Logos are undeniably a part of our modern culture. From the Starbucks Siren logo to the indelible Nike “swoosh” logo. Logos surround us every day and influence our buying habits.

A logo instills familiarity. A study found that 50% of consumers will shop for a brand simply because it is a logo they recognize. It creates a powerful impact.

But what makes a good logo? In this guide, we’ll detail 5 major points you need to know for designing the best logo for your brand.

Interested in finding out more? Keep reading for further details.

What Makes a Good Logo?

Your logo is the first point of contact for your consumers to lay their eyes on. On average, it can take 5 to 7 views before a logo becomes fully memorable.

Once the impression has been made, however, the ability to reach brand recognition through your logo is an invaluable marketing tool. The old adage of a picture being worth a thousand words most definitely holds true to logo design. Your logo speaks for you.

What makes a good logo is not as simple as just placing a fun picture on your product. The logo has to mean something. It has to identify your brand.

By following these 5 characteristics of a good logo, you can make your logo design an integral part of your brand identity. You can also set your brand apart from your competition

1. Make Your Logo Design Timeless 

What makes a good logo is its ability to stand the test of time. The Coca-Cola logo goes as far back as 1886 and today it is still instantly recognizable by 94% of consumers around the world. Over 100 years of brand identity.

Times may change and the environment in the advertising world may adapt to meet these changes. However, a logo should still retain the features that make it memorable and recognizable to consumers. There’s no need to alter it to engage in passing fad advertising campaigns or trends.

A good solid logo shouldn’t need to be constantly re-worked over time. If your logo has staying power across time and generational gaps, you’ve already accomplished a huge step in logo creation that will serve your brand well for years to come.

2. Keep Your Logo Design Simple

Creating a logo doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you’ll benefit more from a logo that has a simple and minimalist design. Consumers don’t want to have to look at a logo that is overly complicated and hard to decipher. 

If your logo is too busy or cluttered it can actually deter consumers from your brand. Logos undergo several rounds of research and consumer feedback panels before a final logo design is created.

Insight into what makes a good logo or how the consumer perceives a logo design and its brand provides valuable feedback. Design a logo that consumers will easily be able to identify and want to buy. 

As with any interaction, you only have about 7 seconds to make a good first impression. A simple and straightforward logo can help you accomplish this. 

3. Ensure the Logo Design Fits Your Brand

What makes a good logo is also its ability to utilize the proper advertising structure within the logo. Use an image that either pertains to the name of the brand, the business, or what it sells. Don’t leave your consumers guessing. 

Stores like Target with its red target-shaped logo and the Amazon box logo with the smiley face arrow underneath pointing to the A and the Z hit the mark with logos that fit their brand well. Target uses a literal target while Amazon makes it know that they sell everything from A to Z.

If you owned a donut shop, wouldn’t you want to incorporate a donut somewhere within your logo to imply that you sold donuts? Of course you would. 

4. Use Color to Your Advantage

Graphic design software has a wide color palette of options to use for choosing the colors of your logo design. You may think that the more colorful your logo is, the more noticeable it will be. This is true for some logos, but color should be used sparingly and strategically.

Instead of a huge splash of multiple colors, the logos that stay the most memorable are the ones that only use 2 or 3 colors. McDonald’s uses a red background with white lettering and gold for their iconic Golden Arches logo. It seems plain but this sign is instantly recognizable, even by small children and its use of color is what makes a great logo.

Colors also carry with them different psychological meanings in advertising. Blue is the most used color because it represents trust. Red denotes passion and stimulates appetite, which is why it is used by most fast-food restaurants.

5. Make Your Logo Design Versatile

Your logo design needs to function across multiple platforms of video, website, mobile, and print media. You should be able to use one logo in numerous ways easily to identify a solid brand identity. That’s also what makes a good logo.

Logos that are too small, too complex, or overly colored may not transfer well across all media formats. If your logo is blurry or distorted, it reflects poorly on your brand as a whole.

Use the tips above on color, simplicity, timelessness, and design relevance for designing a logo that represents your brand no matter what form of advertising medium you may use. 

Media Design and Marketing Solutions for Your Business

A logo can serve your brand in so many wonderful ways, so it only makes sense to ensure that your logo is the best it can possibly be. Your logo is the voice and the vision of your brand that you put out into the world.

EliteAMG knows what makes a good logo and we can help you design and create a logo you can be proud of. We specialize in Web Design Services, Video Development, Marketing Strategies, and Logo & Graphic Design solutions for your business. 

Contact Us today for more information on how we can help your business.