What Makes a Really Good Logo?

For the past six years, I’ve been asked for many logo design requests, and I never thought that this would end. I mainly focused on delivering results and made hundreds of clients happy. Those clients came back, and there was no other option than to automate this process. In those six years, I managed to foresee patterns in logo creation processes and to jump on the right path when creating a logotype instantly. Hopefully, in this article, you will find something useful for your future logo.

Begin with the question, “Why?”

I borrowed this from one of the most inspiring people on this Earth - Simon Sinek. You can watch his full TED talk here on this topic. I begin logotype creation by writing down reasons why this logo needs to be created. Why a company needs a logo at first sight? Usually, there are two reasons: First, you are creating something new (most of the times - it’s a new project or startup). Second, it can be an old logotype that needs to be redesigned.

If you begin from scratch, write down the essential adjectives that come to your mind when you think about the following project or business. Is it fast, does it have any unique selling points that may be showcased in the logo? I mainly take five to seven adjectives and write them down.

If you are redesigning an old logotype - begin by writing down the strengths and the weaknesses of the old logo. Look at the typeface, at the symbol - usually few of these things will be still left in the new logo. Redesigning an old logo needs to remain previous parts of the logo to make sure the clients and people will remember it.

Decide on what style your logo will come up.

Is it a text-based logo, is it a letter mark or will it have an icon next to the typeface? You can easily find a lot of different perks for each logotype category:

A text-based logo will have a stronger brand identity since the beginning than other styles. Clients will always read your name as a logo and will store that in their brains. Good examples are Amazon, Coca-Cola, Google, eBay, Disney, and lots more!

A letter mark logotype will have better usage advantages. In websites, on billboards - you name it, most of the time logo will look excellent and readable. IBM, NASA, CNN, HBO - just a few of the great examples I can remember.

Combination logo will reinforce the brand to be versatile in many different spheres. There could be a need for a long logotype, and you will have this. Maybe you will need only an icon to display (for example - profile picture) - here you got it. It is the most popular choice among companies! (based on Wizlogo statistics)

Choose the right color palette.

Colors play a huge part in our every day lives. From different meanings to unique feelings for each target audience - colors are fundamental. Find your target audience and select the most relevant palette to achieve the best possible results in attracting the person’s attention.

You can read more about the color meanings in our free logo color ideas page.

Find out which typeface fits you the best.

Most often, fonts are grouped into three different categories: serif, sans serif, script.

Serif fonts do work when you need to create a “classical” feeling. These fonts carry the formal image and fit perfectly if you are making a logotype for the financial or educational sector. Most Popular serif fonts are Times New Roman, Georgia, Garamond.

Sans serif fonts are the opposite of serif. No decorative elements to enhance the typeface, instead - simple and modern lines to achieve a clean result. They are often used by technology companies and businesses that require a straight-forward solution. Few of the most famous sans serif fonts are Helvetica, Arial, Proxima Nova.

Script fonts are the fanciest typefaces of this list. Their main point is to represent elegance, creativity, and that works with hand-written style — used by companies that are focused on happiness and creative environment. If you are asking for some recommendations - I use Kaushan Script, Milkshake, and Pacifico.

Final thoughts

I hope you found something useful for your next logo creation process. Here at Wizlogo, we work to make your creative logotype process as smooth as possible, and these tips will help you out once you need inspiration or guideline to follow.

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