Bad Logos Defined

We see a lot of bad logos.

We make logos for people who need them, but often our clients already have logos. Sometimes they’re very fond of them and won’t let us touch them. And sometimes they are bad logos.

It’s not just about looks

You may like the look of your logo, but that’s really not what we’re talking about. Here are the questions you need to ask yourself:

• Does it work at all the sizes you plan to use it in?

The logo with lots of details and little parts will not work on your business cards, where those details will be too small to see. Often, the name of the business will be too small to see on a business card. Even if you consider business cards obsolete, you will want your logo to be visible, readable, and understandable on small screens and in small spaces.

Even if you love this image, it is not a good logo:

See?

You need your logo to be visible, readable, and attractive on your business card, on a truck, on all sizes of screens, and everywhere else you might use it.

• Are you prepared for different colored backgrounds?

When we make logos, we make a wardrobe of logos. We usually include black, white, and multicolored versions. That way, they can be used on dark backgrounds like this:

…and light backgrounds like this:

• Is the shape right for all your contexts?

The shape you need for the theme of your website (if it’s not custom) may not be the same as the shape you need for social media. At the very least, you need square and rectangular versions of your logo.

Here’s our square (vertical):

Here’s our rectangle (horizontal):

Your versions might be nearly identical or quite different. Either way, they help you avoid this effect:

Now you can get subjective

Once you’ve made sure that your logo can actually be used, then you can move on to subjective things like whether it speaks to you or captures your essence or looks great.

We won’t argue with you about any of that. Chacun à son goût, after all.

As long as you avoid unintentional wrong impressions, things like colors and fonts are entirely subjective. They won’t affect your SEO at all.

But take the time to make sure that your logo will do its job before you get too attached to its pretty face.