your brand can help you grow better, but doing it right is just as important. Here’s how to design the perfect logo, step-by-step.
- Understand your brand.
- Brainstorm words that describe your brand.
- Sketch ideas based on these words.
- Test your top sketches with your buyer persona.
- Refine your chosen sketch.
- Develop your logo's layout on a free design platform.
- Pick versatile color options.
- Choose a font.
- Ensure scalability.
1. Understand your brand.
The first step to designing your logo is understanding your brand. Before you think about opening Canva or starting a sketch, you must pinpoint your brand’s story and the specific values and emotions you want to synthesize in your logo.
This process involves the exploration of your target audience, your buyer personas, and, most importantly, how you want people to feel when they perceive your logo.
“It’s through mistakes that you actually can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good.” – Paula Scher
Graphic design icon Paula Scher hits the nail on the head with the above quote.
Distilling your brand story into a logo will be a challenge, and you should expect mistakes along the way. Don’t be afraid to experiment and explore when conceiving a logo that matches your brand.
2. Brainstorm words that describe your brand.
Use tools like Thesaurus.com to discover synonyms and other words that describe your brand’s central theme. Aim to choose five to ten words that best describe your brand’s ethos and use them to guide your logo design.
For example, if you‘re in the clothing industry, you might simply type in “clothing.” You’d be surprised by how descriptive the synonyms are that appear.
ou can even click these results to start new searches and dig deeper as you zero in on the words that best capture your brand.
3. Create some sketches.
Now is the time to create some rough sketches. Allow your brand story and keywords to guide you and make some initial logo ideas.
Remember, these are your first drafts. The important thing is to get the ideas out of your head and onto the paper, so trust the process and just let the ideas flow. You’ll have the opportunity to refine your ideas later.
“The beauty of a first draft lies in its imperfections; it’s the starting point for refining ideas and finding the perfect balance.” – David Airey
Logo designer David Airey knows a thing or two about sketching. Embrace the imperfections of your first drafts and let your creativity flow!
As you’re sketching the concepts for your logo, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep the shape simple. You’re in good shape if you can sketch the most symbolic components in seven seconds or less.
- Avoid any popular clip-art artwork or generic symbols like a globe, star, or similar icons that people too quickly identify from other places.
- Be strategic about your use of color. Consider today’s color trends as well as popular colors in your industry. As a general rule, don’t choose more than three colors. Choose a color or group of colors that will make you stand out from your competition, but please, for the love of marketing, don’t use the whole rainbow!
4. Choose a sketch and refine it.
Now that you have some sketches, pick the one that speaks to you most and put on your thinking cap.
“Design is thinking made visual.” – Saul Bass
Make a deep effort to reflect on your brainstorming words and brand story and visualize your thoughts. Use your mental efforts to refine your logo sketch into a meaningful, deep, relatable design that ties back to your brand’s core values.
Easier said than done, but this is where the heavy lifting comes in.
5. Develop your logo’s layout on a free design platform.
If you’ve been working on paper until now, now is the time to bring your design to the computer and create a layout. Your logo layout is how individual elements of your logo are organized and positioned in relation to each other.
Here are some free tools you can use to scan your sketch and start creating a layout:
Proper alignment of your logo is the key here. Your logo doesn’t need to be perfectly symmetrical, but it should appear visually balanced.
“Whitespace is like air: it is necessary for design to breathe.” – Wojciech Zieliński
The whitespace between different elements of your logo is the unsung hero of your design and the secret you must uncover in this step of the process.
Strive for a crisp, balanced logo where everything feels like it’s in the right place. If your design looks great in black and white, then you know you have a well-balanced logo.
6. Choose your colors.
The color palette you choose for your logo says a lot about your brand.
For example, blue communicates trustworthiness and maturity, while red shows passion and excitement. Consider your brand story and the keywords you brainstormed earlier when choosing your logo colors.
“When you choose a new color palette, 60% of the palette should be dedicated to one color (usually, it’s a neutral color), another (complementary) color makes up 30% of the palette, and a third color (accent) is used for the remaining 10% of the design.” - Nick Babich
Product designer Nick Babich drops some wisdom about the three-color rule in design. You don’t need to choose multiple colors for your logo, but if you decide to go the multicolor route, keep everything harmonious by following this design principle.
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7. Choose a font.
Now it’s time to combine text with imagery.
Consider the typeface this text will carry if your company name ever stands without your logo. If you decide on a wordmark or lettermark logo as opposed to a symbol, your font choice is even more crucial.
Believe it or not, your font choice can say a lot about your business. You can choose a font that’s either serif (with stems on each letter) or sans serif (no stems) — also known as classic or modern, respectively.
Stay away from generic fonts that come standard on every word processor. Some examples of generic fonts are Times New Roman, Lucida Handwriting, and Comic Sans. These fonts will only work against you and your company by making you less memorable.
“Display type is a visual voice. Without reading, it imparts its message.” - Laura Worthington
Designer and typography guru Laura Worthington hits the nail on the head regarding the importance of font selection. Your font choice goes beyond just conveying information as text; it is a crucial aspect of your design.
8. Ensure scalability.
Logos are meant to represent your company on multiple platforms — in print, on your website, on each of your social media business pages, and across the internet as your business grows.
You want a logo that can be blown up super large for a billboard or scaled down for screening onto the side of a pen.
Every part of your logo should be legible, regardless of the logo’s size.
9. Get feedback.
“There are three responses to a piece of design — yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” – Milton Glaser
Once you feel your logo design is ready, consider sharing it with others and seeking constructive feedback.
Of course, you can seek input at any point in the process, but it is precious to get people’s reactions to your realized vision and reiterate from there.
Whew — still with us? We know this might seem a little overwhelming, but take it slow and don’t rush yourself.
It’s better to follow the process through to completion and end with a remarkable logo than to start over a few months later due to a design error or change of heart.
Once you’ve completed your logo, how can you tell if you scored a winner? Easy: Use our Logo Grader to assess the sustainability and effectiveness of your new logo.
Types of Logos
- Emblems
- Pictorial Marks (or Logo Symbols)
- Wordmarks (or Logotypes)
- Monogram Logos (or Lettermarks)
- Abstract Logo Marks
- Mascot Logos
- Combination Marks
With millions of logos worldwide, you may be surprised that they all fit into one of seven main categories.
Each logo type has its characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses, so choose the variety that best aligns with your brand values and goals when designing your logo.
Emblems
An emblem is a logo incorporating text within a symbol for a cohesive image, often conveying formality and tradition. It is strong and impactful, yet challenging to separate for integration and may not reproduce well in small sizes.
Pictorial Marks (or Logo Symbols)
Pictorial marks, also known as logo symbols, are logo types that rely on a single image to represent a brand. These logos can be iconic and memorable and are effective at conveying a brand without text, yet may pose challenges in establishing brand recognition and connecting to the brand's purpose without words.
Wordmarks (or Logotypes)
Wordmarks are text-based logos that use typography to turn the brand name into a logo, ideal for companies with unique names. They offer simplicity and integration ease, but may struggle to stand out or suit longer, less distinctive names.
Monogram Logos (or Lettermarks)
Monogram logos, also called lettermarks, use initials to create a concise logo suitable for companies with longer names. They are easy to remember and scale, but may require displaying the full brand name initially for recognition and could be confused with other brands if the initials are similar.
Abstract Logomarks
Abstract logos, such as the Pepsi logo, are unique representations of brands using geometric forms and colors instead of real-life images. They are inherently unique and capable of communicating complex ideas through simple shapes and colors but may be open to misinterpretation due to their abstract nature and unclear meaning for unestablished brands.
Mascot Logos
Mascot logos feature illustrated characters to personify a brand with a fun and friendly image, ideal for brands seeking a light-hearted and family-friendly appeal. They offer an inviting and controllable brand storytelling approach but may not suit serious or corporate brands, and their complex design can pose challenges for reproduction at smaller sizes.
Combination Marks
A combination mark integrates text with an icon, offering versatility by combining a brand name with a memorable symbol. This type of logo provides clarity in brand messaging but may become overly busy if not carefully designed and could face challenges in scaling down for smaller applications.
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Logo Design Best Practices
1. Keep it simple.
Simplicity is key in logo design. Aim for a clean, uncluttered design that communicates your brand identity as straightforwardly as possible. The goal is for viewers to recognize and understand your logo instantly.
Take Nike’s logo, for example. Its simplicity makes it iconic. There’s a reason they haven’t updated it since 1995.
2. Prioritize versatility.
Your logo should be versatile enough to work across various backgrounds and colors. Test your logo against multiple backgrounds and mediums to ensure legibility and clarity in all possible scenarios.
That means you should have alternate color palettes and logo orientations to suit any situation.
3. Design for your audience.
Your logo design should be consistent with how you perceive your brand and how your customers already perceive it.
You must consider your target audience’s buyer persona by researching their demographics and interests. Only then can you serve their expectations and needs in your design.
4. Be original.
Standing out from the pack is essential. Today, almost every market is saturated with competition and options. The design of your logo is as vital to carving out your niche as creating a unique value proposition.
Avoid generic logo designs and cliché symbols that are easily spotted elsewhere. For example, globe-based logos are a dime a dozen:
5. Be timeless.
Your logo should be iconic and timeless. Easy enough, right? Epochal logos like Coca-Cola’s are as rare as they are significant, but that doesn’t mean you can’t aim for a timeless logo as well.
A timeless logo means that it will never go out of style.
One way to ensure that is to steer clear of today’s hottest design trends (which will go out of style sooner or later). Instead, opt for a simple, classic design that would be comfortable representing your brand for years to come.
Logo Design Tools
1. HubSpot Logo Maker
Get started with HubSpot's Logo Maker
Our logo maker can assist you in designing and customizing the ideal logo for your brand, offering a wide range of professionally designed templates that eliminate the need to start from scratch. By simply providing your industry, company name, and slogan, the tool will offer personalized recommendations tailored to your needs.
2. Canva
Canva is an all-in-one, web-based graphic design tool that you can use to design anything you can think of, including logos. Anybody can use Canva’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface and extensive library of templates and design assets.
In my opinion, Canva is one of the most accessible logo generators, as I have been using the platform for years, making professional graphics without a formal degree or training in design. And my favorite aspect is that you can use pre-existing colorways to create a more visually appealing and aesthetic logo.
Best for: Beginner designers and small business owners who desire a hands-on approach to logo creation.
Pricing: Free plans are available. Canva Pro costs $14.99 monthly. Canva for Teams costs $9.99 monthly for up to three users.
3. Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator is the industry-leading, vector-based graphics software from Adobe, the maker of other popular tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, and InDesign.
Illustrator is a staple for many professional design groups and can be used to create professional logos and limitless other designs.
Illustrator is vector-based, meaning graphics are made of points, lines, shapes, and curves based on mathematical formulas rather than a set amount of pixels.
Accordingly, an Illustrator logo can be scaled up or down while maintaining image quality.
Best for: Experienced design professionals and agencies that require powerful features and ultimate customization and control.
Pricing: Plans start at $22.99 monthly.
4. Hatchful
Hatchful is a fast and easy-to-use logo-maker tool from Shopify. The tool will ask you questions about your company’s industry, preferred visual style, brand name, and where you expect to use the logo (print, digital, etc.).
Using the provided information, Hatchful will automatically generate a slew of logo options, which you can select and further customize.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to create a high-quality logo with minimal design effort quickly.
Pricing: Free.
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5. Squarespace Logo Creator
Squarespace’s logo creator tool lets you quickly generate a clean-looking logo for your business. The logos that this tool empowers you to create are consistent with the modern and minimal aesthetic that Squarespace is known for.
Input your business name, and Squarespace allows you to serve it up in a beautiful font alongside an icon of your choice. The tool has thousands of vectorized icons and a curated selection of high-quality fonts.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to quickly create a clean, minimal logo.
Pricing: Free.
6. Looka
Anyone can design a logo using Looka’s AI-powered logo creation engine. Input your brand name and industry, select your favorite colors, and pick some example logos that speak to you.
Based on your input data, Looka will generate an AI-curated selection of logos. Choose one and customize it to your heart’s content.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and small business owners without design experience who won’t compromise on the quality of their logo.
Pricing: A basic logo package costs $20 for a one-time purchase. A premium logo package is a $65 one-time purchase
7. CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW is a fully loaded, desktop-based vector design program that runs on Windows and macOS.
CorelDRAW is an alternative to Adobe Illustrator that offers nearly all the same functionality and allows you to transform sketches and ideas into fully-fledged logos.
Since you can purchase CorelDRAW outright instead of as a subscription, it can be a more budget-friendly choice than Adobe.
Best for: Professionals and experienced designers who require a complete design toolkit.
Pricing: Plans cost $22.42 monthly or $549 for a one-time purchase.
8. Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is another fully-featured desktop alternative to Adobe Illustrator that runs on macOS, Windows, and iPad.
It is considerably more budget-friendly than alternatives. It features a slick, dark UI, fast performance, and all the features a professional designer needs to create logos and other design assets.
Best for: Professional designers and agencies looking for a fully featured, budget-friendly alternative to Adobe.
Pricing: Affinity Designer is a $69.99 one-time payment.
Designing a Logo for Your Brand
Now that you know about the types of logos, the process for creating one, best practices, and some tools you can use, get started crafting the perfect logo for your brand.
Create a logo that captures your audience’s attention, communicates your brand values, and makes you stand out from the crowd.
Editor's note: This article was originally published in October 2023 and has since been updated for comprehensiveness.
