The Golden Arches. The Nike Swoosh. The Disney “D.” 

Nothing grabs your customer’s attention like a good logo. Not to mention how much a logo increases brand recognition.

It’s not just marketing jargon. Children can recognize logos before they can even read.

When it comes to your own business, you can’t ignore how effective logos are. You need a quality logo that is cleverly made and instantly recognizable.

But choosing a logo can be an overwhelming task.

Identifying a timeless logo is one thing, but creating one from out of thin air is quite another. Especially if you want to avoid the expense of hiring a graphic designer.

In this article, we’ll look at the best tips to keep in mind while choosing a logo and maximizing brand recognition.

Your guide to choosing a logo for your company

What does your brand stand for? 

A logo speaks volumes. You’re going to need to make sure it says the right thing.

What values does your company want to present to the world? 

Strength? Creativity? Whimsy?

When you’re choosing a logo, you want to make sure that you find a design that strengthens that message and stays on brand. The worst thing you can do is choose a logo that undermines your company’s values.

Nike’s Swoosh is a great example of a logo that works for the company’s values.

Nike is an athletic company, and its logo has a feel of movement, sleekness, and speed. What else would an athletic shoe company want to communicate?

But for a moment, let’s imagine that in an alternate universe, Nike’s logo was switched with Burger King’s. 

Would a colorful cartoon burger communicate the kind of message an athletic company would want? Of course not.

This is an extreme example, but many companies make similarly off-brand mistakes.

Before you even start brainstorming about a logo, identify what ideals your business wants to associate itself with.

Types of logos

There are many different logotypes. Before you get to choosing a logo, narrow down what sort of design you want to use.

Most logos can be broken down into three types.

Typographic

In a typographic logo, the company name is stylized to make the logo. Some examples of famous typographic logos are Coca-Cola, Netflix, and Nintendo.

Typographic logos are great because they are typically easy to design. They also leave no confusion as to the company’s name.

Illustrative

Illustrative logos utilize drawings that usually communicate the company’s product.

For instance, Red Lobster, Olive Garden’s vines, or Chuck E. Cheese’s cheery portrait (even if the new Chuck looks creepy. Branding, people).

Abstract

Unlike illustrative logos, which are often quite detailed, abstract logos are very minimal. Many utilize simple shapes and only one or two colors.

Abstract logos are generally standalone icons that represent the company. The strongest of them can communicate the company’s identity without the need for text.

For example, the Target bullseye, the Pepsi swirl, the Starbucks siren, or the oft-mentioned Nike swoosh.

The most recognizable logos tend to be abstract. But creating a simple logo that is strong enough to be recognizable is challenging.

Many logos are a blend of two of these types.

For instance, Wal-Mart’s star logo, which accompanies their typographic logo. Another great blended logo is the World Wildlife Fund, which uses the strong simplicity of abstract logos to illustrate a panda bear.

Consider colors

In nature, color is its own language.

Peacocks use their colorful plumage to attract a mate. Many snakes use colorful markings to warn other animals that they are venomous.

It’s just as vital in marketing.

Color is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a logo design. 

And not just for aesthetics. Psychology has shown us that different colors evoke different feelings.

When you’re thinking about brand’s values, choose colors that will say the same thing.

Red communicates vibrancy, strength, and urgency. This makes it perfect for health companies and gyms. 

Blue evokes a feeling of trust and familiarity. Ever wonder why almost every social media uses blue in their logo?

If you want to instill a sense of joy in your customers, think yellow. You’ll notice that yellow logos are popular in fast-food and retail. This is because these companies want to be associated with happiness.

Green is often associated with growth and wellness. This is the go-to color for yoga studios, financial firms, and health food stores.

For companies wishing to appear strong and authoritative, nothing speaks louder than black. It’s no-nonsense and sends a clear message.

Maybe your company likes to have a little bit more fun. You might want to consider an orange logo, as it evokes playfulness and youth.

But don’t limit yourself to only one color. Combinations can speak just as loudly.

For example, look at all the All-American companies using three colors (two guesses as to which three). This is intentional.

Mix and match colors to align with the message you want to send the world.

Go subliminal

Everyone loves a clever logo. 

To stand above the pack, consider implementing some hidden messages.

The most famous example of subliminal the FedEx logo. Hidden in the negative space between the E and X is an arrow.

It’s very subtle—you may have never noticed it before. But this hidden arrow does a great job communicating speed and progress, even without realizing its there.

Amazon’s logo is another great logo with a subliminal message.

The orange line beneath the company name evokes a friendly smile, right? But take another look.  

You’ll notice that the line goes from A to Z. Clearly, this is to communicate that their inventory is just as diverse. 

So when choosing a logo, don’t be afraid to hide some hidden meanings in there. 

Don’t be afraid to go negative (space)

When designing anything—logo, website, whatever—it can be tempting to use as much of the available space as possible.

Typically, this is how you get bad design.

You might feel restricted if you focus on creating a logo as iconic as the Nike swoosh out of a single solid object.

But before you panic, remember that you can make empty space work for you as well.

Many logos (like FedEx) make clever use of negative space to create a sophisticated logo.

Take another look at the WWF panda. Notice that the most recent versions only use black.

The rest of the logo is empty space. Yet your brain fills in the outlines automatically.

Another logo that makes great use of negative space is the USA Network. If you look closely, you’ll notice that there is no S in the logo. 

Rather, the U and A shapes include portions of the S’s negative space. This makes the S plainly visible despite not actually existing. 

Similarly, the Girl Scouts logo features the profile of three girls, despite using only a single color. 

Negative space opens up a whole slew of possibilities for logos. Try it out! 

Size matters

Remember that despite whatever size you make your initial logo design, it will be displayed in tons of different sizes.

From billboards to business cards, your logo is going to have to be recognizable in any size.

Recently, Instagram made waves when they rolled out a new logo.

The original logo was an intricate illustration that evoked the charm of the original Polaroid cameras. The new logo was criticized or being crude in comparison.

Despite the original logo’s well-loved reputation, it had a big problem.

Because it was so detailed, it didn’t look great when it was scaled down to the size of an app icon on a smartphone. 

And considering that Instagram is a mobile app, that’s no bueno. 

The new logo may seem overly simplistic in comparison, but it is far more scalable than the original.

Keep scalability in mind when choosing a logo. Zoom out on your design to see how it looks 

Zoom out on your design to see how it looks at a small size. Do details get lost? Does it get cluttered?

If so, simplify the design. You’ll be much happier with your letterhead.

Versatility is key

You’re likely designing your new logo on a computer screen. But that’s not the only place it will be seen.

Your logo will be printed in a plethora of mediums. Your company will put it on everything from building signs to shirts to pens.

Colorful, intricate details look great on screen, but if you’re trying to get embroidered work shirts, it’s going to lose clarity.

Simple is better.

No matter how great it looks on a computer screen, you have to keep the design’s other uses in mind.

Spare no expense 

Choosing a logo is not something to enter into lightly. This is your company’s identity, after all. 

Not to mention that ditching a bad logo is expensive.

Choosing a logo is going to be costly.

And not necessarily financially. Even if you design a new logo yourself, you need to spend time on it. 

It may seem expensive, but you can’t afford not to have a great logo.

Get designing!

Choosing a logo is important, but it doesn’t have to be a headache. 

Try out our free logo maker and get started choosing a logo that will make your company stand out!

Your logo can be the first and last thing a prospective customer sees of your company.

As part of your branding, your logo should speak of the authority and expertise your injury and disability law firm has to offer.

Need some inspiration? Check out these five law firm logos from real firms around the country.

5. Ozarks Family Law

Although not an injury or disability firm, Ozarks Family Law’s logo is worth emulating. It’s stark with its white background and plain black tree. The white owl in the tree is a nice touch, too.

The background, with its scales, is a little busy, so maybe skip that element in your own logo design. It’s hard to tell what you’re even looking at. You have to look beyond the main logo to see the scales, which takes away from the logo’s efficiency.

This logo creates a sense of authority and justice with its legal imagery.

4. Eltringham Law Group P.A.

The Eltringham Law Group P.A. logo also promotes a strong sense of justice.

Unlike Ozarks Family Law, Eltringham has its firm’s tagline right in the logo: “guiding your path to health and justice.”

This tells you what this firm is about upfront. You don’t have to guess if they can serve you. It appears their clientele are those who suffered personal injuries, workplace injuries, or auto accident injuries.

The black background, which is a law office, is not designed to capture attention. Instead, the center white logo draws the eye first, as it should.

3. Thrive Workplace Consulting & Legal

The logo for Thrive Workplace Consulting & Legal is probably the simplest we’ve covered so far.

There’s not necessarily anything wrong with simplicity. In this case, a plain white background lets the colorful Thrive logo shine. Since the logo includes the full name of the company and a brief tagline (“creative solutions”), the background should not claim visual attention.

Your logo shouldn’t be sterile and cold, though.  If a client needs a construction accident lawyer, a personal injury lawyer, or any other type of injury and disability lawyer, they need to know who to call. Your logo can convey that.

2. El Toro Personal Injury Law Firm

Another simple logo to consider is from El Toro Personal Injury Law Firm. Again, the service is in the name. This law firm obviously deals with personal injury cases.

That means there’s no need to use imagery to showcase that. Instead, the company chose a visually catchy logo of a bull.

This represents the name of the company, yes, but it goes deeper than that. Bulls take charge. Having a bull for a logo suggests that these personal injury attorneys will take charge for their clients.

1. Our Top Pick for Law Firm Logos? InjuryLegal

Our favorite of these five logos is the one for law firm InjuryLegal.

Like many of the logos we’ve showcased, it features a plain white background. In the center is a man holding up two scales that measure equally. Underneath that is the company name.

Why is this so effective? It’s all about the imagery.

The man, who’s on a crutch, is holding his hand up. It looks like he’s proclaiming victory. The scales, which are of the same weight, suggests the man got the justice he deserved.

Want to design your own logo for your personal injury or disability law firm? Check out Online Logo Maker. You can register for free today to start making stunning law firm logos.

It started out as a hobby.

Now it’s a multi-billion dollar operation. In fact, in 2016 the craft beer industry sold $23.5 billion in beer. This accounts for 22% of total beer sales in America.

The number of independent breweries tops the 5,300 mark. For craft brew makers the growth is exciting and promising. But that overflowing growth brews up one thing: competition.

The nation’s taste-buds are shifting. In a market constantly flooded with new brands, what can a new brewer do to get noticed?

The second thing to do is begin brainstorming your new craft beer logo. The first: understand your customer.

The Mind of the Beer Enthusiast

To stand out and rise a head above the competition, craft breweries are focusing on their branding. Yes, the beers must still speak for themselves, but beer enthusiasts want to be courted.

The surge in craft beer popularity reveals a lot about today’s beer drinker. They are turning away from Big Beer name brands to try newer, experimental flavors with an edge.

They seek out tastes from a limited small-batch offering pulled from a portable CO2 keg tap at a beer garden. Forget grabbing some cans from the corner liquor store.

In fact, recent trends show that millennials (the biggest lovers of craft beer) buy four or more different brands per month.

Are you looking to tap into the craft beer craze? Maybe you’re thinking of rebranding? After you brew your exceptional creation, you need to market it.

Check out what some breweries are doing to grab beer drinker’s attention (and keep it). Use their stories to inspire your own craft beer logo ideas.

We’ve chosen 5 different styles of branding used by successful breweries. Which style best fits your brew?

SIMPLE:  New Belgium Brewing Company

We’ll start here because it’s a simple choice.

What comes to mind when someone says Fat Tire?

If you don’t immediately picture an old-style bike, then you most likely don’t drink beer. And you are reading the wrong blog post. (But keep reading. There’s a lot of great info!)

One of the cool things about this industry is the flexibility it allows. Unlike large beer companies, independent breweries aren’t stuck to a single label design. But beware: too much creativity may not be a good thing.

The rapid growth experienced by New Belgium Brewing Co. is a classic lesson in that old principle KISS (keep it simple stupid).

As the brewery grew, developing new beers and product series, the temptation to get more contemporary also grew. The artwork changed with every new release. Then, in 2013, New Belgium realized they had created a disconnect, not a recognizable flow.

The fix: take it back to the basics.

Spokesperson Bryan Simpson summed it up for Beer and Brewing magazine. “We took a long look at our portfolio and decided we wanted more consistency across the cold box. We needed to look like one family of brands. . .”

It took almost a year to complete. Did going back to simple work? According to Simpson 2014 was an excellent year with 19% growth.

That deserves a KISS of approval.

NATURE/OUTDOORS: Uinta Brewing Company

It’s not uncommon to find a craft beer logo and branding style that find inspiration from nature.

But, at Uinta Brewing nature is not only their brand, it’s the brewery culture. Their two passions: brewing great beer and protecting a great planet.

Since 2001 the brewery has run on 100% renewable energy (wind, and more recently, solar). And they even offer bins in the brewery parking lot for recycling brown glass.

Named after the tallest range in Utah, the Uinta Mountains, it’s no accident the brewery’s beer reflects an outdoorsy vibe. Their Golden Ale Par Series celebrates and raises awareness for our national parks.

From the website: GREAT beer is brewed with environmental stewardship, support for community and a whole lot of passion.

Wondering if this love for nature helps with brand awareness? Check out their Instagram to see photo after photo of Uinta beer. Staged with nature as a backdrop.

Their tagline: Earth, wind and beer.

It’s only natural they’re so popular.

HISTORICAL: 21st Amendment Brew

One thing is certain, craft beer drinkers are changing. As palates become more sophisticated so do the desires to know the “back stories” of the beers they drink.

For 21st Amendment Brewing, history is the cornerstone of their operation. While researching a name the founders immersed themselves in San Fransisco’s rich brew history.

They discovered there were 40 craft brew operations within SF city limits in the early 1900s. Then came Prohibition. It wiped out an entire culture. Then came the 21st Amendment. And a culture has been revitalizing ever since.

That story is the inspiration for the artwork that goes on the cans (yes! great artwork can exist on cans) of 21st Amendment Brewery.

MUSICAL: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Beer and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Beer and jazz. Music and Beer. They just go together.

Maybe it’s because the sound of beer bubbling into a pilsner is like music to the ear.

With a name like Dogfish Head, you’d expect something out-of-the-box. The brewery’s commitment to music has not only inspired their craft beer logo and labels, it has inspired their beer.

They created an entire series of beers as a tribute to their love of music. Artists and bands include Miles Davis, Deltron 3030, Robert Johnson, and their American Beauty Imperial IPA, not only inspired by the music but also the members of the Grateful Dead.

And in 2011 the brewery really got its groove on when they released Faithfull — no that’s not a typo — which is a reference to the 1998 Pearl Jam song.

Full music immersion doesn’t stop at the suds. Dogfish Head actually hosts their very own music festival every fall, Analog-A-Go-Go. The two-day beer and music festival features food, an artisanal marketplace, a vinyl exchange, and plenty of Dogfish Head brew.

It seems they have certainly found their muse.

A Craft Beer Logo that Tells a Story: Grimm Brothers Brewhouse

Who doesn’t know the yarn-weaver bellied up to the bar every Friday night after quittin’ time? His stories are fanciful, adventurous and — although not believable — memorable.

So it is with beer. Minus the unbelievable part, of course.

What better way to tell stories than through the use of fairy tales? The scary ones, not the happily-ever-after type.

Enter Grimm Brothers.

But the brewery isn’t based on the name alone. The stories influence everything.

From the philosophy of brewing (old-style German) to the artwork on every can, the brewers (who aren’t brothers) have taken the art of storytelling to the next level. Their craft beer logo and label designs even mimic the fonts used in the original storybooks.

The website tells their story perfectly:

“Inspired by the stories collected By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, they have crafted their beers to tell not only the story of Craft Brewing, but the harrowing and dark tales handed down through the generations.”

Become a Part of a Culture

Jon Taffer of Bar Rescue infamy hits the nail on the head of foam when he said in a recent interview: “Craft beer has created a culture, not a trend. A trend grabs market share and then disappears and gives it back. A culture grabs market share and then keeps it. The craft-beer culture isn’t going anywhere in America.”

Are you ready to become a part of the culture?

Your craft beer logo is the physical, emotional, or philosophical expression of your brand. Not to mention the style of craft beer you brew.

Learn how you can create your own free craft beer logo today.

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.