Having a logo is the best way to make a first impression. Even then, an average person needs to see it 5 to 7 times before they remember it. Approximately 78% of people think that logos are a work of art, further emphasizing their importance.
While potential clients usually won’t read your mission or vision, a nice logo is more likely to relate to the company’s message. Besides being a visual aid, it can communicate quality, values, and authority—which is why it’s so important to put time and effort into creating a logo that sticks. With that in mind, here are the seven biggest logo mistakes website owners make:
Using Generic Images
We use logos to tell the company’s story. If you rely on generic images, you won’t be able to relate the message, causing all other marketing efforts to fall flat. Furthermore, it is really easy to recognize a premade image, which will make you come off as sloppy and cheap.
Every branding element on your website should be unique and made by a professional. That way, you can control every step of the process.
Not Using Logo Makers
Logo makers allow you to quickly and easily create a logo for your company. These applications give you a selection of temples, images, and fonts you can use to create a perfect marketing message. They are especially amazing for smaller companies with limited funds. Designhill is a good example of a quality logo maker. It is a great budget option, and it especially shines for people who are newbies or have moderate design skills.
Ignoring Branding Potential
Despite having a unique product or a service, some brands are unable to turn that into a marketing advantage. Sometimes, the disconnect occurs due to a lack of direction. It might also happen because the marketing team doesn’t have the necessary experience. If there is something specific about your company, you can weave it into your logo. Not only will you stand out from the competition, but you can promote unique advantages while doing it.
Using the Same Typography as Body Content
Finding the right typography is one of the hardest things as you need appropriate education, a good eye, and an understanding of the current marketing trends. Most importantly, the logo’s typography needs to be different from the body content, or these two elements will meld with each other.
Ideally, you should find a similar style but in a different font. Furthermore, the typography needs to flow with the color scheme and overall design. For example, if your logo has rough edges, the font should be a bit straighter.
Not Creating a Flexible Logo
When creating a logo, always focus on the company and what you have to offer to the clients. Often, being too afraid to take a risk, companies will create a logo according to the current trends. Or you might focus on some other specifics or competitive advantage that might go away in the future.
The logo should be flexible enough so that it can be tweaked in the future. So, you would like to have the option to change color, shape, or font at one point in the future. Also, the tweaks should only be minor so that loyal clients can recognize the logo.
Unintentionally “Copying” Other Logos
Similar to generic images, copying or redoing other logos comes off as lazy. In some cases, it can lead to legal lawsuits and other potential issues, occasionally stifling the brand’s ability to grow. This is especially true if you’re forced to redo your whole logo just because you borrowed from another brand.
Perhaps the biggest issue with this is that you won’t be able to relate the company message. Even if you have the same products and services as the brand you copied, there are probably the same major differences between the two. Their logo might not properly showcase your business’ values and mission.
Not Making a Mockup First
The main reason for the mockup is so you can properly analyze the work. If you’re a part of a bigger company, you might also wish to perform a smaller public test beforehand. As the logo will be the central point of your branding, you will have to see how the wider audience reacts to it.
Among others, analyzing mockups will allow you to discuss potential design flaws. Unfortunately, some of these issues might not be noticeable at first, which is why you have to show the initial work to several marketing and design experts before the company starts using it.
