Choose a Logo for eCommerce Eight Examples of Faults to avoid

May 6, 2023

If you're setting up an online firm or contemplating a rebrand One of the main components of this procedure is creating an attractive quality, professional logo that communicates your message. But before you start brainstorming your ideas, contemplate what makes an the design of a logo successful and which design style is the most suitable for your company as well as your intended customers.

In this piece, we'll explore the importance of logos and the various types of logos and some of practical considerations, including most effective practices to design logos, software options to create them, as well as design outsourcing tips.

What's an emblem?

Although we can be a bit nutty regarding the concept of "logo", the phrase is typically used for a simple visual representation made of images words, or a mixture of both, to symbolize an organization or brand.

Logos and their importance

The brand you decide to display can enable users to swiftly and easily be able to identify your brand by viewing your ads or posts on social media browsing results on a search engine or shopping on a marketplace, or purchasing directly from your website.

If you'd like your online firm to stand out from other businesses, choosing an appropriate logo is essential. With so many companies online competing for customers' attention. it is essential to have an impressive, distinctive and memorable logo that's accurately expressing the company's image.

An appropriately designed logo is instrumental in establishing credibility. Take a look at your top reliable brands. The logos of their brands will probably pop up to your mind. A glance at any shape or color can recall memories of brand recognition.

Your logo represents an investment in your company's development, so you should spend time to create a logo which is representative of your business and communicates to the people you want to communicate with.

The logos are of 8 different kinds.

Logos usually fall into 8 distinct types:

  • Wordmark, logotype Wordmark
  • Brand mark, logomark or a pictorial
  • The combination mark
  • Dynamic logo
  • Emblems
  • Letterforms
  • Lettermark, monogram
  • Mascots

Wordmark/logotype

Wordmark logos like Coca-Cola and ebay

"Wordmark" as well as "logotype" are often used interchangeably and refer to the identical logo that employs typefaces only typically, the business name or a portion of a name for a business. Logos using these fonts usually use customized typography. This makes the logo unique to the company.

The most well-known examples of a logo that has words is Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola logo is instantly identified due to its iconic typography that hasn't changed much during the last 130 years. L'oreal and eBay's logos are a different example of logotypes. These are also known as wordmarks.

Logomark, brand mark or graphic

brand mark logos like Apple and Twitter

"Brand mark," "logomark," and "pictorial" are terms used to describe the visual component of an emblem. It could also include words or letters as well as images, however, it is not the logo's name. It can be representative such as the apple bird or the shell marks that are from Apple, Twitter, and Shell Oil, or they may be more abstract as that of Atari as well as the Dropbox trademarks.

The Atari logo suggests the appearance of an A, but it's not actually an A. The Dropbox branding uses the strategically-placed diamonds to create an abstract impression of boxes.

The mark of the combination

A combination mark can be described as the company name together with an image-based brand mark. The majority of the time, businesses utilizes its combination mark across all situations however, it may also utilize its wordmark and brand mark independently, depending on the situation.

Dynamic logos

Google Doodle of a rabbit

Dynamic logos are flexible contemporary logos with elements that alter in accordance with the message that branding wishes to represent in a particular usage. Google is perhaps the most famous instance of this with its Google Doodles. Logos that are dynamic can be animated, static or interactive.

Google makes use of all three to create the Google Doodles sequence. One thing that remains constant in every Doodle is that the company name "Google" is featured in some way. The rest of the design may change.

For most brands, the Google strategy isn't the ideal option, particularly for brands seeking to establish their brand. It can be difficult for prospective customers to have multiple variations of your brand's logo in drastically different styles.

Be aware that Google doesn't apply this kind of flexibleness to every use for its trademark. Google Doodle Google Doodle is specifically used for the Google Search landing page. On other sites they employ their official wordmark and brand mark.

If you're in the market for an innovative logo, think about thinking more in the direction of MTV.

different variations of the MTV logo
Image from Logopedia. Logopedia

The majority of times, MTV uses the same logo but employs different colors and may also have co-branding agreements with other businesses. The logo is immediately identifiable as MTV however, the differences in color and style could help people associate MTV to different ideas, such as ideology, brands or concepts that create different feelings and keep them interested.

Emblems

emblem logos like Ford, BMW, and Starbucks

The term "emblem" is utilized to refer to the design of a logo that incorporates pictures and words to create one, unifying logo. Emblems usually look like emblems, badges, or other emblems. These kinds of logos are most frequently is used by university teams, sports teams, as well as automobile businesses, although a lot of other businesses use emblems as their logos. Some companies like Starbucks, Warner Bros. along with Stella Artois all have emblem logos.

Letterforms

letterform logos like WordPress and Facebook

Letterforms are based on the initial letters, and sometimes the initials, of a firm to form the basic name of a brand. While letterforms are usually more straightforward than monograms they can also include monograms such as the one above. New York Yankees letterform/monogram.

Lettermarks/monograms

lettermark logos like Gucci and Chanel

Monogram or lettermark logos employ the initials of the company or acronym for the complete or just a part of the logo. In some instances, letters are overlapped to create patterns. The letters can also be placed against the background.

Monograms were first used in the early days of Greece as identification marks on coins. They indicated the city it was issued by. They later became evidence of money and power, and also by artists and artisans.

Monogram logos have a long time of history, and are commonly used by beauty and fashion brands to communicate a sense of elegance and tradition. But monograms are not solely employed by these types of companies. Nearly every type of industry makes use of monograms. Monograms are cost-effective and long-lasting approach to design the logo of a company, and are suitable for all kinds of company.

Mascot logos

mascot logos like Lacoste and Wendy's

Mascot logos are made up of icons that symbolize the company's corporate brand. Lacoste's alligator Cheetos' Chester Cheetah, the fictional reddit character Snoo Colonel Sanders and Wendy's the hero, Wendy Thomas, are some of the most famous examples of mascots used as corporate logos.

Mascots can highlight a brand personality, and make it more casual and relatable. It is also possible to use them to create unique elements for your advertising. But, using a mascot as a logo can be tricky because it is easy to alter the persona of your choice (see: Ronald McDonald) however it is difficult to remove them from the minds of consumers.

So you'll want to carefully think about your mascot, make sure that it's in line in the direction you plan to go with your company.

sample logo designed with Looka
Image made using Looka

Seven ideas to design a logo that is effective

The logo you choose to use is usually the first impression a client will make with you. Your logo must be easily identifiable, memorable and reflect your company's identity However, there are a few established best practices regarding logo design should be taken into account when choosing the logo you want to use.

Just because your logo is appealing and distinct, does not mean it is an excellent style. Certain of the top-respected brand names have suffered numerous negative logo launch events which led to negativity within the press.

Certain businesses rely on the old saying "any publicity is great publicity." However, unless your company attempts to draw attention and is a good idea to follow a few tested and proven design techniques to avoid ending by writing a blog post about the most sloppy logos of the past.

It's easy

You may have heard that phrase "less is more" is a term that was coined by the minimalist designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1947. It is frequently used in business terms and may sometimes be utilized to justify basic task in design. The concept behind "less is more" should not be used to create a design that is simple and dull.

It's a method of design that is focused on both the aesthetics and functionality. Ultimately, the goal is to use as few elements as are necessary to convey the intended message and supply the required function, while simultaneously creating an aesthetically-pleasing appearance.

This is a crucial aspect in designing logos since the style should be straightforward for the user to comprehend. It should be able to incorporate backgrounds that have diverse textures and colors. adjust it for different sizes and aspect ratios, and finally apply it to a range of dimensions, without being too difficult or confusing.

spa logo on different colors of backgrounds

The idea doesn't imply that you have to go with an uncluttered design also. This concept is applicable to any style of logo, contemporary, classic and retro or any modern, trendy look.

You must ensure that the style is in line with the image of your business and the target viewers

If your company produces antique products, or items that are old-fashioned it is possible look at design elements that are retro and is reminiscent of the past that your business is a part of.

To illustrate, Big Chill appliances use an old-fashioned typographic design which recalls the appearance of old appliances dating back to the 1930s and 1960s.

The logo for Trader Joe's has a 1960s inspired tiki-art style, just like Ben and Jerry's. The brand's logo has a lively and playful 1970s style that is the style of their brand. Altoids serif font featuring the gold embossed design around the edges gives it the look of an older-fashioned classic.

example logos like Altoids and Jack Daniels

Jack Daniels whiskey has not substantially changed their brand logo since 1947. Rather, it has remained the same logo that was in use prior to Prohibition. Contrary to brands like Levi Strauss that massively changed their brand identities over time, Jack Daniels has only minor changes to their logo over the years, reminding customers of their brand's lengthy time of existence.

If your company is an provider of Software as a service (SaaS) or offers technological-based products, or would prefer an image that's basic, minimalist and contemporary it's possible you'd want something that is more simple. The companies that use modern and minimalist design.

Certain designs include logos, while others are exclusively type-based, and use distinctive letter forms to communicate their identity, while other designs have badges or an emblem-like appearance.

example logos like Automattic and Slack

If your ecommerce shop is focused on niche buyers, it's crucial to pick an image that resonates with that customer base. If the product is organic, or toys, comics clothing for women, hunting equipment, you can achieve an appealing, relevant and genre-specific image, but without crossing the territory of childish and cute.

A few examples of niche-specific audience logos are Walt's Comic Shop, Nelson Rare Books, KiwiCo, and Chewy.

example logos like Chewy and KiwiCo

Walt's Comic Shop makes use of a cartoon-like design, but employs simplified lines, and two colors, and a simple sans-serif font. It's an absolute blast and takes inspiration from the business world, however it's not too cartoonish and both typography and graphic elements work well both as a pair and in their own.

Nelson Rare Books uses an elaborate illuminated initial on their logo. The same type of initial can be seen at the start of a chapter from the book of an older edition. As opposed to the elaborated serif first letter, they employ the clean and wide sans-serif font on each uppercase letter of their name. This creates a sense of equilibrium visually, and also reflects the core of the business's identity as an online retailer of books that are unique and old-fashioned and an online shop using modern technology and organizational systems.

KiwiCo provides science and art kits for children as an subscription service. KiwiCo has picked the modern, minimalist logo, but has created a playful look with their logo's mascot kiwi, and large serif font. Making the logo less generic allows them to grow their brand in different directions without having to redesign the logo every time they want to.

Chewy is a pet-related supply delivery service that caters to pet owners. Their logo doesn't consist of images and merely uses type. They've employed a sans-serif rounded style that's jumbled, lending it a playful appearance that's usually used to refer to our pets.

Clip art is only for use.

If you believe you can choose a logo off of the clipart sites take a second look. Technically, you might be able to make use of clipart whenever you want, but the there is an excellent chance that others have utilized this technique. It is possible that people will recognize the clip art and think it's another brand's logo or may just give a fake impression.

Furthermore, not all clip art works are accessible to the general public. If you can find it online, does not mean that it's accessible to download. Do you really want to be the focal point of a campaign!

However, this doesn't mean that you cannot use a pre-designed graphic to make the basis for your company's logo. It's possible to utilize royalty-free images from image marketplaces like IStock Photos and Creative Market that you can get higher-quality ready-made graphic elements for your logos, or completely-designed logos, where all you must do is replace the placeholder in the design by adding your own name to it.

examples of ice cream shop logos
Ice cream shop logos courtesy iStockPhoto

If you do utilize a pre-designed part in your logo, keep at heart that there are other logos which could be using the similar feature in their logos too. Be sure to use the right license for the purpose you're using it for. Some stock image sites have different types of licenses which you can buy for various purposes, such as printing, online or even editorial usage.

Don't use clichés or over-used fonts, images and graphics.

A search of "worst fonts for logos" along with "worst logo design" will give you some suggestions of what to avoid. However, you must also be sure to make sure that the logo's elements and fonts are not utilized by businesses that aren't yours. This will not only help avoid brand confusion, it will also inspire your creativity to create a unique and innovative design you can be proud of.

It's certainly not a bad decision to incorporate a well-known logo or symbol in the logo's style in the event that it is relevant to the industry you're in. The logos for veterinarians are a wonderful illustration of this. How many veterinarians use some combination of dogs or cat print or paw print to create or a medical symbol and maybe even hearts?

Perhaps the majority. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to use the same kind of photos, but it's much more difficult to think of some thing unique using standard themes.

Here are some excellent examples of common logo designs that have been done properly:

two veterinary logos side-by-side
Images provided by Dribble. Aurora Veterinary Hospital and Advanced Veterinary Care Center

In the case of Aurora Veterinary Hospital, the artist chose a minimalist palette with an abstract representation of dogs... or perhaps it's an animal. The style is not too ambiguous that it can be used to symbolize both species. It's adorable without turning cartoonish. It's contemporary, sleek, and easy to read, with a distinct style and interpretation of the standard motif of cat and dog on veterinary logos.

Advanced vet care center's logo is extremely imaginative, with an animal-like tail, employing the standard medical + symbol in the shape of the letter"A" which stands for "Advanced." This logo is modern that is still speaking to the business they're representing. This logo has a different significance than Aurora the Veterinary Hospital's logo. Its design is minimalist and abstract, but still using typical themes.

The creation of your own typeface, or altering the look of a font significantly so that it fits your company's brand, can be the best way to design an effective and unique logo. If design and typography do not fit into your a background, you'll need to read up on the basics of typography before making your own fonts or altering existing ones.

Be careful not to go overboard in terms of visual effects or colors.

Your choices should be limited just to a maximum of four color options. If your logo requires more than four colors, make sure you don't exceed the color limit of a single graphic element within the logo.

In this instance, as an example, NBC logo has the theme of rainbows in their peacock mark and their logo, however their typeface is in black. The design elements are simple to understand by itself. The solid colors and small amounts of geometric shapes makes the peacock's element easy to read in spite of the rainbow of hues.

However, when you start with different hues for every letter, the logo begins to fade in impact. When you further apply drop shadows, rainbow gradients and glow effects, it starts to appear a bit messy. It's certainly unique, however it's somewhat painful to look at.

NBC logos in different colors side-by-side

Make sure your logo is clear on all devices.

When setting up your eCommerce site, it is important to make sure that the logo appears great and is accessible on your site particularly on mobile. But, it is important to ensure that your logo looks good on paper and could translate effectively into horizontal and vertical layouts, and includes color variations for various background textures and colors.

Don't squish or distort your aspect ratio logo to suit a certain size. You can rearrange your logo elements, or make it larger or smaller, all the keeping the aspect ratio. However, expanding or compressing your logo could make it more difficult to read, and also less professional.

Make use of a vector-based design application for creating your brand's design

There are two kinds of images you can create using design software, both raster and vector. Vector photos are designed using mathematical formulas which allow them to scale without losing clarity or becoming blurred.

Images made in raster, on the other hand, are made by the same quantity of pixels. When you have resized the image down to smaller dimensions, there's no way to scale it to the same size, without loss of image quality or distorted the image in any way.

designing a logo with software

Because your logo is likely to be used across a variety of settings and contexts throughout your marketing collateral You'll need to be sure your logo's design can be scaled without losing the quality. The use of a vector format makes it possible to alter your logo's appearance later on with ease and allows you to maintain its quality despite the number of times you reduce or expand the size of the logo.

Additionally, it is recommended to make copies that include your brand's logo in several formats, including vector (ai pdf, eps and pdf) file formats as you can export both high-resolution raster file formats (png TIFF and jpg etc.).)) and web-optimized lower resolution files such as webp.

Do you want to learn more about the different types of logos? The Mean Creative provides a useful guide to help you..

Logo design software

Are you looking for the perfect software for creating a fantastic logo? With the many options available there, it can be difficult to decide what to do. If you've got some skills in graphic design, it's possible to use a desktop or online design program that gives you total freedom to design your logo for your business.

If you don't have any design experience it is possible to use a design program online. Even if you're unable to come up with something that's specifically what you're searching for. This could an excellent start in the event that you decide to hire artists.

If the logo you've created is in a good way with what you're searching for however, it still requires some adjustments, you can obtain a higher price offering your freelance logo designer the design that's 95 90% of what you'd like it to be, and requires only a couple of tiny adjustments.

Online and desktop design software options

blank canvas in Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator

  • ProsIllustrator is a market top vector design program. The desktop and the version for the iPad/Surface Pro are both available with a variety of features.
  • Con:Illustrator uses a subscription-only system, meaning that there will be a cost per month. There can be a high rate of learning and therefore it could be ideal for those who plan to complete an extensive amount of graphic designing.
CoralDRAW homepage

CorelDraw

  • Advantages:It offers a one-time purchase option, as well as an option to subscribe. It also offers a cheaper edition of Corel Vector on the internet with the initial trial period of 15 days.
  • Pros:The cost for one time purchase exceeds $500, and the online Vector software is strictly the result of a subscription. Like Illustrator but the method of learning can be difficult for novices. It is also worthwhile to mention that the CorelDraw iPad app has an average 1 1/2 stars in the Apple App Store.
working within Canva

Canva

  • Benefits There is a no-cost account option so you are able to create logos or other designs without cost. Canva can also be used to make a logo for you if you're unhappy by your design. Canva is an incredibly appreciated and well-known design tool that simplifies the process for designers and non-designers alike. professionals, and you are sure of support from regular updates as well as enhancements. The program also provides the users with free access to a variety of photos from stock available through Getty along with other content providers.
  • Pros: Content and features are gated for users with pay-per-use accounts. This program is only accessible via the web. Searching for stock photos, especially it's a bit difficult to pinpoint exactly what you're looking for.
Creating within Vectr

Vectr

  • The advantages: Vectr is a basic, no-cost vector design program that's easy to use.
  • Con:It's online only and may seem too simple, depending on the kind of work you'd like to create. In addition, there are ads in the program. This could be annoying.

Online logo creators

Apart from the option to create logos using Canva, which was previously mentioned, there's an online application specifically created for the creation of logos using automatic technology.

The Looka and Smashing Logo Both offer low-cost automatic logo design services. You can create for free any number of logos you prefer, however if you want to download the vector files along with branding packs, you'll have to buy one of their premium packages.

Intro wizard from SmashingLogo.com
Intro wizard by SmashingLogo.com

The online logo creator software can provide a fantastic option to locate a logo that will do the job you need with a minimal cost however, you're not certain of getting exactly the result you're looking for. As these two programs are free to experiment with and experiment with, they may be able to at most assist in your thinking about the best way to create your logo. You can also think about what you do and don't prefer, and finally, present your idea to a graphic designer or a company for a beginning point.

Outsourcing logo design

Do you have a desire to design your own logo or creating iterations with an application for creating logos? In some cases, it's better to work with an experienced professional right from the start.

Hiring a designer from an independent contractor or agency to create your logo is an investment that will improve the long-term success of your business. Professional designers can bring fresh perspectives you may not have otherwise considered and will be able to make all of the needed documents and logos.

designer drawing logos on a tablet

It's important to understand the potential risks when outsourcing the creation of your logo. Make sure you pick a designer that has experience designing logos for companies that are in your sector, with excellent reviews from customers who have previously used them as well as capable of staying within the financial limits you've set.

There are some people who have been successful in obtaining freelancers through marketplaces that are available on the web including Fiverr and Upwork. Other people prefer to work with local people or who has been recommended via a relative or colleague or even through a nearby chamber of commerce. All of these are perfectly valid options to consider when looking for a designer to work with.

If you're working on a client, have to be sure that you're prepared to collaborate with a designer. You'll want to do some study on logos you like, consider the goals you'd like to achieve with your logo, and make sure you clearly state your goals.

Designers can be most successful in the event that they are able to establish specific guidelines as well as some creativity in their designs. If you're rigid about what you want your logo's design to appear, or you're too vague your result may be an ineffective logo. Your requirements.

The final stage in the process of creating an identity with the graphic designer be a conversation which can be a couple of sessions with sketching until you have a concept that is perfect.

Put your logo to work

If you've got some ideas of a logo that you can refer to, it's time to come up with and put your logo in place. Research various logo designs. Look for logo colors as well as general look.

Then, decide whether you want to create your own logo, use a logo creation software or hire a professional designer. Once you have a logo that you like, ensure you've got the proper layouts for your site and also print prior to implementing it across your website, social media, advertising channels and merchandise.

It's also a good idea to examine your logo thoroughly and then run it through some reliable sources before the logo goes online. Be aware the fact that your logo will be an image of your company. There is a chance that you will not be able to agree whether or not your preferred logo is a great design, but it is at least possible to avoid all obvious flaws that might be a cause for blog posts about the most unprofessional logo designs ever.

Designing a logo can seem overwhelming However, with careful planning, thorough analysis and the top tool or designers it is possible to create an appealing, strong logo that represents your brand and builds trust and creates confidence among your customers.

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