The first thing you need to understand about any logo design is that it is going to take time – and plenty of it.

Using an online logo creator may make the process a lot simpler, but coming up with a great idea and perfecting it is the hard part.

Even if you are working for yourself, and not a grouchy, difficult client, be aware that seemingly endless revisions are in store. After all, you want an awesome, unique logo design for yourself, don’t you?

It makes sense to take some inspiration from the experts. Look around at some of the world’s best-known logos and you will see that they all have one or more of the following characteristics:

• Simplicity – Apple
• Timelessness – Coca Cola
• Versatility – World Wildlife Fund
• Appropriateness – ToysRUs
• Memorability – McDonald’s

So, how do you go about imitating their principles without compromising on originality? We hope to get those creative juices flowing here so read how you can apply some of these aspects to your logo.

Know your brand

Only once you are clear about what you are trying to portray, you can start working towards these five key features of killer brands.

Whether you are doing work for a client or yourself, you need to know your brand backward. The logo is the figurative front man for your internet forum and an integral part of it.

Know what you are trying to achieve with your forum and let your logo tell that story for you. Research other brands with similar aims and look at how they portray this. These needn’t all be other forums, they could be any brand with the same ethos as yours. For example, if you want your brand to have an underlying current of integrity, have a look at some of the banks’ logos as that is what they too would like to portray.

Knowing exactly what kind of story you want your logo to tell is the first step in unique logo design.

To get you on the right track, these 5 questions can help you to understand what we mean:

• What is the company’s mission?
• Why was the name chosen?
• Is there a story behind the brand?
• What is unique about the business?
• What is the brand’s personality?

You don’t need answers to all of them right now but if you want your brand to last beyond the flash-in-the-pan stage, you should start thinking about them before you design your logo.

Keeping it Simple

Ditch the shadows, gradients, textures, fancy fonts and backgrounds. Stick to the basics when designing your logo.

Let’s see how two well-known internet forums use simple shapes in their logos – check it out here.

Reddit’s logo is as simple as can be and (going against what we have just said) was reportedly created from a doodle with no clear intent behind it.

The name 4chan, on the other hand, follows from its Japanese counterpart 2-chan, and puns on the Japanese term for Channel 4 – Yotsuba. Yotsuba also means four-leaf clover. The logo design for 4chan is representative of its users’ love for irony and puns.

Timeless Before Trendy

This is a no-brainer. Following in the footsteps of others is not the route to unique logo design.

Trends come and go. You want your logo to be around for the long-haul and not have to revamp it every time a new trend comes along.

While researching other logo designs may provide inspiration, it is easy to fall into the trap of imitating a favorite designer. Try to find inspiration by digging deep into your own unique experiences instead. Often, it’s this part that takes the longest since it cannot be forced.

It is imperative that you check wherever you can that someone else has not already had a very similar idea to yours already. Copyright infringement is never a good thing.

Versatility or Bust

This can sometimes be the deal-breaker for a logo. Your design should be compatible with many different mediums and applications and scalable without losing clarity.

A vector format is best suited to this and many design gurus recommend designing in black and white first. Black and white is the worst your logo is ever going to look – so make it appealing if it ends up getting photocopied a thousand times in these shades.

Your logo should be able to look good even if it is:

• Reduced to the size of a postage stamp
• Blown up to billboard size
• Printed on a dark background or in reverse

While your logo is bound to appear on the internet more often than anywhere else, spare a thought for the possibility of having to print it one day. More colors equal more expense.

Make a note of the Pantone codes for any colors you use. Printing companies will ask for them.

Appropriateness is Key to Unique Logo Design

While we are not suggesting that you try to represent your internet forum graphically on your logo it should at least be appropriate.

If your forum is a fun place to be, choose happy colors and a relaxed design, if it is geared towards serious topics, something more subdued would be appropriate.

Creating a Memorable Logo

A unique logo design will always be memorable. If you have got all the other elements of your logo design right there is no reason why it should not stand out from the crowd and stick in people’s heads for a long time to come.

Crafting a unique font or symbol is one way to make your logo memorable – think Coke, McDonald’s, and Nike for example. You can also experiment with different styles of type such as serifs or not, italics and bold, or upper and lower case.

Take your time crafting a unique logo design for your business. Don’t let frustration get the better of you if you feel the need to start over time and time again. You have to live with the end result for a long time and you don’t want to end up on one of these lists.

Once you have all your ideas in place it is much easier to adjust the finer details until you get the balance just right. The perfect logo for your online internet forum is within your reach if you follow these basic principles and see it through to the end.

When it comes to logo designs for law firms, designers immediately go to certain images. Over time, these images begin to look generic and cheesy.

Designing a logo for a law firm should include the name of the firm and its attorneys. A company’s logo is part of their introduction.

Here are 5 tips to raise the bar on a law firm logo.

Move away from standard symbols

When people are searching for a lawyer, they are likely to look for the words “law firm.”  Not a scale of justice, a gravel, or goose quill pens.

Once they click on your website, they want to see a presentation that reflects a professional firm. The feeling should be, “We are a firm you can trust.”

Take the firm Nagle & Associates as an example. Their logo is crisp and clean with no symbols. It says who they are and what they do. It’s direct and informative — no bells and whistles to clutter up the design.

Avoid being a copycat

Your logo should reflect your business and also be unique. The last thing a logo should be is a carbon copy of another firm’s logo.

Unfortunately, this happens far too frequently. To avoid replicating someone else’s logo, do a thorough search to see what’s already out there.

You may want to enlist the help of a branding specialist if things get too complicated.

Your logo should reflect your brand

Your logo is not your brand but it should reflect what your brand stands for. A great brand deserves a great logo.

Business cards and website headers are only the beginning of where your logo will be seen. It needs to work on letterhead, signage, brochures, and other marketing products.

Logos are the face of your brand.

Color makes good first impressions

The color scheme used for your firm’s brand sets the tone for your business. It should also roll over into your firm’s logo, or at least be compatible with it.

Take a look at the logo of the law firm we mentioned above. Their logo is gold and white. The backdrop for their website is black. This color contrasts well with their logo, giving it a dramatic effect.

Gold is the color of wealth, status and success.  White stands for wholeness and completion.

Who wouldn’t want an attorney that is successful and gets the job done!

Avoid visual effects in a law firm logo

Law firms should reflect dignity and class.  You want your law firm logo to be taken seriously.

Gradient, reflectors, and shadows should be left off of your logo design.  They may be cute but not for a law firm.

Also, consider how well these effects will transfer to the multiple surfaces that your logo will appear.  Ask yourself if visual effects will force a change to the overall look and feel of your brand.

Sometimes it’s best to keep things simple.

With these 5 tips, you can create the perfect logo for your firm.  Think style, reputation, and first impressions when it comes to raising the bar on logo designs.

It’s likely a person can recall with precision what car company logos look like by just hearing the name of the manufacturer, or riff the names of auto companies by looking solely at their emblems.

Such is the power of having a great logo.

Car companies seem particularly good at creating memorable symbols for their products. The truth is, many of them follow a simple set of rules that help make their logos iconic. These rules can be applied to any company looking to elevate its brand with a sleek new logo.

Here are a few key elements of car company logos that make them so iconic.

Make it relevant

The logo a company uses must fit the business for which it’s associated. It must get the point across, while also being tasteful. A funeral home, for example, doesn’t want a fun and fluffy logo.

Mercedes-Benz does an excellent job of this. The three-pointed star represents the company’s goal of dominance over land, air, and sea. The colors black and silver represent style, creativity, and perfection.

Incorporate tradition

Trends are fleeting, and the last thing a company wants when designing a new logo is for it to appear dated seemingly overnight. It’s best to go with something that is held up by history and tradition.

Ford, the company that built the first affordable cars and opened travel to millions of Americans in the early 20th century, hasn’t changed its logo much since that time. It’s proud of the history it made and has kept that spirit alive by maintaining the same basic logo design that’s adorned its cars since the beginning.

Go for distinction

Focus on a design that is distinct and recognizable. Try to make it so that even just the outline gives it away.

Honda’s logo, for example, is simple and easy to identify. It also reflects the company’s philosophy toward manufacturing. Anybody who walks by, for example, a Honda Odyssey service sign will see that wide and thick ‘H’ and associate it with durability and reliability.

Make it memorable

Often a person will only take a quick glance at something before moving on. By making a logo memorable, that one moment is enough to make a positive impression.

BMW’s logo design is simple yet eye-catching. The thick black circle outlined in silver with the company’s name contrasts with the blue and white center in a way that pops off the car. It’s hard to not notice when a BMW passes by.

Focus on one thing

The simplest logos are the best logos. Putting the attention on one aspect of the design is enough for it to stand out. There’s no need to divide one’s attention.

Volkswagen has kept things neat with its logo. The ‘VW’ represents the company name, while the blue background represents class and the white letters stand for purity.

Car company logos made easy

Looking to create the next iconic logo? Online Logo Maker has some great design tips available. Check out the free online logomaker to help you get started in no time.

What’s in a logo?

Quite a lot, actually. A real estate logo design not only has to pack a visual punch but also communicate volumes without using words.

Read on for some expert tips!

Six Ways To Create A Successful Real Estate Logo Design

Make Tried and True Symbols Your Own

Look up real estate logos on Google Images and you will be bombarded by houses. And buildings. And keys. And slanting rooflines.

There’s nothing wrong with any of these designs; in fact, they’re used so frequently because viewers can see exactly what the business is at a glance.

Yet in order to stand out from your competition, you need a fresh approach. Instead of the same old peaked-roofline silhouette, try a logo that incorporates an opening door. A welcome mat. A pineapple, the symbol of hospitality. Even a porch swing or a sheltering tree blended seamlessly into that slanted roof, can be enough to set your design apart.

Capitalize On Your Name

A real estate agent’s name is often his or her brand. If you choose to use your name in your logo, do something besides plunking it inside a house shape. Maybe one of your initials can morph into that key, or your name, written in script, can represent a winding driveway.

Or what about a welcome mat that substitutes the agency name for the word “Welcome”?

Use Specialization To Your Advantage

If you primarily deal in commercial property in a bustling downtown, a skyline is a versatile element for your logo design.

Investment properties that buyers are considering as part of a 1031 exchange timeline need a different approach than beachfront condominiums or quaint Cape Cod bungalows.

Say your properties’ main appeal is historic charm. A Victorian script, a Colonial-style shutter design, or Doric columns might work well for your logo.

Do you sell beachfront homes to retirees? Brainstorm ideas around seagulls, shells, waves, beach umbrellas, or sunsets. These communicate a sense of location and of culture, both of which are crucial in real estate.

Skip the Symbol Altogether

Bold typography is a design trend that works well for real estate logo design. Use your company’s name, your own name, or your initials in a unique font. Try a background with a subtle repeating pattern, or gradient color for a modern punch.

One design element that’s been emerging in the past few years is the use of geometric shapes. Your real estate logo doesn’t have to be square. Combined with color and font, shape choices make a big impact.

Don’t Forget About Color

The colors used in logos can have an enormous psychological impact. A little research into the impact of color on marketing can help you the hues to use for your real estate logo design.

Lastly, Ask the Experts

We’re not talking about designers, although their input is also valuable. We’re talking about customers.

If it’s a redesign for an existing real estate company, don’t be afraid to poll your clients to ask their opinion (spoiler alert: people love sharing their opinions).

You can even run a social media contest engineered around your logo change and offer a prize to one voter, chosen at random from among the entries.

Starting a new company? It may be worth your while to organize a focus group to get feedback from real people about your real estate logo design.

Designing your own logo may seem daunting, but if you consider a few key elements, you can create a logo that reflects the company’s mission and its passion.