10 reasons your logo is working against you

A logo distinguishes a business. It needs to be perfect, designed in a way that your audience can easily remember it and relate to it. But there are common mistakes that can be made when working with an inexperienced designer. Let’s take a look at what these are.

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1. It’s too detailed

Highly detailed designs don’t scale well when viewed or printed in smaller sizes, and will look like a smudge as they lose their detail. The viewer has to process more information when the logo is detailed. You need a logo that’s simple yet memorable. You can take inspiration from business giants like Apple, McDonald’s, and Nike. These all boast straightforward logos that can be quickly produced at any size.

2. It relies on colour or special effects

The most common mistake that people make when designing a logo is to rely entirely on colours to distinguish boundaries between the elements. Choosing the colour should be your last decision when designing a logo. The best way to do is to start with a black & white design and test the strength of your logo – will the black and white option change the identity of your business? If you are using colours to distinguish the elements in your design, then the black and white version could look black and shite.

3. It wasn’t designed in vector format

Logos designed in raster format (pixels) tend to blur out when reproduced at scale. It is recommended that your logo is designed in vector format, as they are made using mathematical precision points, ensuring visual consistency across multiple sizes.

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4. It doesn’t have enough contrast

When the contrast is low, it becomes difficult to separate each component of the logo. You need to ensure that the contrast is high enough to allow it to easily stand out and remain legible.

5. It doesn’t reflect your business

The primary job of a logo is to reflect your business and brand. Having a logo that’s easy to remember while resembling your product or service offering is vital.

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6. It has too many typefaces

It is recommended that you use the maximum of two typefaces or fonts when designing a logo. Having too many is unsettling to the eye and can create confusion.

7. It’s not unique

Your logo needs to be unique. Sure, can sure take inspiration from other renowned businesses, but avoid creating a direct copy. Your customers will see right through it, and if it looks really similar to another brand’s logo, you may face litigation.

8. It's fallen out of trend

Trends tend to change. The logo you design should reflect your business, but don’t get caught up in popular trends or tricks. It may look relevant for a few months, but it will quickly become gimmicky. Stick with something safe and timeless. A great logo will hold its own.

9. It’s designed poorly

A logo design is a serious investment - a great logo can be used for many decades if done right. Trying to save money by hiring an amateur designer is a recipe for disaster and will end up costing you more in the long run - not just in lost potential revenue, but also for the inevitable logo redesign by a professional.

10. It looks like something else

There are countless examples of logos that were designed with no regard for how they may be perceived by others. It’s worth taking the extra step of considering how each element of your logo design could be misconstrued for something inappropriate.

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