5 Reasons Why Logo Design Is Important for Your Business

When it comes to logo design, we think it’s easy to say that there are some generic logos out there that are easy to forget, don’t match the business’ story, product, service or brand, are irrelevant to their target audience and quite frankly, boring. 

However, we all know that there are other logos that belong to some company giants of their industry that are iconic and immediately recognisable, enabling customers to identify and understand their values and what they stand for.

That is why a custom logo could be one of the biggest and most powerful branding investments your business could make.

“If, in the business of communications, ‘image is king,’ the essence of this image, the logo, is the jewel in its crown.”

Paul Rand, Art Director and Graphic Designer

Remember that logo quiz app that everyone was addicted to about a decade ago? That’s your aim and that is how recognisable you want your business to be. We’re going to tell you why perfect logo design is so important for your business.

1. It’s the Foundation of Your Brand’s Identity

Branding is the process of researching, developing and applying a distinctive set of features to your business that your customers can recognise and associate themselves with. It’s a bridge that connects your customer with your company and the products and services you offer through a brand identity.

Successful branding is about telling your story, letting your audience know what values you stand for and connecting with your customers on a psychological, personal and emotional level. As Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it”.

Whilst logo design is only one part of your company’s branding, it serves as the foundation for the entire narrative on which a brand is built. 

Imprinted on your products, website, packaging and business cards, your logo communicates ownership and value. It can tell your customers who you are, what type of product and service you sell and what benefits you offer consumers.

Adidas’ three stripes, WWF’s panda, Nandos’ chicken and Snapchat’s ghost are all examples of logos where we don’t even need to see the brand name to know who it is. There’s no question about what the company sells and this is what you should be aiming for.

2. Makes a Strong First Impression

If JLS got anything right, it was their lyric, “you only get one shot, so make it count” and that is what making first impressions is all about. 

A company’s logo is your first introduction to your customers and the face of your brand. If designed well, it can pique the public’s interest and invite them to learn more about your business.

3. Fosters Brand Loyalty

If there’s one thing that remains consistent when it comes to your customers, it’s the fact that they love consistency. As your company grows into the market, your logo will become more and more familiar to a wide range of consumers and it’s this familiarity that builds trust, loyalty and authority.

Think about it, when you’re out on the road and starting to get a bit hangry and you suddenly spot the infamous golden arches, you’re instantly ready to buy. Why? Because with McDonalds products, you know you’re in safe hands and that there’s no question about the high quality you’re going to get. McDonalds is a brand you trust and trust is built on a well-designed professional logo with brand loyalty quickly following suit. 

Once customers like you and invest in you they’re going to seek you out time and time again and your logo is the thing they’ll look for first.

4. Separates You from the Competition

Logo design is the process where your company’s brand, symbol and values come to represent particular industries, products and services. Not only should it reflect who you are, but it should also distinguish you from your competitors. 

A strong logo should dare to be different otherwise, you will just blend in with everyone else making it easy for your customers to simply skip past. Your company logo should tell consumers why your business is unique and should be chosen above other large and small businesses.

Whilst we wouldn’t usually associate a mermaid with a tall cup of coffee or an elephant with a certain note-taking tool, examples that follow Starbucks and Evernote do a fantastic job differentiating their company from their competitors.

5. Grabs Attention

We all know that we no longer live in a world where everything is black and white. We’re now taught that anything is possible and the same can go with logo design. 

Nowadays, people are drawn to more unique and daring things and when it comes to anything visual, they’re interested in design and colour – things that grab their attention!

When it comes to website users, you have less than 3 seconds to convince potential customers that your products or services are worth any consideration. The same can be said about any marketing and design assets, including your company logo. 

A company logo can quickly grab a customer’s attention and communicate your values in an interesting and visually appealing way. 

That short attention span, that thing that causes someone to judge your business by its appearance, can work to your advantage, but only if you have a solid logo that speaks true of your business.

Basic Principles of Logo Design

So now that we’ve outlined 5 reasons why logo design is so important for your business, you’re probably wondering what makes a strong logo? We’ve outlined some basic principles that you can apply:

• Keep it simple. The best and most stunning logos are the ones that give the viewer an immediate and clear sense of what your business does and the value that they endorse. As with anything, less tends to be more so keep your logo clean and uncluttered.
• Make it memorable. If you want your business to be remembered, you’d do well to make your logo easy to recall. Seeing though an attention span is only seconds long, ensure that people only need to look at your logo once before they know exactly who you are.
• Dare to be different. Don’t settle for a me-too logo. As a marketer or business owner, you will already know that competitor research is invaluable, because it teaches you how not to be or how to do things better. If you just copy what everyone else is doing, you’ll lose all hope of standing out from the crowd and getting noticed.
• Make it modern, yet timeless. We all know that consumer behaviour and psychology changes on a daily basis, so make sure that your logo is modern enough to appeal to the hottest trends, but also evergreen so that you still attract people after those trends pass.
• Think about balance and proportion. The best logos are designed using principles that consider balance and symmetry. For example, Apple and Twitter logos utilise circles of proportionate values as well as symmetry to create a pleasing and balanced aesthetic quality.
• Make sure elements piece together nicely. Your logo’s graphic device and brand’s typeface and colours should complement each other. Even though these are elements that are designed separately, your logo incorporates them all in one go, so make sure they work well together.
• Make it versatile. It’s not just your website where your logo will be present, it’ll be placed on printed collateral, company stationary and apparel, social media, television and lots more! So make sure you design one that can be applied to all placements on black and white backgrounds, different sizes and in other colourways.

How Can We Help with Your Logo Design?

As small as a company logo physically is, it’s absolutely crucial to get it perfect for your business so we understand that it’s in no way a simple task.

Furthermore, it can be quite daunting to design a logo, especially if you’re not the most creative person in the world. The team here at Digital Ethos have a wealth of experience in logo and graphic design and our team of professional designers specialise in crafting standout designs and digital branding.

From initial concept through to execution, we will visually communicate your brand’s message to get maximum impact, convey why your service or product is unique and give your customers what they are looking for.

If you think we could help you with your logo design or any other type of graphic design and web development, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

We’re here to help you accelerate your business and run campaigns that deliver results.