Logos

What Is the Importance of an Effective Logo in Social Media Marketing?

Are you running a small business and worried about the social media marketing of your brand? Despite following all the latest trends, your business is still not making progress as per your expectations? Do you know what the latest statistics show? Your logo is the key to your branding strategy, an effective logo can enhance your brand image in the customer’s eye so trust is built over time. People will associate your online presence and credibility with your logo every time they see it. Hence, the logo should be a critical component of your branding strategy. Your logo is the symbol of your brand and it gives brand recognition to the people who know you and your target audience. An effective logo will compel your audience to know more about your company and services. So one may think of how the logo plays a role in the social media marketing campaign? How can your logo promote your business? Remember your logo will speak to the audience, it gives an idea about your nature and quality of your services.

Logo and brand identity

Across the world, there are hundreds of thousands of companies offering the same services as you, so what sets you apart? And how your clients remember you? The answer is in your logo, it gives a sense of identity to your brand and people associate that image with you.

A sophisticated, simple, and crisp logo design leaves a striking impact on the customer’s mind. Sometimes, an interesting and attractive logo is all you need to build a relationship with your audience. Remember, your logo should be clear and concise, it will make people believe in your credibility over time and the more they’ll want to associate themselves with you.

Research 

Remember, you should perform extensive research before designing your logo. The logo should speak about your services and it should be in harmony with your brand. The logo and your brand should go hand in hand and should be synchronous with each other. Your logo should be pleasing to the eye and easy to differentiate from the crowd.

Importance of brand name

Your brand name should be unique, different, easy to comprehend, and above all; it should be memorable. In business, your aim should be to develop a long-lasting relationship with your customers. A unique and simple brand name will make the next steps easier for you. For instance, if you are offering a logo design, you can take the opinion from your friends using such services. It will give you an idea that what impacts the mind of a consumer and you can then design your logo accordingly.  

If you are not sure about your logo, you can take opinion from your friends and colleagues, you can use their feedback to improve your logo design service. After finalizing your logo, remember to use it at every known platform. It is the identity of your brand and you want people to remember it.

A logo is a critical component of your brand when it comes to the overall success of your social media marketing campaign. This is what sets you apart from hundreds of other brands offering similar services, so your logo should be able to leave a striking impact on your customer’s mind.

Author Bio;

Fernando Groves is a creative writer at DesignsAnHour, focusing on brand strategy, social media, and websites & logos. He is passionate about the continuous innovation within the digital environment and the endless growth opportunities that inbound marketing brings. Connect with him on Twitter: @FernandoGrovex

by Nick Loggie

How to choose a logo design that can tell the story of your brand?

Ever wonder what makes the logos like Nike and Lexus so memorable? Besides the fact that these iconic brands have invested considerable resources in developing a unique brand identity for many years, they know exactly how to market their products. 

How are these companies winning the marketing game so effortlessly?

These iconic brands have ingeniously made their names to stand out in the competition by implementing the following strategies:

• Developing products that are convenient for their consumers.  
• Providing solutions that positively impact the customer’s lifestyle.
• Creating a consistent, powerful, and easy-to-recognize brand image.
• Highlighting values that reflect the beliefs and concerns of the target audience.
• Creating a compelling story and purpose.

So, if you want your brand to be as popular as Nike and Lexus, what should you do? First of all, you need to work on building a “brand identity” and get yourself the best logo design service.

The good news is that your brand’s logo can become an effective way to build brand awareness. A well-designed logo in the corner of your page has the power to do that and more. So you need to choose a logo design that not only conveys a strong brand image but also tells the story of your brand.

How to choose the most effective logo design?

A captivating name and an instantly recognizable logo are excellent ways for people to develop a connection with your brand. The logo is usually the first thing that people notice. From then on, they associate your brand with the logo. 

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With the combination of the right features and elements, you can create a professional logo design that helps promote an iconic image of your brand. Alongside the design of your logo, you must also focus on the design of your website. 

All aspects of your brand must build a cohesive brand image. Your visual identity should tell your customers the unique story of your brand. If you keep this up, your brand becomes unforgettable and thus is planted in your customer’s subconscious mind all the time.

Boost your brand’s visual identity and awareness through your logo 

Notice how brands like McDonald’s don’t need to print their name on their products. Customers simply associate the golden arches with it. Similarly, you need to use your logo to connect with your customers. It can give your business an added level of authority.

Building a brand identity requires research, planning, and hard work. You’ve got to find the perfect relationship and combination between the color scheme, logo design, and personality. Above all, you’ve got to bring all aspects together in a way that conveys your ultimate brand promise.

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Here are a few tips to get you started in the right direction.

1. Research
   A successful business always begins with identifying and defining the customer persona. As an entrepreneur, you need to connect your brand with your customers. So developing a logo design that resonates with your target audience can help create an iconic brand story.

2. Plan
   Consider the logo as an illustration of your brand’s story. So you’ve got to create a simple, easy-to-digest graphic that conveys this message to the public. That includes elements such as shape, color scheme, typography, etc.

3. Simplify
   Don’t overload the design with pictures, shapes, letters, and whatnot. With a simple logo, consumers can easily remember and recognize your brand. It makes the logo more versatile so that it can be readily used everywhere, from your website to stationary to storefront signs.

4. Provide uniqueness
   Your logo design will represent your brand for years to come. So, build a powerful brand identity that is aesthetic yet distinctive.

5. Maintain relevancy
   The design elements you utilize should coincide with your brand’s image. Whether it’s the color scheme or the typography, the overall logo must be relevant to the business. For instance, using pink for a brand promoting masculine items will be like a jive to the target audience.

Aspects every logo needs to focus on

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For your logo to tell a complete story, all elements must work together to create a perfect image of your brand. Consider looking into the following before deciding on a final design:

1. Type of logo

There are several types of company logos that you can choose from. The kind of logo you select directly reflects on your brand. The common ones are:

• Letterform- a logo made up of a single letter. Not only does this simplify the name, but it helps to represent the brand symbolically. McDonald’s yellow M and Honda’s H are successful examples. Letterform logos can fit easily in a variety of space sizes. However, in order to be effective, they must be legible and repeatedly exposed to consumers.
• Wordmark- a logo with freestanding word(s) or an acronym of a brand name. The greatest advantage is that they are instantly recognizable without the need for any previous advertising. eBay, CNN, NASA, and Google all use them. With the use of distinctive and unique font characteristics, brands can effortlessly make themselves stand out. However, attention must be given to details such as legibility and color schemes.
• Pictorial - a logo that uses a unique graphic image and is immediately recognizable to people. It depicts a specific company, product, or brand. Twitter and Apple are ideal examples.
• Abstract- a highly conceptual logo. They typically comprise an unusual shape that may represent an idea or value rather than a direct message. Service-based and technology companies find them quite effective. Nike and Chase Bank are ideal examples. Some companies like Adidas, Lacoste, and BP use an abstract logo that is accompanied by a wordmark. 
• Emblem- a logo that connects the company’s name with a pictorial element. However, the biggest problem is legibility when a logo is miniaturized. While Harley Davidson continues to use an emblem, Starbucks dropped this design style in its recent rebrand.

2. The typography

The font you use in the logo carries a lot of emotion. Bold and clear letterings, such as those used by banks, tend to hold an authoritative voice. So if you select a logo design that uses letters and numbers, utilize a font that coincides with your brand’s personality.

3. The color

The color of your logo holds a considerable amount of weight. Each color represents an emotional and psychological aspect. Neil Patel says that 85% of shoppers say color is the reason why they purchase an item. So it plays a significant role in how consumers perceive a brand.

Before deciding on a color scheme, play around with tints and shades as well as multiple colors to see what suits your brand’s image. You’ll notice that altering the color palette can modify the story you tell.

4. The shape

Just by seeing the shape of a logo, people make instant associations with the brand behind it. So the shape of your logo can influence how your brand is perceived. For example, circles, ovals, and ellipses represent a sense of community, friendship, and wholeness, while squares and rectangles stand for stability, balance, and reliability.

Final thoughts

Logo design is more than an art. While it’s great to explore all the creative aspects that can go into designing your company’s logo, other business and marketing elements are just as important.

For emerging businesses, creating a logo design that tells the story about their brand is an ideal way to build a connection with customers. Once you have figured out the ideal logo for your business, you will need to implement a combination of techniques to catch people’s attention and pique their interests.

by Nick Loggie

Top Brands using Illustration for online presence

When the statement “a picture is worth a thousand words was coined,” the use of images on websites was not in the mind of its developers. However, in the communication and information age, the use of imagery to enhance websites plays a significant role.

Today, several websites use vector illustration to enrich their online existence. It is a powerful way of sending messages and retaining clarity. Here is a list of top brands that have found illustrations useful in strengthening their online presence.

Google

There would be no better place to start than think of how Google’s use of illustrations. Over the years, Google has evolved its logo to one of the most recognizable anywhere in the world. The company takes advantage of influential personalities and events to create messages centred around them using illustrations. They are made so simple that everyone can relate to them wherever they are around the globe. Events of global, national and religious significance have been used from time to time. Also, personalities such as Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, and the Queen have outlined Google’s use of illustrations.

Shopify

Canadian eCommerce powerhouse Shopify has continuously made very good use of illustrations. To the brand, illustrations help to keep messages powerful and give clarity to complex ideas.

Shopify is a leading Content Management System (CMS) for all sorts of entrepreneurs as well as small and medium businesses. In the company’s view, the simplicity of illustrations encourages people to try out new things, thus find good use in its wide basket of useful tools.

Airbnb

To some extent, modern travelling has become synonymous with Airbnb. The ease of connection and ability to find a convenient place to stay anywhere in the world has given Airbnb an edge over conventional accommodation spaces.

 The relatively new company has leveraged illustrations as a way of enlightening its clients on various aspects of its business. Messages passed by Airbnb cut across honesty, practicality, localization of services, trust among others. The illustrations give a personalized feel to the services being advertised, especially because the company makes use of human caricature.

Uber

Cab hailing company Uber has been in existence for just about a decade now yet it has made such a huge impact on modern travelling that it cannot be ignored. There is almost a similar impact that has been made by the company’s use of illustrations to drive the message across.

As a way of enhancing its marketing approaches, Uber has made use of illustrations, specifically demonstrating the process of calling out a cab. This channel is adapted and tailored to the specific needs of particular countries. The bottom line, however, is that the company has made it easy for everyone to understand.

Mailchimp

Though there are lots of email service providers available today, Mailchimp has become so outstanding, following its approach to marketing. The company has been using illustrations for a long time now and has gained popularity from this approach.

For their logo, Mailchimp uses an illustration of a mascot chimp named Freddie. It has become so popular that some collectors have made business making a toy version of it, thus building a community of followers around it.

Through the use of illustrations, Mailchimp has cemented its ease-of-use while expressing the complexity of its services by combining a cartoony approach and beautiful abstract artwork.

Slack

Slack is a tool that helps individuals and teams to collaborate in executing tasks and delivering projects. It makes it easy for teams working on a common goal to collaborate from different locations.

 Slack has taken advantage of illustrations to advance its business. A unique approach that the company uses is images that represent a workspace where lots of different activities are taking place. One corner could represent a bookshelf, working tables, organized aisle and so on. In the end, the user gets a picture of a dynamic workplace, represented by a wide range of characters.

Oscar Health

If you’ve recently paid attention to the health industry, you must have come across Oscar, a healthcare insurance platform that has initiated great change by taking a different approach.

Oscar uses illustrations of a healthcare facility where people are engaging, happy and optimistic. You might also see illustrations of healthcare providers conversing happily with clients or attending to children and so on.

The company has certainly made a difference in marketing insurance for the health industry, considering that this is an area where many people want to trend with caution. In a way, Oscar is demystifying this industry through illustrations.

Headspace

Mental health is a subject that can get complicated. However, one company is giving mental health a different approach through meditation. Headspace advances meditation as a way of fighting anxiety and stress as well as living more productive lives. Learn more about how meditation can have mood-lifting benefits for those that struggle with mental health conditions such as depression in this article from BetterHelp.

The characters used by Headspace often spot wide smiles and chubby rounded shapes that come out as friendly and tend to encourage people to align with their philosophy. You can argue that this is no doubt a great approach to mental health and a positive tone is initiated.

BaseCamp

BaseCamp claims to help its customers have much work done in less time while eliminating the chaos and confusion of work. But it is in the illustrations that the company uses where a tone of creativity is seen.

What makes BaseCamp’s illustrations outstanding is the seemingly unfinished brush textures that form the background. It makes it abstract yet gives it a lively and natural feeling.

Conclusion

One of the strongest elements of illustrations is that they are memorable, simple and make great representations of ideas. In addition, the ability to use a wide variety of shapes, colours, and objects makes them good for representing complex ideas.

When using illustrations, it is important to think of the audience and the perception they might get from each object and image developed. Whereas the idea should be simplifying complex ideas through images, brands also risk complicating the ideas even more. It is therefore critical to ensure that the images used can be easily decoded to make sense and deliver the message with precision.

by Nick Loggie