4 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Logo for Your Website

When starting a website, whether it's to launch your new business or to host a blog, choosing the right logo is a multi-step process. It isn't merely about choosing something that you think is aesthetically pleasing. Usually, especially for big-name brands, a lot of thought goes into creating a logo. Factors such as the color and font are critical, especially with the many logos already in existence.

Some sites even use the design of their logo as a marketing tool. This review on Hosting Foundry explains one instance of the brand HostPapa choosing their logo by hosting a design contest. This clever tactic helped the company to ensure publicity for their name and a strong online presence before the company even launched.

With the logo playing such a vital role, it's not surprising that it can play a central part in the success of your business. Here are four things to keep in mind when choosing a logo for your business.

1 - Individuality

You will need your logo to stand out for it to be appealing. The whole point of having a logo is to represent and market your brand. If your logo is similar to one already in existence, then your target audience may confuse these two logos for each other. Especially if you are offering a similar service, a customer might click on the first one that they see, which you can't guarantee will be yours.

Intelligent design choices also increase the likelihood that your logo will grab some attention. Take the FedEx logo, for example. The space between the "e" and the "x" forms a perfect arrow, suggesting that the company is moving forward. It's a smart design that people appreciate and will likely give their business to because of the brand's individuality.

2 - Simplicity

With all of that information about individuality in mind, it's also essential not to overdo it. Something that looks too garish or too complicated would be a turn-off for most people.

Keep in mind that this icon won't just feature on your website, but also in ads or even on business cards. The different media entail that your logo will need to be neat and recognizable even when scaled down. A simple design is crucial for your brand appeal.

3 - Color and Typography

When choosing the correct color and typography, you need to keep several things in mind. These factors will not only enable your logo to stand out, but they can determine the color scheme and the overall design of your website.

Something that people often forget is that your logo also needs to look good and be identifiable in greyscale. Sure, you'll want to put effort into choosing your color scheme, but it's possible that full-color printing won't always be an option.

Typography is a great way to set the tone of your website. If you're trying to identify your brand as a professional one, then your typography will need to be sleek and straightforward. Specific fonts have undesirable connotations. Avoid fonts like Comic Sans, which many people feel looks amateur or even kiddish.

4 - Audience

Your audience is essential to the design process. Whether you choose an image, text, or both, it will need to speak to your target audience.

For example, if your website appeals to children, something colorful and playful would be appropriate. If your logo has something to do with a specific culture, research commonly used colors or symbols so that it makes sense in that context.

Final Tips

To put it simply, if someone doesn't find your logo interesting, then they will be less likely to visit your site or contribute to your brand. Your logo will often be the first thing they see and the thing they most remember, so it's only beneficial to put the necessary research and work into it.