Apple, McDonald’s, and Starbucks, what do they all have in common? Memorable logo designs. To achieve that, you need a professional logo design. That’s why you need to understand that you should invest in a logo design too. It can be costly, but it’s necessary for your company.

A professional logo design is crucial to branding. It’s the first thing your customers see and how they’ll remember you. You’ll need a logo to put in your packaging, products, and business cards. So, it’s essential to have a design that not only suits your company but can earn you a spot on the best logo design lists. 

In this article, we discuss the need to create a professional and custom logo design. To do that, you’ll need to understand the types of logos and the logo designers that will realize your vision.

 

Types of Logos

One of the things you should ask yourself before creating a logo is, “what should the design of my logo look like?” Any graphic designer will ask you for what type of logo you want for your startup or small business. The basic types of logos are: 

• Typography (Wordmark, Lettermark)
• Imagery (Emblem, Abstract, and Pictorial)
• Combination (both typography and imagery)

According to Website Planet, 60% of Fortune 500 companies use combination logos.

Google, eBay, and Disney logos fall under the typography category. They don’t use any image or emblem to identify their company. To be more specific, they’re called wordmark logos.

On the other hand, letter marks are those using letters from their company name or an abbreviation like CNN, HBO, and HP. 

Logos that fall under the imagery type are: 

• Twitter
• Shell
• Target

According to Jessica Jones, it’s called pictorial logos because they use symbols instead of letters or words to represent the brand.

Another image logo type is the emblem logo. Examples of companies that use an emblem logo are Harley Davidson, BMW, and the United States Army.

You also see a mascot and abstract type of logo, which are the two remaining types of imagery logos.

Most esports logos contain a mascot to represent their team. Famous examples of mascot logos are from Wendy’s and Reddit. As for the abstract type of logo, Pepsi and Nike are two of the famous ones.

Let’s not forget the combination logo. As the name implies, it’s a combination of typography and imagery. Amazon, Burger King, and Taco Bell are some of the famous ones for this category.

Now that you’ve gotten an overview (and perhaps gotten inspiration), learn how you can make your design or even hire a logo designer to fulfill your logo design needs.

 

DIY Logo Design

Let’s admit. We all want cost-effective solutions.

That’s why graphic design software applications have popped up to guide many novice designers or small business owners or entrepreneurs to make a simple but professional logo design. You don’t have to worry about hiring a freelancer or a graphic designer to create a logo. You can create your logo in a few simple steps.

One of the most popular options to create a logo design is Canva. In Canva, you have templates to choose from creating your logo design. Most of the templates are typographical or wordmark, so if that’s the type of logo you want, then you have different options.

If you have an eye for design, you can make one from scratch. It’s easy to play around the application if you’ve got an idea of how to manipulate elements around.

Online alternatives to using Canva are:

• Snappa
• Crello
• Lucidpress

These online graphic design software have the same features with Canva. Its difference lies in the pricing. Crello is the most affordable option from the choices, starting at 7.99/mo (on an annual subscription.

You can use these other alternatives that most graphic designers would use:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Gimp (fun fact: Google co-founder Sergey Brin used this software to create the Google logo)

They’re software applications you can download. You might need a tutorial if you want to maximize its use. However, you can create logos from scratch and get more flexibility with the layers and elements you add to your design.

Design tip: use Sans Serif for your logos. Those are without the added lines in the font. It makes your logos look more professional and clean.

Another design tip: if you want people to recall your logo, you need to add color. According to Curatti, brand recognition rises to 80% if you add color to your logo. Learn from the pros, blue and red are the most common colors used in logos. So, you either use those or go for other colors to distinguish yourself from your competitors.

Even DIY logo design software applications can have limitations too. One major limitation is the logo design isn’t unique.

Found by Bragg Media on the Canva licensing page, by using logo templates, you’re sharing the same design attributes with other companies, influencers, or startups. It means you’re better off creating a logo from scratch, as opposed to using a non-trademarked logo template.

If you’re cutting costs and using only a free option, you can’t use elements that could differentiate your custom logo from other companies.

 

Professional Logo Design

If you value branding, a logo designer can get the job done for you. Luckily you have different options to get a professional logo design. It’s much more costly to hire a freelance logo designer or a team to fulfill your logo vision, but you won’t have to worry about making your logo design from scratch and focus solely on the business.

 

Freelance Graphic Designer

Many would use a freelance graphic designer for different projects. It can be something as simple, like creating a social media graphic or major like website design or a marketing campaign.

An advantage in hiring a freelance graphic designer is the “no strings attached” concept. Since there’s no long-term commitment, you can opt to hire another freelancer at the end of the project. 

Even corporations and famous brands use freelance graphic designers. Companies like Microsoft and Facebook use freelancers. At least you get an idea that even corporations trust freelancers to work on their projects at a more affordable rate than design agencies or in-house logo designers.

It’s easy to find freelance graphic designers online. Upwork and Fiverr are two of the most famous sites to find freelance graphic designers.

Hiring freelance graphic designers do have drawbacks too. For one, there have been cases where freelancers don’t communicate well with their clients. Another is that freelancers may become unavailable when you need them.

 

Design Agency

Design agencies can take your branding to the next level. They’re detailed in every sense of the word. From font weights to measurements, design agencies are intricate with how they design custom logos for companies. You’re sure to get a professional logo design because of the effort they put in ensuring your branding is consistent in every aspect of your small business.

The thing about tapping design agencies is they can take a hit on your expenses. If you’re about to launch your startup or starting as a small business, you might want to save up first. Then when you have money saved up, you can choose a design agency that suits your needs. 

Another drawback to outsourcing your designs to an agency is it might take time to accomplish your project. Since they might manage different projects at a time, they could prioritize others before you.

Examples of leading design agencies are Landor, Leo Burnett, and Wolff Olins.

 

Unlimited Graphic Design Service

An unlimited graphic design service can give your startup all the design assets you need in a month. You could start by requesting a custom logo, for example, since that’s your priority. Then, you can branch out to asking for other collaterals like business cards, posters, or even advertisements

That’s the main advantage of using an unlimited graphic design service. Since most freelancers are on a project-to-project basis, you’ll have to pay them for one project at a time. It can get costly, especially if a freelancer is on an hourly basis. If you choose the subscription design service, you can ask for anything without breaking the bank.

Design Doctor is one of the best unlimited graphic design services you can find online. You can request a logo and get it within 24 to 48 hours. If you think your logo needs more work, no problem! You have unlimited revisions. Once you’re happy with the design, you can download the source file.

 

Key Takeaways

You need to invest in professional looking logo design because it’s how your customers will remember you. Fortunately, you’ve got different options on how to design your logo. It’s up to you on which service to avail of in creating the logo. You may choose to do something yourself, hire professionals, or subscribe to unlimited graphic design service.

Another thing, before passing the design to a logo designer or if you’re creating one, make sure to learn the types of logos too. That way, you know what will align with your company, and you can stand out from the crowd.