What are the Components of a Logo?
colorColors go way beyond aesthetic appeal – they’re the core communicators of your message. They tell your audience if you’re playful or serious, innovative or wholesome, cutting-edge or timeless and stable.
Your logo color palette can be made up of a single color or several (although we recommend staying within a two- or three-color combination). The colors you pick will later seep into other branding materials you create as well, so choose wisely! This is basically what all of us non-design folks think of as a font; typography includes the letters you’d see in a logo, arranged in some kind of consistent design. |
image An image can range from the simplest arrow to a detailed rendition of an abstract orangutan. It can be an icon, a symbol – perhaps a picture that represents something you sell or a value you stand for.
If you’re choosing to go with an image, remember that your logo will likely need to be resized depending on where it’s being placed; try to use something that looks clear and scalable. |
taglineSituated under a logo, a tagline typically comprises of a sentence or catchphrase designed to hook your audience, or clarify what your company does.
Logos don’t necessarily need to be accompanied by a tagline, but it’s something to consider if, say, your logo image alone is an abstract interpretation of the concept of Harmony – while it may communicate your values, it doesn’t actually tell your customers anything about your business. |
What Makes a Logo Stand Out?
1. It should be audience-appropriate.The best logos aren’t the flashiest, but rather those that resonate with their target audience. Logos represent not only your company, but also the people to whom you speak. For example – you wouldn’t use bright and peppy colors (read: bright yellow) for a funeral home, in the same way as you wouldn’t use depressing grays for a children’s party planner.
2. It should be easy to read.This is particularly true for wordmark logos (logos that consist of text only) but applies to every design style. If your target audience is forced to decipher what your logo means, they’ll be gone faster than you can say “conversions.” Make sure your logo can be easily understood from just a glance.
3. It should be distinct.Drawing inspiration from industry trends is always a good starting point, but remember that the goal of a logo is to differentiate your brand from the competition.
Distinct = memorable, and that’s what will remind customers why your brand is the one in the industry that they should be loyal to.
2. It should be easy to read.This is particularly true for wordmark logos (logos that consist of text only) but applies to every design style. If your target audience is forced to decipher what your logo means, they’ll be gone faster than you can say “conversions.” Make sure your logo can be easily understood from just a glance.
3. It should be distinct.Drawing inspiration from industry trends is always a good starting point, but remember that the goal of a logo is to differentiate your brand from the competition.
Distinct = memorable, and that’s what will remind customers why your brand is the one in the industry that they should be loyal to.