Many businesses take it upon themselves to design their own logo, either trying their own hand at whipping up a logo or working with a cheap freelancer, usually in or fresh out of college. While it might save a little bit of money, there are some fundamental problems with this practice. Your logo is your identity as a company, so it’s definitely not something you should skimp on. Invest in your branding, and you’ll be rewarded with a long-lasting, solid foundation on which you can build your image.
If you do choose to go this route, or if you already have and you’re questioning whether your logo fits your company, review these common logo design mistakes. If you’re in violation of more than one of these critical mistakes, it’s time to consider redesigning your logo and rebranding your company—the right way, with a professional:
1.      Using Stock Images. Stock images in a logo are an absolute no-no. They’re fine for something like an advertisement or a background on a webpage, but no respectable experienced designer would consider using them as part of a logo.
2.      Having Too Much Complexity. Logos should be simple and minimalistic. Too many design elements or a layout that’s overly complex can end up looking ugly or be hard to reproduce.
3.      Conflicting or Ugly Fonts. It takes time to find the perfect font for your company—don’t settle for the first one you find, or use multiple conflicting styles in one logo.
4.      Having Too Many Colors. Again, you need to keep it simple. Too many colors, especially ones that clash, can ruin an otherwise interesting design.
5.      Copying Other Logos. Don’t do it. It compromises your integrity as a professional, and more often than not, looks plain horrible.
Avoid these mistakes like the plague—even one can spell disaster for your branding and leave a bad first impression to anyone who stumbles across your business. To avoid them, work with an experienced, professional marketing or design firm when branding or rebranding your company.
photo credit: original source via photopin and canva.
