How to Create an Impressive Logo For Your Website or Social Network
Design
Everyone understands the importance of an impressive logo to a company. It doesn’t matter whether you run a well-established business or are launching a start-up – either way, you need to catch people’s attention by all possible means. Visual attention-getters are the most important, as the majority of people (approximately 90% of the population) are best equipped, both physiologically and psychologically, to understand and memorize information taken in through visual channels.
Here are a few celebrity quotes on the importance of logos:
“Logos and branding are so important. In a big part of the world,
people cannot read French or English – but are great in remembering signs.”
Karl Lagerfeld
“A logo derives meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolizes,
not the other way around.”
Paul Rand
Who needs an online logo builder?
Your project may seem to be humming along just fine as is. At the same time, a brand new attractive logo can increase your project recognition and brand awareness. While you go about your daily routine as usual, a fancy new logo can bring about benefits all on its own.
If you start a new online project (especially if it is a community website), a logo can really help you stand out from the rival platforms. Do find some consultants (designers etc.); people with expertise can provide the whole set of insights on your logo issue.
Why do you need to know how to create a logo?
Why is it so important to make your own logo? Your logo is part of your reputation and part of how your users experience your brand. Psychology experts agree that means associating with its status, values, experience, and other attractive characteristics.
When we use a high-status product or associate with a high-status brand, we acquire some of that brand’s status automatically due to the so-called proximity principle. In other words, your cool logo gives a bit of cool status to your users. It will also make your brand instantly recognizable. Professionally crafted logos send a message. They evoke emotions. They promises a pleasant experience.
A notable logo singles you out from the crowd. A respectable logo speaks to the heart of every user, satisfying the vital needs (see the pyramid that represents hierarchy of needs as offered by A. H. Maslow) for social status, esteem, and recognition. In fact, a logo is a very important element of SEO optimization for your website!
Image 1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Let’s say you get an ambitious idea – to create your own logo that will boost the visibility of your project. First, you Google how to design it. You get some search results, click on a few links, and find some websites that offer tips on how to build a logo and tools for designing. If those sites offer everything you are looking for, that’s great; if not, you’ll go on searching.
To save you some time, we would like to suggest a few ways you might go about designing your own logo:
Free online logo designers
We hope that by now we have persuaded you to create a logo. Sure, it must be a good logo – but to get a good logo you don’t need to resort to the expensive services of professional logo creators – designers, engineers, and artists. Anyone can easily create a logo online.
There are various free logo builders to choose from:
- Elementor
- Free Logo Design
- GraphicSprings
- Ucraft
- Canva
There are also other web-based logo creation tools to cater to any taste, no matter how sophisticated it may be. Here are a few more to consider:
- Zillion Designs
- Designimo
- Logomakr
- Free Logo Services
- Logo Type Maker
- Design Mantic
- Utter Web
Actually, there are tons of logo-creating resources on the web, and their number is only increasing.
It is clear that there are numerous free logo builders, but free isn’t always good for projects that aspire to be opinion leaders and want to represent the cutting edge. When you do not put enough effort and money into something, you won’t see many returns. If something is done on a napkin, quick and dirty, the chances of that thing influencing and impressing your customers is slim.
Professional Paid Logo Builders
Option 1
In case you’re not a tech-savvy design professional, there are numerous freelance boards and online marketplaces where you can find the services of experienced designers, artists, and creators of different types. Some of these website are:
- UpWork
- Elance
- Freelancer
- Guru
Please bear in mind that even if you work with an expert, you’ll still have to exert some of your own efforts in hiring and explaining your requirements. Sometimes it’s very difficult to elaborate your exact logo idea and to convey your vision to another person. This is one reason why it may be better to make your own logo independently.
Option 2
If you don’t want to hire someone else to create a logo for your company, you can always resort to low-cost online services that are fully equipped with professional logo design tools. Some platforms offer top-rank services to help you craft your own logo for a more or less symbolic amount:
- Logo Shuffle
- Tailor Brands
- Smashing Logo
- Logo Garden
We can’t help but mention such a mammoth in the visual industry as Shutterstock. As a leading global provider of images, vector graphics, videos, and more, Shutterstock can satisfy the most sophisticated requirements of those who are eager to create their own logos, with its rich functionality and set of modifiable elements. With Shutterstock, everything is as easy as pie, and all steps are accompanied by detailed instructions and prompts. The underlying principle of the platform is “Do-it-Yourself,” which is the primary appeal for the majority of modern customers who lack time or money for professional services.
Prominent examples of logo changes
If you already have your own logo which is well recognizable and reputable, it’s not necessary to undertake drastic measures and kill your brand logo altogether. As a result, you can lose your faithful customers at the expense of a new, more stylish look. That is exactly what happened with Tropicana, the famous juice manufacturer. They changed their packaging in a big way, and lost a fifth of sales in several weeks.
Example of brand logo change with negative outcome
If your logo is a bit outdated, you may refresh it, give it an uplift (by changing font type or color, adding some detail, and so on) and advance with it into the marketspace again. This trend was followed by the behemoths, such as Starbucks, Google, Facebook, and so on. Ning followed suit too. Here you can see “before and after” variants.
Examples of brand logo change with positive outcome
Useful tips on logo creation for beginners
Keep in mind the following key aspects while planning and creating your logo:
- Use appropriate colors. Selecting the right colors, hues, and tinges helps your logo appeal to the widest range of users. When selecting company colors, think about psychological preferences, or “color repellents,” for your particular audience (e.g. it’s not a good idea to use black as your primary color for a community that unites babysitters, young mothers, and kindergarten specialists; though associated with authority and prestige, black is also associated with some negative emotions).
- Find the optimal size. Try to reach a happy medium – your logo must be neither too big nor too small. It must fit different screens and be device-friendly. Check that it looks great on all different channels of communication (digital, print, etc.).
- Keep it simple and clear. If there are too many details in the logo, your project’s message will be buried. Nowadays, the trend is to keep things minimal (flat design) while conveying the maximum amount of information. Complications to your logo will clutter this valuable channel of visual communication.
- Unify your brand identity. The main message presented by your project or community must be emphasized by your logo (e.g. if you are all about the lightning speed of modern communications, you probably shouldn’t use images of snails or turtles).
- Aim for longevity. Single out the characteristics of your brand that do not change over time and emphasize them in your logo (e.g. wild animals denoting power, wings standing for freedom, etc.).
- Get inspired. Undertake a thorough analysis of your competitors and predecessors in the sphere you want to conquer. Scanning online depositories or even physical libraries can help you figure out the right tone and style for your logo.
- Create several variants. Always have a couple of alternatives in case your first variant is rejected by your designer / publisher / lawyer during the approval process. This consideration concerns big companies more than individual entrepreneurs, but a backup is always a good idea in case your preferred variant is too similar to someone else’s logo or a domain name is already taken.
The bottom line
Now you know more about the options for creating a logo than most laypeople. You understand the importance of a catchy logo, you know where to find free logo builders online, how to create a logo for your specific purpose, and how to use your logo for maximum impact. A poorly designed logo can break your website and lower your traffic and rankings, while a carefully selected, well-thought visual symbol can propel your site forward more than any other single element!
We hope you will make the right choice and discover the power of a great logo. Make your own logo and experience the surge in traffic. Let us know about your experience! What are your best tips, and what know-how do you have to share with your peers?
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Ok, let’s start creating a social network on the Ning website builder.
It’s interesting that your company logo tends to carry your reputation with it. I’d assume that you would want to make your logo very recognizable and appealing. It seems like an important aspect when creating a personal brand for your company.