Logos have always been, and will probably always continue to be, an integral part of a brand. Almost every thriving company in the world has a distinctive logo that enables them to be instantly recognizable. These simple designs could be considered one of the most important aspects of building a trusted brand, and small business owners that want to foster a strong reputation need to start with a great logo.
Anyone has the power to create a fantastic logo, and there is no need to be a technical wizard to do so. These designs can be adapted over time as well, meaning that nothing is set in stone. Indeed, some of the most successful companies in the world have evolving logos.
Anyone Can Make a Good Logo
You don’t need to go to college and do a graphic design course to come up with a decent logo. There are now online tools that give laypeople with no experience the opportunity to build amazing designs. Making use of an online logo maker is the preferred route for most small businesses these days, as it enables them to save some money. Everything from the font to the color scheme is completely customizable, and good-looking ideas can be realized in a matter of minutes.
If you’re a small business that’s just starting out, you may want to come up with a few logo designs first and then do some market research to see what people like the most. Don’t worry if you get it wrong the first time round either, as it’s perfectly fine to alter the logo multiple times as long as it doesn’t stray too far from the original design.
Loads of iconic companies have done this over the years. Starbucks, for instance, now has a vastly different logo to the one it started out with in 1971. It’s had its current logo since 2011. This one zoomed in on the iconic mermaid and removed the surrounding text. It looks nothing like the logo from 1971, which now seems outdated.
A Logo Has Numerous Functions
A business’s logo isn’t the definition of its brand, but it is the first point of contact for customers. It doesn’t even need to reflect the company’s services or ideals either. It simply needs to look appealing and eye-catching and should be distinctive from your competitors.
Psychologists have found that people love familiarity, which is why we tend to keep going back to things we know. It’s known as the mere-exposure effect, and it could be a result of an evolutionary sense of needing to stick in familiar surroundings for safety. Therefore, if you ensure that your logo is seen in a variety of places, people will develop a connection towards it.
There has been other research into the psychology of logo design. According to Fabrik, the human brain associates vertical lines with sophistication and horizontal lines evoke feelings of relaxation. Clearly, even basic logos serve several functions, cementing their status as one of the most important aspects of developing a brand.
The World’s Best Businesses are Recognizable from Their Logos
If you’re unconvinced about how crucial logos are to a brand, think about some of the most successful companies in the world. It would be reasonable to assume that you’d be able to identify the likes of McDonalds, Nike, Apple, and Facebook instantly, thanks to their longevity and prevalence in mainstream culture. Indeed, these companies have become so well-established that they don’t even need to include their company names alongside their logos.
It takes time for a logo to benefit from the mere-exposure effect, and businesses need to do all they can to ensure that theirs is seen in as many places as possible. Of course, not all companies can get to the stage of Mercedes, Adidas, and Instagram when it comes to recognizability. For smaller brands, it’s wise to leverage the power of research and find out what consumers prefer.
After conducting a study of 597 different logos, researchers pinpointed some of the key aspects that people liked to see. Descriptive logos, that give some indication of what the company does, enable brands to appear more authentic and can boost sales. This would be beneficial in the early stages of a company’s existence.
The famous McDonalds golden arches didn’t appear in early logo designs, with the company initially putting a greater emphasis on what they sold. But, after becoming the world’s biggest fast-food brand, there was no need for it to explain. Nowadays, a giant yellow M is sufficient.
A logo could be considered the most important aspect when it comes to establishing a brand, as this is the part of a company that is going to forge a connection with customers. If your business doesn’t have a logo, you should consider designing one. It may give your company a revenue boost if you do.
