For small or new business owners, creating the perfect logo is pivotal in starting up your business. A logo is the visual representation of your company and everyone wants the ultimate logo of course. Furthermore, a lot of businesses stress over the creating process, but it truly isn’t all that complicated.
To keep it simple, there are really only three main types of logos: wordmark, icon, and combination mark. Each main type has subcategories, but let’s jump in and start discussing what each different type of logo entails.
Wordmark Logo
Wordmark, also known as logotype, is a type of logo made up of unique text only. This type of logo is perfect for small business owners for a number of reasons:
- Wordmark logos are simple
- Logotypes are easily identifiable
- Wordmark logos require less variation over time
Many food brands choose wordmark logos because of how easy they are to remember. Using a wordmark logo helps establish name recognition for your brand. However, this would not be the ideal logo type for a company with a longer name that contains multiple words.
Here are some examples of wordmark logos:
One of the subcategories of wordmark logos is lettermark or monogram logos. These logos are also text-based, however, they typically only use the first few letters to represent the company.
Some examples of lettermark logos include:
Furthermore, letterforms are another form of wordmark logos that only uses the first letter of the company’s name.
Here are some examples of letterform logos:
Icon Logo
Icon, or symbol, logos do not have words but instead simply have an image. A lot of bigger companies use this type of logo so they can be easily identified. There are three different types of icon logos: abstract, pictorial, and mascot.
Abstract logo marks use abstract images that don’t exactly tell you what the company is about. Pictorial marks are simple images that usually reflect the company. Mascot logos use a character to represent the brand.
Oftentimes, sports teams use an icon logo. For example, the Dallas Cowboys, Florida Gators, and the Arizona cardinals all have icon logos. However, you will see that different teams have different types of logos the same way that different businesses have different types of logos. You just have to decide which one is best for you!
Some icon logos include:
Combination Mark Logo
Combination logos are pretty self-explanatory; they are a combination of a symbol and the company name. This type of logo gives a company a lot of control over the message they want to send. This is probably the most common logo you will see because all kinds of companies, big or small, want this type of logo.
Samples of combination mark logos:
This logotype is so popular because of how flexible it is.
A subcategory of combination mark logos is emblem logos. Emblem logos have a typeface inside the border that cannot be separated. Many universities use emblem logos as they often represent a sense of professionalism.
Emblem logos can look like:
To see logo examples we’ve created, check out our logo design page.
Tips for Creating a Memorable Logo
Now that you know what the different types of logos are, it’s time for you to create a memorable logo for your brand identity. First, you need to decide which type of logo is the best for your business.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself when deciding which of the different types of logos is best for your business:
- What is the message you are trying to send?
- Who are your competitors and what do their logos look like?
- Which colors compliment your brand the best?
- Who is your target audience?
These questions should help you brainstorm more questions and help get you closer to building that perfect logo.
If you are creating a wordmark or combination logo, you want to match the font to your brand personality. You can change around the line weight, size, boldness, and shape of letterforms to decide on a font that is right for your brand.
However, you don’t want to pick a common/overused typeface, as well as you don’t want to use one that is already branded.
Here are some things to note about typeface:
- Slim lines feel light and friendly
- Clean, bold words show authority
- Curvy letters portray a whimsical or elegant feel
You want to pick a font that represents your brand, but you also want to make sure it is readable. For example, you don’t want to pick a font in cursive that cannot be easily read.
If you’re creating an icon or combination logo, use thoughtful embellishment to make your logo stand out. Points to focus on are:
- Colors. Change the color of different sections to make them stand out.
- Frames. Enclose your logo for a defined shape.
- Shapes. Add elements into the natural shapes of letters.
- Uppercase Letters. Mixing upper- and lowercase letters can add a different dynamic.
While these elements are important, you want to ensure you don’t overload the logo with competing designs. You ultimately want to construct a creative logo that readers can identify with your brand and that will evolve as your brand evolves.
You want to remember that your logo will be physical and digital and that it will be scaled to different sizes, printed, and uploaded. It is very common for brands to make different types of logos that can be interchanged based on where the logo will be placed.
When you think you’ve landed on a design, try resizing it, printing it, and looking at it on a desktop and on a phone. If it looks good in every aspect, I think you’ve found your logo!
Should You Use a Free Logo Generator?
There are websites where you are able to generate a free custom logo. These logo maker sites are a good option for starting out, but they’re not going to be ideal for someone wanting a really good custom logo. On free websites, you enter your brand information and the website generates different logos matching your input. However, someone else could have the same logo with just a different brand name.
Here is an example of two logos generated from the same website:
You can see that the logos are practically the same, just with a different company name. Ultimately, having someone talk with you about your ideas and create a customized logo for you is the best option. In doing this, you’re making sure you are getting everything you need and that you’re not going to have a logo like anyone else.
Get a Distinctive Logo for Your Business from Eldie Inc.
Whichever type of logo design you choose, you want it to have a lasting impression on your potential customers. This will be the brand mark that everyone thinks of when they think of your company.
We would love to help you create the perfect logo with our logo design services. We’ll help you figure out which type of logo will work best for your business and come up with a great design that will set you apart.
Schedule a discovery call today to talk with the design experts at Eldie Inc.