There's something quite powerful about a well-designed logo. It can attach itself to your memory in extraordinary ways, change your mood with colour psychology and influence the decisions we make subconsciously. By identifying what makes your business unique, you or your designer can develop a logo design that triggers an emotional connection to your product or service among your target audience. You want your logo to define your company quickly but do so originally and creatively, setting you apart from competitors.
It’s important to consider five key points when thinking about your brand:
Simple - A simple logo design allows for easy recognition and does not detract the attention away from the brand. A busy design may lead your target audience to misunderstand what your brand is about.
Memorable - Links back to having a simple design. A logo that is designed with simplicity in mind is more easily recognised and therefore more memorable.
Timeless - It is essential to spend time creating a logo that will stand the test of time. A hand drawn logo for instance will be difficult to replicate moving forward and will incur clarity issues when trying to digitalise it for social media.
Versatile - Ensuring your logo is easily adjustable to various sizes is extremely important, especially online where it can be used for a range of uses and formats. If using a professional designer make sure you ask them for your logo in vector format, making it easily scalable and editable.
Appropriate - I mentioned earlier how colours can play a key role in evoking emotional responses with your target audience. The same can be said for certain shapes too. Many family-friendly companies use circles or ovals, which can create a sense of community and friendship. It’s important to research the symbolism behind shapes and the psychology behind certain colours to ensure your brand portrays the right message.
In this new digital age branding your business correctly has never been so important.
Companies can now track your online presence and target you by age, interest and online searches. It is now crucial to be advertising your brand through social media platforms. However, with so many different platforms available and heavy competition on all of them, it can be difficult to set your brand apart from the rest. Your job is to find the networks that align with your brand’s image and goals. Don’t feel you have to be on every social media channel.
Firstly, make sure your branding is consistent across all channels. Visuals play an important part in social media branding. Use a colour palette that fits your brand. You want to get to a point where people associate those colours with your brand. This will help people immediately recognise your company no matter which site or app they’re using. Don’t forget that different colours can impact the way people perceive your brand.
Secondly, consistency makes for a strong brand presence. You should try to use the same avatar for every social network. Use your logo or a symbol that represents your company.
People should see your avatar and immediately associate it with your brand.
So where do you start with social networking? Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, the list is vast but once you’ve researched which channels will work best for you, you can begin setting up your business profiles. There are plenty of online resources to help you set up your logos and banners to fit the correct dimensions. If you don’t necessarily have the tools or creativity to do this yourself then it may be worth contacting a graphic designer who will be able to do this for you and make sure your imagery isn’t cropped or distorted. Social media marketing can be a really fun way of expanding your online presence, interacting with your target audience and reaching a wider spectrum of people so go out there and get networking people!
About the Author:
Kayleigh is a gin loving, snap-happy graphic designer who is a sucker for all things creative including beautiful blooms and unusual stationery. Kayleigh has worked with an array of clients including Merlin Annual Pass, THE PIG Hotels, LEGOLAND Windsor, Volvo Ocean Race, Neptune, and Bloomsbury. She now has her own design studio - Studio Campbell specialising in brand identity and bespoke wedding stationery.
Website: www.studiocampbell.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/studiocampbelldesign
Instagram: www.instagram.com/studiocampbell
