Dos and Don’ts of Designing Logos by @bekdavis

Bek Davis | Featured Contributor

If you are a graphic or web designer, part of your job is going to be to design logos. Logos are perfect for branding and may be used on your client’s website, blog, promotional materials, social media sites, business cards and more. This is why it is essential that you get it right. The logo is what is going to help businesses stand out from their competitors, so it should be simple yet memorable. Here are some dos and don’ts for designing logos.

FUN & ORIGINAL: Logo Design by Bek Davis

Dos

1. Keep it simple – By trying to make a complicated logo, you are making the job harder for you and it makes it more difficult to duplicate. If you focus on a simple design, it is more recognizable, therefore more effective for the business owner. This is perfect for online and offline use of a logo.
2. Make it versatile – Design a logo so that it can be duplicated in multiple mediums and sizes. Find a logo design that doesn’t only work in a single size, as it is going to be used for different avenues, such as print, online, brochures, business cards, ads and video.
3. Choose a single element – There should be one word or symbol that stands out in the logo. This is what first attracts people to the logo. Find the focus word or element and enhance it to make it pop. This may be through making a different size, color or style than the rest of the logo.

Don’ts

1. Duplicate competitor designs – Since you see so many logos on any given day, it’s easy to design a logo too similar to their competitor. Go for a unique look so that it doesn’t look like any other logo you have seen.
2. Go trendy – It is tempting to go with a design or image that is currently popular, such as arrows, birds or infinity symbols – but are these timeless? If you go with a trendy image for the logo, it may not be as effective a few years from now. So try to make it as timeless as you can.
3. Fail to research – Don’t start designing a logo without doing adequate research. You need to research logos that are effective for the client’s industry and field. Which companies have the most effective and eye-catching logos? Don’t duplicate them, but use it as a starting off point.
4. Use clipart – Never use clipart for logos. Clipart isn’t unique or original, and you want the logo to be 100 percent unique. Instead, use your own illustrations and designs for the logo.

SIMPLE & ELEGANT: Logo Design by Bek Davis

If you follow these unofficial rules for designing logos, your client will be happy and their business will soar because of it. Branding is important with so much competition in any given field, and the logo is the first step to a multitude of possibilities.

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Bek Davis – Graphic Design + Branding Superstar – Nashville, TN

Meet Bek from Nashville, Tennessee! Bek has taken the idea of working from home and turned it into art form – literally!

As a trained chef, Bek was able to indulge her need to be creative while assembling unique and tempting new dishes for her clients. But, when her first child was born in 2000, she and her husband decided that it would be best for Bek to become a stay-at-home mom.

While she loved being home with her daughter, Bek quickly realized that she missed having that creative outlet. She also wanted a way to continue to contribute to her family’s income. The solution? Build a business! While her daughter slept, Bek taught herself website design. What began as a new adventure in creativity, grew into a leading stay-at-home mom based website design company. Today, Bek Davis Web & Graphic Designs has grown to include many other experts in web design, graphic design, business branding, and brand marketing.

Connect with Bek Davis

Twitter:  @bekdavis
Facebook:  bekdavisdesigns
Google+:  100618204973961727765
LinkedIN:  bekdavis
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Bek Davis