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Logo Design Guidelines for Effective Brandingthedilldesign.com /2015-logo-design-guidelines-for-effective-branding/

By Chris DillGoogle+

The reasons that a strong logo design is crucial to a company’s branding efforts are many – frombrand perception, to the way it tells a story about a company and philosophy, to the fact that it’s oftenthe first impression it gives to consumers.

That’s why a strong logo (think of the Nike ‘swoosh’) is so much more than a name or an image in abox. Society is painted with logos, and a powerful logo design can powerfully distinguish a brand fromit competitors.

What follows are some guidelines that will help you design an effective logo that will be the best matchfor a company’s branding efforts.

Know The Brand

When designing a logo, you must keep in mind that it’s intended to reach a specific audience. Askyourself, what does the customer care about and what is the brand hoping to be? Research othervisual brands, but never stray from the company’s specific attributes.

Tell A Story

Remember, an effective logo design is intended to be a visual representation of a company’sphilosophy and values. Evoke positive emotion that tells a story about the brand.

Use Color Effectively

Every color used in your logo design has a different implication, so make sure you’re not sending thewrong message with any single color. For example, the color red can convey boldness and sexiness;green can be organic and represent growth; brown can convey something rural or historical; while bluemay symbolize professionalism, tranquility and trustworthiness. Choose color wisely.

Likewise, keep in mind that an effect logo should render perfectly in black and white. A logo that worksin one color will be effective in a variety of applications.

Simplicity

Sometimes bigger is not better, and anintricate logo that looks awesome in a largeformat might not translate to smaller scales.Picture your logo on a business card, forinstance. Even on a smaller scale it should beinstantly recognizable. Some of the best logosout there are brilliant in their simplicity.

While it’s OK to have a balance of quirkinessin your design, keep in mind that a consumershouldn’t have to spend a lot of time analyzingthe logo in trying to get its meaning.

Resources/Tools

There is no shortage of information online asyou consider designing a logo, and don’thesitate to take advantage of it. Sites such as“Logomaker” and “LogoYes” provide logodesign interfaces that are both free and veryuser-friendly. Using sites like these – andtapping into the other vast resources online –can provide valuable assistance andinspiration.

Think Ahead

Carefully consider how your logo will look several years from now. Will it seem dated? While it’stempting to follow current trends, the best logos are unique in their timelessness. Avoid design clichés.

Uniqueness

Again, the best logo design is one that standsalone – that is separate from all the otherbrands out there. While it’s tempting to usesomething iconic from a specific industry (alogo that includes an automobile in it for a carcompany, for example), keep in mind that theApple logo doesn’t include a computer. And, ofcourse, the Nike logo doesn’t include arunning shoe.

Be Patient

Don’t expect instant success. Even the most iconic of logos took time to gain popularity. A lot dependson the company’s success and the market in which it exists.

About the author

Christopher is a web developer, designer, and SEO specialist. He runs a SEO specificcompany at https://www.virginiaseo.org and really enjoys design and marketing.