Stop Making These Common Logo Mistakes
Your logo is often the first element of your brand that people see, and plays a crucial role in building brand recognition. It has to encapsulate your brand visually, communicating tone and personality at a glance.
We’ve previously talked about what makes a good logo, but what are the things you need to avoid?
Here are some common mistakes that you should be sure to avoid.
Don’t use illegible text
Your logo is the single most important element of a branding package. If people can’t read what it says, it’s not doing its job (and it may draw criticism).
There’s a balance to strike between finding an expressive font that aligns with your brand and sets you apart while also making sure the text is easy to read.
Once you have a font selected, test the legibility at different sizes and color combinations.
Don’t add a long tagline
Your primary logo should not include multiple lines of text.
When taglines are attached to a logo, you can run into problems. The additional text might make the design feel busy, and that text frequently becomes illegible when the graphic is reduced to smaller sizes.
If a tagline is important to include, make sure you have appropriate logo variations for different use cases.
Don’t include too many small details
A logo should be easy to recognize and versatile, so it’s best to keep it simple.
While a complex brand illustration may fit into your overall identity, it shouldn’t be in your logo. The fine details will get lost and will make everything feel cluttered.
Instead, see if there’s an element from the original concept that you can simplify and incorporate into the logo.
Don’t rely on color to do the heavy lifting
A good logo works just as effectively in black and white as it does in full color. Remember, there may be times when you are required to use a grayscale logo.
For this reason, the logo design process should always start without color, ensuring the concept and composition are strong enough on their own.
When you do add color, remember to keep it simple (2-3 colors max) and test to ensure you’re reaching a high enough color contrast ratio.
Don’t have only one logo file
Your logo needs to be used in variety of applications, which means a single JPEG file isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need more than one file type, and you should understand which version is preferred in which case.
Generally, you need variants for the following uses:
- Digital
- Black & White
- Full color
If you have an alternate or secondary logo, make sure you have a full suite of file types for each version.
Ultimately, your logo is a reflection of your brand – and you can showcase personality without compromising on effectiveness. Avoid these mishaps, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a memorable logo.
