If we ask you “What’s in a word,” how would you answer?

Well, you can take a page out of Google’s book.

Nowadays, people don’t only use it to refer to the $132.1 billion-worth company. They also use it to refer to the action of “searching via Google” (like “Just Google it!”). Some even use it as an adjective (think “Google-worthy” topics).

Before its inception though, you wouldn’t find the word Google in the dictionary. That’s because the name came from a typo of the mathematical term “googol.”

From there, company’s wordmark logo became one of the most recognizable today.

This then brings us to the next question:

Wouldn’t it be awesome if your own brand logo can have the same impact on consumers?

How exactly can you come up with a powerful wordmark design though?

Keep reading to learn how to use the best typeface for your logo!

Know Thy Enemy’s Typeface

First things first: Find out what typeface your direct competition already uses.

The last thing you want, after all, is for anyone to mistake their typeface with your brand name. Also, your brand is one of a kind, so that means your logo should be too.

As such, take the time to do some background-checking on your competitors. Look at what they use for their typefaces. Steer clear from these and use another, or better yet, have one engineered (AKA custom typeface) for your business.

It’s also a good idea to keep yourself in the loop of the latest logo design trends. This way, you can figure out whether your ideas make the cut or if you should trim them from your final decision.

Shoot the Serif or the Sans-Serif?

What does Sony and The New York Times have in common?

A Serif typeface, that’s what!

FedEx and Microsoft, on the other hand, use Sans Serif typefaces.

With these examples, can you now distinguish the difference now between a Serif and a Sans Serif?

Simply put, Serifs have those fancy features on the ends of each stroke (think Times New Roman, Garamond, and Georgia). Sans Serifs (like Arial and Tahoma) don’t.

It’s for this reason that you’ll find Serifs used in normal body texts while Sans is for smaller texts (like web copy, for instance). But this is only one way to differentiate the two.

Since we’re talking about brand logos, when should you use which then?

It depends on the type of mood, emotions, and perceptions you want to instill in consumers.

Say, for instance, your brand’s offers have something to do with kids. In this case, a Sans may work in your favor, since their simplicity makes them easy to recognize. It’s simple, clean, and minimalistic, making it a good way to create a logo with a modernized look.

Legibility in All Sizes

Whether you go for a Serif or a Sans, you need to make sure your chosen wordmark font keeps its legibility in all instances.

No matter what the font size is. Regardless of what channel (print or digital) you put it in.

A critical consideration for this is the typeface’s weight. How thick (or thin) is it? Do you need to add a bit of texture to it or keep it solid?

You also need to make a case with your typeface’s case. How readable is it in all uppercase (and lowercase) letters? What does it look like with a combination of uppercase and lowercase?

The important thing is to experiment and try out all possible sizes and case combinations. This way, you can ensure consumers can read your logo – whether printed out or displayed on computer/laptop screens, tablets, or smartphones – without any problem.

The Right Color Can Make or Break Your Wordmark Logo

More than one billion people from all over the world know right away what they’re looking at when they see the six-letter Google. (Maybe apart from China, where it’s banned.)

Most, if not all, can even tell right away what colors make up the company’s logo. In other words, when they see the combination of blue, red, yellow, and green, Google’s most likely the first thing to pop into their mind.

This should already tell you that your logo’s color scheme tells a lot about your brand.

First, different colors set off different emotions. That includes consumer behaviors – buying decisions, in particular.

Red, for instance, stirs feelings of urgency. That’s why stores love them for discount or sales signs.

Blue, on the other hand, signals safety, security, and trustworthiness. You need only to think about companies like Bank of America, IBM, Paypal, Facebook, and Oreo among many others.

Black exudes sophistication (why, hello there, classy little black dress). It also represents authority and power, which is why you’ll find it in the logos of Mercedes-Benz, Nikon, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, etc.

All these said, you need to consider color scheme as important as the typeface when creating your word-only logo.

Reinforce Your Brand’s Uniqueness with a Character Feature in Its Logo

Vans most likely wouldn’t be as recognizable if it wasn’t for that line extending from the V in its logo. The same goes for the XX in Exxon Mobile. Or that lopsided E in Dell’s logo.

What we’re saying is that it’s possible to make typeface logos recognizable and recallable with only a single character feature. Of course, this doesn’t work for all brands, but it’s something that you should consider if you want to make your unique logo even more unique.

Wow Your Customers with Only A Single Look at Your Logo

Creating the best wordmark logo takes research and planning. But so long as you follow these tips, you’ll leave your customers exclaiming wow at first sight. In fact, your logo can make your brand a household name.

Want more tips and tricks that’ll help you get your logo imprinted in your customers’ minds? Then make sure you check our other blog posts out!