Designing a logo may seem simple, but it is actually a lot more complicated than most would think. A logo isn’t just a sign or cool symbol, it marks a company’s brand or identity. Today there is a high demand for logo designers and many pay a pretty penny to have their logo expertly crafted. If you’re looking to design your logo yourself, be sure to put a lot of consideration into how you do it. There are certain ways to make sure your logo is unique and successful. Following are a few tips for creating your own logo.

Be unique and clever. Since a logo is what ultimately distinguishes a brand from its competitors, especially to those ignorant of a company’s services and performance, it is important that the image is different from the others and stands out. Because there are so many logos out there, it can be hard to create a completely original work, but when you are designing it, try to think of ways to make it unique and stray from things you see on a regular basis. It needs something that will catch people’s eye and spark their interest. When designing the logo, also keep in mind to avoid clichéd things. It’s not necessary for the design to have to look like whatever industry you work in (i.e. car, computer, textbook).

Cultivate the brand. A logo may seem like just an image, something insignificant at the end of the day, but think about it this way: if you see the Nike check, even if it doesn’t say Nike anywhere on it, you know it’s Nike. Same with things like McDonald’s or Whataburger. Logos matter because people remember them. The most important thing to think about when creating a logo is the brand. What audience are you catering to? What is your company focused on, utility or fun? What does the customer desire? What are the aspirations of the brand? Another great idea for designing a logo is to incorporate any history into the design as you can. If there is something that can be represented in the design that holds a bit of history about the company, you have successfully created a unique and captivating brand.

Understand color. Color is an easily made mistake when designing a logo. One may wish to catch people’s eye with bright colors and convey the wrong impression of their brand. On the other hand, someone may look to exude a sophisticated chic feel and pick muted, neutral tones that are overlooked. Every brand is going to be different and you will have to do your research to figure out what colors would be best to use. A few examples of moods given from colors are red being energetic or sexy, yellow being optimistic, and black being powerful. Do your research and know what color best represents your brand.

Choose font wisely. Depending on your brand, you may be able to use a Logotype. If you have a company with a unique name, then incorporating the name into a unique design shouldn’t be a problem. If you have a more generic name, or perhaps a long name, it might be better to come up with an image the brand can be recognized by. But if you are able to use a Logotype, be careful about choosing a font. It is very easy to pick either a gimmicky or a plain font. Try to find something unique and captivating but not goofy. It can be difficult but there are resources out there available for help.

These are just a few of many tips out there. If you are trying to design a logo for your company, keep in mind how important this branding experience is. There are many tools online for your assistance. If you are looking to turn your design into life or even get help with your designs, contact a representative at RiverCity Screenprinting & Embroidery today and let us know how we can assist you.