A logo is something every business should have.  It really is as simple as that.
I go into more detail about if you need a logo in this post - Do I need a logo?

What isn't as simple is where to get a logo from.  The most obvious answer to me would be to hire a professional designer, but that sometimes is not the best option for some small businesses or startups that simply do not have the finance at that current time.
So today I wanted to share some tips to help you to design your own logo, whether you are a small business owner or someone who has an interest in logo design.

1 | Always design it in black and white first

When DIY-ing your own logo it is super important the design works in simple black and simple white, with no other colours.  You can add colour later, once you are happy with the design, but ensuring it works in simple black and white will help maintain the integrity of your logo.  For example, placing your logo on an image (as a watermark) will always work best when it is in one colour, so it doesn't fight with the image and it's visible if placed with transparency.

2 | Use a vector program - Illustrator

When DIY-ing your logo you want to create it so that once it is resized, either made smaller or bigger, it maintains it's "crispness".  Creating your logo in vector form is the best way to do this.  Your logo should be used on your website, business card, and other branded material.  Web and print are 2 different mediums and so scalability is important.

3 | Sketch it out

I find it always helps to sketch out my initial thoughts for a logo design, if you are DIY-ing your own logo there is no harm in starting with pen and paper (or pencil and paper if you prefer).  It can always help you to get your initial thoughts down before you start the digital process.  It's often quicker to "visualise" your thoughts for your logo this way as well.

4 | Create variations - submark/alternative layout

You want to make sure your DIY logo design works in different layouts - for example, if your logo design is horizontal, then you want to ensure it also works if you were to use it as your profile picture on social media, where the layout is square.  To ensure eligibility, create an alternative layout.

5 | Keep it simple and relevant

Adding too much fine detail can overcomplicate the design, therefore it's always best to keep it simple.  It also makes it look more professional as well.  Your logo is the visual representation of your business so keeping it relevant is also vitality important.  Don't add any clipart or anything that doesn't reflect your business vision.

I hope these tips are useful to you if you are thinking to design your own logo.
Are you considering to design your own logo? Or have you done so in the past? - How did it go? What did you learn?

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