How to Know If Your Logo Is Actually Working for Your Business

17 Sept

A logo can be attractive & still not be effective. That's because a good logo isn't simply about whether you personally like the design. It needs to work for your business. It needs to be recognisable, appropriate & practical. So, how do you know whether your logo is doing its job?

Can someone tell what sort of business you are?

Your logo doesn't necessarily need to literally show what you sell, but it should feel appropriate for your industry & audience. A playful logo might be perfect for a children's business, but completely wrong for a corporate financial service. Your logo needs to communicate the right feeling.

Is it memorable?

Think about some of the biggest brands you recognise. Their logos are often remarkably simple, consider the Nike logo for example – a simple swoosh that is recognised worldwide across multiple generations.

That's not an accident! A logo needs to be easy to recognise & remember. If your logo contains so many elements that you can't remember what it looks like five minutes later, simplicity may be worth considering.

Does it work at different sizes?

Your logo might look fantastic on your website.

But what happens when you put it on:

A business card?
A social media profile?
A pen?
Packaging?
Signage?
A favicon?

A strong logo needs to be flexible.

Does it work without colour?

Try looking at your logo in black & white. If the design completely falls apart without colour, it may be relying too heavily on colour to communicate. A good logo should have enough structure to remain recognisable in different applications.

Is it too trendy?

Trends can be tempting, but your logo isn't a social media post. Ideally, it should represent your business for years. A design that looks incredibly fashionable today may look dated surprisingly quickly.

Does it look like everyone else's?

This is a big one! With the use of AI, this is becoming increasingly common & is an issue that is going to get a lot of businesses in to hot water very soon.

If your logo could easily belong to five of your competitors, it's not doing enough to differentiate you. Your logo doesn't have to be radically unusual. It just needs to be distinctive enough to belong to your business.

You don’t want to fit in; you want to stand out.

Does it work with the rest of your branding?

Your logo should be part of a broader visual identity. Your colours, typography, photography, graphics & overall style should support it. A logo on its own isn't a complete brand.

Are you embarrassed to use it?

This sounds simple, but it's worth asking. If you're avoiding putting your logo on things because you don't think it looks professional, that's a pretty strong sign something needs to change! Your branding should make you proud to put your business out into the world.

Don't redesign your logo just because you're bored with it

This is important too. Sometimes business owners become tired of seeing their logo every day & assume it needs to change.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem. Before redesigning your logo, ask whether it's actually failing to do its job. If it's recognisable, appropriate, flexible & working well with your brand, you may simply need a refresh rather than starting from scratch.