Choose a Logo for eCommerce 8 Mistakes and Examples to avoid
When you're beginning an online business or are considering a rebrand among the primary aspects of the process is creating a high-quality, eye-catching logo that conveys your brand's message. But before you start brainstorming your ideas, consider what factors go into an effective logo design and what type of logo will be the best fit for both your brand and your target clients.
In this post we'll discuss the importance of logos, the various kinds of logos, and certain aspects that are practical like best practices for designing logos, options in software to create them, as well as strategies for outsourcing design.
What is a logo?
While we could be pedantic regarding the definition of the word "logo", the phrase is typically used for a clear design made up of imagery, words or a mix of both in order to symbolize a brand or organization.
Why logos are important
Your logo will help customers quickly to recognize your brand when viewing your ads and posts on social media, browsing search engine results or comparing items on an online marketplace, or purchasing directly from your site.
If you're looking for your e-commerce company to be noticed by your competition, an effective logo is essential. There are a lot of online companies competing for attention from customers it is essential to have a professional, unique and memorable logo that's a clear representation of your company's brand.
An attractive logo can be instrumental in establishing credibility. Take a look at your top brand names that you trust. The logos of their brands are likely to come to your mind. Just looking at a certain color combination or shape might evoke an image.
Your logo is an investment in the brand's growth, so make sure you take your time and work to create a logo that communicates your company's image and appeals to the people you want to reach.
There are eight types of logos
Logos usually fall into eight types:
- Wordmark, logotype
- Brand mark, logomark, or pictorial
- Mark of combination
- Dynamic logo
- Emblems
- Letterforms
- Lettermark, monogram
- Mascots
Wordmark/logotype
"Wordmark" as well as "logotype" are basically the same and both refer to the same logo that is designed using typography only generally the business name, or at least a part of the name of the business. The logos of these types often employ unique typography that makes the logo unique to the company's brand.
One of the most famous instances of a trademark logo is Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola logo instantly stands out, thanks to its iconic typography that has barely changed over the last 130 years. L'oreal as well as eBay's logos are other examples of logotypes and wordmarks.
Brand mark, logomark, or image
"Brand mark"," "logomark," and "pictorial" are all used to refer to a graphic element in a logo that could also include the letters or words as an the same way, but that does not feature the brand's name. They can be representative, like the apple, bird, or the shell marks from Apple, Twitter, and Shell Oil, or they may be more abstract as those of the Atari as well as the Dropbox logos.
The Atari mark hints at an A-shape, without being it. The Dropbox brand mark uses an array of carefully placed diamonds that create an abstract look of a box.
Combination mark
A combination mark can be described as the company name combined with the more image-based brand mark. Most often, a business will employ its combination mark in all circumstances, however it can also be used with its brand mark and wordmark in different ways depending on the context.
Dynamic logos
Dynamic logos are flexible modern logos whose elements change in accordance with what the brand wants to convey to a specific audience. Google is perhaps the most well-known instance of this with its Google Doodles. Dynamic logos can be animated, static or interactive.
Google puts all three types into use in their Google Doodles series. One thing that remains the same in every Doodle is that the brand name "Google" appears in a specific way. The rest of the design may be altered.
The Google approach might not be the best option, particularly for brands that are trying to get established. It could be confusing for potential customers to have multiple variations of your brand's logo with completely different designs.
Remember that Google doesn't apply the kind of flexibility in all uses of its logo. The Google Doodle is specifically used on Google's Google Search landing page. In other places, they use their official wordmark and brand mark.
If you want to create a dynamic logo, think more along the lines of MTV.
In the majority of use instances, MTV uses the same logo shape, but applies distinct color schemes and may even include co-branding with other companies. The logo is immediately identifiable as MTV however the variations in the color and design could help people associate MTV with different concepts such as ideology, brands, or even concepts that evoke different feelings and continually re-engage viewers.
Emblems
The term "emblem" refers to a logo design that uses images and letters to form an integrated, singular logo. Emblems often look like emblems, badges or crests. This kind of style most frequently in university teams, sports teams as well as automotive firms However, a lot of firms use emblems to create their emblems. Some companies such as Starbucks, Warner Bros., and Stella Artois all have emblem logos.
Letterforms
Letterforms utilize the initial letter and sometimes the initials, of a company to make an easy brand logo. While letterforms are usually simpler than monograms, the letterform could also be monogram, as in the one above. New York Yankees letterform/monogram.
Lettermarks/monograms
Logos with monograms or letters use an acronym or initials for the company to form the entirety or even a part of the logo. The letters often overlap to form a pattern or could be set onto the background.
Monograms were first used in the early days of Greece as identification marks on coins, marking what city the coins were issued by. Later, they were used as the signature of those with wealth and power and by craftsmen and artists.
Monograms are a part of a long tradition and are frequently used by fashion and beauty brands to convey an element of class and heritage. However, monograms aren't solely utilized by these types of industries. Every type of business has made the use of monograms. They're a space-efficient and time-tested approach to design the logo of your choice, and are appropriate for virtually any business.
Mascot logos
Mascot logos use iconic characters that represent the business. Lacoste's alligator Cheetos' Chester Cheetah, Reddit's mascot-like exoplanet Snoo, KFC's Colonel Sanders, and Wendy's hero, Wendy Thomas, are some of the famous examples of mascots that are used as part of a corporate logo.
Mascots are a great way to highlight a brand's personality, and make the brand more relatable and casual. They can also be used to create unique ways of advertising. But using a mascot in a logo can be tricky since it's easy to outgrow the character you chose to use (see: Ronald McDonald) However, it can be difficult to remove them from the minds of the public.
Therefore, you'll need to take time to consider your mascot and make sure it's on-brand and scalable with the direction you intend to take your company.
Seven ideas for designing an appealing logo
The logo you choose to use is usually the first contact a potential customer experiences with your business. We've already established it should be memorable, recognizable, and represent your brand identity, but there are known best practices for logo design that you'll want to think about when deciding on a logo.
If your logo's design is eye-catching and unique, that does not necessarily mean that it's a great design. Some of the most renowned companies have experienced some questionable logo launches which led to negativity in the media.
Certain businesses rely on the old adage of "any publicity is great publicity." If your company's name is controversial, you'll want to follow a few tried and true techniques to ensure that you don't end up on a blog post about the worst logo designs of all time.
Make it easy
You may have heard the saying "less is more" - a phrase invented by the Minimalist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1947. It is tossed around a lot in corporate jargon and can sometimes be used as an excuse for simple design tasks. The idea behind "less is more" is not to keep things plain and boring.
It's a philosophy that values both aesthetic and function. Ultimately, the goal is to use as few elements as are necessary to convey the intended message and supply the required function, while simultaneously creating an aesthetically-pleasing appearance.
This is an essential aspect for logos since the design should be simple for viewers to grasp. You should be able to use it with backgrounds using diverse textures and colors. adapt it to different space and aspect ratios, and then use it in many different dimensions without becoming confusing or messy.
This philosophy doesn't mean that it is necessary to choose simple logo designs, either. The concept can be used to any type of logo that is traditional, contemporary, vintage, or any other style of design that is trendy and modern.
Use a style that reflects your brand as well as your intended viewers
If you run a business that makes antique or antique items, you might want to go with a retro-inspired logo design that recalls the past the brand is a part of.
As an example, Big Chill appliances use an old-fashioned typographic design that evokes vintage appliance emblems in the 1930s-1960s.
Trader Joe's logo has a 1960s tiki art vibe as does Ben and Jerry's. The logo is a playful and fun 1970s style that matches their brand character. Altoids serif font that has a gold embossed design on the edges give it a timeless and traditional look.
Jack Daniels whiskey has not significantly altered its logo since 1947 and it is still quite similar to their pre-Prohibition era logo. In contrast to brands such as Levi Strauss that massively changed their brand identities over time, Jack Daniels has only changed their logo over the years, reminding people of the brand's extensive history.
If your company sells software as a service (SaaS) or offers technological-based products, or would prefer the appearance of a logo that's simple easy to read and simple, you might want something that's more minimalist. The following companies all use contemporary, minimalist design.
Certain of them incorporate logos, while others are purely type-based and use unique letterforms to convey their message, whereas others have a badge or emblem-like look.
If your online store has a focus on niche customers, you'll want to select the right logo to resonate with that audience. Whether it's organic food or toys, comics clothing for women, hunting gear, you can achieve an effective, genre-targeted logo that doesn't stray into the territory of childish and silly.
Some examples of niche audience logos include Walt's Comic Shop, Nelson Rare Books, KiwiCo, and Chewy.
Walt's Comic Shop makes use of a mascot style design however employs simplified lines and two colors, as well as a clean, sans-serif font. It's a lot of fun and draws inspiration from the field, but it's not cartoonish, and the graphic and typography elements are a good match both independently.
Nelson Rare Books uses an intricate illuminated initial in their logo. This is similar to what could be found at the first chapter in an old book. As opposed to the decorated serif typeface, they employ an uncluttered, broad sans-serif font for all uppercase letters for the company's name. It provides a visual balance and conveys the company's brand as the seller of rare and old-fashioned books, as well as an online shop that utilizes modern technologies and organization systems.
KiwiCo provides science and art kits to children through a subscription service. They've chosen a modern, clean logo, but kept it a little playful with their kiwi mascot, and large serif font. Making the logo less generic allows them to grow their brand in different ways without needing to redesign the logo when they do so.
Chewy is a pet-related delivery service for pet owners. You'll note that their logo doesn't contain any imagery and only uses type. The font is a round sans-serif design that's been scattered, creating a fun-loving look we usually associate with our pets.
Use clip art only.
If you think you can just pick a logo out of a clipart free website, you need to think twice. Technically, you could apply clip art to your logo if you'd like, but the there is a good chance that other companies have used this technique. Some people may be able to recognize it, and mistake it for another company's logo, or it might give an unprofessional impression.
Additionally, not every clip art works are in the public domain. Just because you find it on the internet does not mean it's legal to download. It's not a good idea to end up the subject of legal action!
It doesn't mean you shouldn't make use of a graphic that has been designed by a professional for an element of your logo. It is possible to use royalty-free images from image marketplaces like iStock Photo as well as Creative Market that you will find better-quality ready-made graphic elements to use for your logos or entirely-designed logos. All you need to do is replace your placeholder with the name of your business.
If you do utilize a pre-designed feature in your logo, keep in mind that other people may be using that exact same element in theirs too. Be sure to use the appropriate license to your purpose. Many stock image sites offer various types of licenses that you can purchase for different purposes, such as web, print, and editorial use.
Beware of cliché and overused images and fonts
Searching for "worst Logo fonts" as well as "worst logo design" will give you a few suggestions on what not to do. You should take the time to make sure that the elements of your design and fonts are not utilized by companies that are not yours. In addition to helping avoid brand confusion, it can also help push you toward a more distinctive and innovative design is something you are proud of.
It's never a bad decision to choose a standard symbol or image for your logo design when it's relevant to your industry. The logos for veterinarians are a wonderful illustration of this. What are the most common veterinarian logos that use a combination of either cats or dogs or paw print a medical symbol as well as a heart?
Perhaps the majority. But that doesn't mean it's impossible to utilize the same type of images but it does mean it's more difficult to create an original idea while using the same subjects.
Here are some excellent examples of common logo image selections that have been well executed:
To design Aurora Veterinary Hospital, the designer employed a limited palette, with an almost abstract depiction of dogs... perhaps it's a cat. The design is wide enough to be able to convey the two animals. It's adorable without appearing cartoonish. It's clean, modern and simple to read, while being an unique interpretation of the common motif of cat and dog as a logo for veterinary use.
Advanced Vet Care Center's logo is extremely creative, pointing towards a tail-like cat, as well as using the standard medical + symbol in an image of the letter A to indicate "Advanced." This is a more corporate-feeling mark while remaining true to the field that they are representing. It's a very different interpretation as Aurora Veterinary Hospital's logo. The design is more minimalist and abstract, while still using typical themes.
The creation of your own typeface, or modifying a font's appearance significantly to suit your brand image, is a good way to create an effective and unique logo. If graphic design and typography are not something you have a background, it is advisable to study fundamental typographic concepts before beginning work on creating custom fonts or modifying existing ones.
Do not go too far with colors or visual effects
Limit yourself to one to four colors. If your logo requires more than four colors then try to limit the colors to one graphic element in the logo.
As an example for instance, the NBC logo uses a rainbow theme for their peacock symbol and their logo, however their font is black. Each element is easy to understand on its own. The solid colors and minimal amount of geometric shapes make the peacock element readable in spite of the rainbow of shades.
But, when you begin using different colors for each alphabet, the logo will begin to lose impression. When you further apply drops shadows, rainbow gradients, and glow effects, it becomes chaotic. This is definitely unique, however it's pretty difficult to stare at.
You must ensure that the design you choose to use is easily readable on all devices.
If you're running an online store You'll want to ensure that your logo looks great and is accessible on your site and especially mobile devices. But you'll also want to ensure that it appears good when printed, is able to translate well to both horizontal and vertical layouts and has the color options for various background colors and textures.
Be careful not to distort or squish the dimensions of your logo in order to fit a particular area. You can rearrange your logo elements, or make it larger or smaller while maintaining its aspect ratio, but stretching or squeezing your logo's design will cause it to be harder to read and feel less professional.
Utilize a vector-based design software for creating your brand logo
There are two different types of images you could make using design software: vector and raster. Vector images are created by mathematical formulas that permit them to be scaled without losing quality or becoming blurred.
The images in a raster format, on the other hand, are made of the same number of pixels. When you reduce the size of your image down the image isn't able to be scaled back up again without losing image quality or distorting the image in some manner.
As your logo is likely to be used in a variety of contexts and sizes in your marketing collateral, you'll want to make sure your logo will be scaled without losing quality. The use of a vector design lets you edit your logo later easy and allows you to keep the quality of your image regardless of the number of times you reduce or expand the size of your logo.
Also, you should save versions of your logos in various vector (ai, pdf, eps) file formats as well as export both high-resolution raster file formats (png, tiff, jpg) as well as lower-resolution web-optimized files such as webp.
Are you interested in knowing more about logo file types? The Mean Creative offers the handy guide.
Logo design software
Do you need the best program to design a stunning logo? With so many options out there, it's tough to know where to start. If you've got some knowledge of graphic design, you might want to use a desktop or online design software which gives you total freedom in creating your own logo.
If you're not any design experience it's possible use an online design software. Even if you can't create a logo that is precisely what you're seeking, it could serve as a great starting point if you end up hiring an artist.
If your logo design matches what you're looking for and still requires a few adjustments, you can save money by giving the freelance designer a logo which is 90% of what you'd like it but just needs a few small adjustments.
Online and desktop design software choices
- Pros:Illustrator is an industry top vector design program. The desktop and the iPad/Surface Pro versions are both available, and the software is feature-rich.
- Cons:Illustrator uses a subscription-only model for its software, meaning that it will have a continuous monthly fee. There can be a high level of learning, and this software may not be suited for those planning to complete a large amount of graphic design work.
- Advantages:It offers a one-time purchase option in addition to an option to subscribe. There's also a less expensive Corel Vector online software with the option of a trial period of 15 days for free.
- Pros:The one-time purchase price exceeds $500, and the online Vector software is limited to subscription. As with Illustrator, the learning curve is a bit daunting for beginners. Additionally CorelDraw iPad app CorelDraw iPad app has an average rating of 1 1/2 stars review in the Apple App Store.
- Advantages Canva includes a free account so that you can design a logo as well as different designs without cost. Canva is also able to provide an option to create a logo if you find you're not happy with the design you've created. Canva is a hugely popular simplified design software for both non-designers and creative pros. You can be sure that it is well-supported with ongoing updates and additional innovative features. Additionally, it offers free access to some stock images of Getty and other stock content sources.
- Pros: Premium content and options are restricted to users that have paid accounts. The software is online-only. The search feature of stock images, particularly it's a bit clunky and may be challenging to pinpoint exactly what you are looking for.
- The pros: The Vectr program is basic, free vector design program that's easy to learn.
- Cons:It's online only and is perhaps not enough basic, based on the type of design work you'd like to do. Additionally, it displays ads inside the program, which could cause annoyance.
Online logo creators
Alongside the feature to create logos, which was mentioned previously, there's also online software specifically designed for automatic logo design.
The Looka as well as Smashing Logo each offer low-cost customized logo creation tools. It's free to create as many logos as you'd like. However, should you wish to download vector files as well as brand packs then you'll have to pay for one of their premium tiers.
Logo creation software online can provide a fantastic method of locating a logo that will do work for you at an affordable cost, but you're not always guaranteed to receive the design you're looking for. Since these two platforms can be used for free They can at least help you think about the direction of your design, think about your ideas about what you would like to want, and take that concept to a graphic artist or an agency to get a start place.
Outsourcing logo design
Do you have no interest in designing your own logo or endlessly creating iterations with a logo creation program? Sometimes it's just ideal to work with an expert from the beginning.
Employing a designer who is a freelancer or agency to create your logo is a wise investment in your brand's future. Professional designers will bring new perspectives you may never have thought of and can handle making all of the required design versions and file types.
However, it's also important to be aware of the possible risks associated with outsourcing logo design. You want to make sure you select a designer who has experience designing logos for brands that are in your sector, with good reviews from previous customers, and who is able to meet your needs within the budget you have set.
Some people have good success finding freelance designers through marketplaces on the internet such as Fiverr and Upwork. Others prefer to work with a local person or was recommended via a friend or colleague, or even a local chamber of commerce. Each of these is perfectly acceptable avenues to pursue when looking for a designer with.
When you're working with a client, have to be sure you're ready for working with a designer. It is important to conduct an investigation into logos that you like, consider the goals you'd like to accomplish through your logo and clearly communicate your needs.
Designers are most effective when they have both clear parameters and some flexible design ideas. If you're rigid about what you want your design to look like or if you're too vague this could result in an unsatisfactory logo. your requirements.
Ultimately, creating your logo with your graphic designer is like a conversation which can take between two or three times over sketches before you find a logo which is just right.
Use your brand's logo
Now that you have some guidelines for designing your logo that you can use, it's the time to start creating and get your logo use. Study different logos. Find a logo colors and general concept.
Next, you must decide if prefer to design your own logo, or use an application to create logos, or hire a professional graphic designer. Once you have a logo you like, be sure you have all the right files for both web as well as print before implementing the logo on your site, social media, advertising channels and even products.
It's also recommended to examine your logo thoroughly and run it past some reliable sources before you go live. Be aware that your logo serves as an image of the company you work for. There may be no consensus on whether or not your logo of choice is excellent design, however you should at least avoid the most obvious issues that could be featured in blog posts on the worst logos of all time.
It can be difficult to design a logo However, through careful planning, thorough research, and the right designers or tools for design to create an attractive, powerful logo that represents your company's image and inspires trust and loyalty in your customers.