Common Mistakes in Logo Design

A logo is the face of your company, and when designed effectively can present your brand professionally. Over the years, there have been some amateur logos, but what is it exactly that  makes a logo design ‘bad’? While there are no mandatory guidelines, there are a few characteristics that will make any logo design less than appealing. Here are the most common mistakes used in bad logo designing.

It Follows Trends

The hottest trends in logo designing may make your logo look hot now, but what about 5 years into the future? The trend will soon die out, making your logo look ‘outdated’ before your business even takes off. Furthermore, if there’s a design trend, every company out there is likely to follow it, making you blend into the pack. The key to success in your business to be ahead of the rest, not following a fad that will soon become yesterday’s news. Decide on a logo design that will make your brand timeless, eliminating the need to constantly update.

It’s Over Designed

While a unique logo is great to establish your brand and distinguish it from others, over design is common. Using too many design elements will make your logo confusing and displeasing to look at. A maximum of two font styles in two weights should be a rule to remember in logo designing. The choice of colour can greatly affect your user friendly rating. Try to keep differentiating colours to a maximum of four or less. Your logo will have to convert into many colours and sizes, so using special effects such as embossing, inner and outer glow or incorporating a blur is a bad idea. A clean, simple, and readable logo always proves to be effective in business.

It’s Not Vector

Logos have to adapt as they are constantly being associated with different backgrounds with different external colours. On a white website background, a logo can be in its original colours, but on a coloured business card, a logo will have to be substituted for white or black. Without the logo being a vector, it can’t vary colours, limiting the design and colours of the other elements in your business brand. A logo should look beautiful whether it be on a small website or the side of a big bus. A vector format in logo designing allows it to be resized without looking pixelated or fuzzy.

It Uses Stock Art

The purpose of a logo is to extinguish your brand from its competitors and give users a symbol to remember your company by. A stock art piece will present your brand as cheap, standard, and unprofessional. Especially with the rise of stock photo websites, chances are the potential customer has already seen that logo before, and will easily spot you out as a ‘clone’ or ‘copier’. If you are using a stock vector shape as your logo, it will be noticeable by customers.

A logo makes your company recognisable to the world. It should be memorable, elegant, and mistake free. If you notice any of these mistakes in your logo, it is best to take action now, before your potential customers take the action of hiring another service provider.