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I’ve noticed a trend lately — a rise in popularity of do-it-yourself (DIY) design platforms such as Canva. According to Canva, “our goal is to enable the whole world to design.” I love that Canva is empowering everyone to learn design, even if just the basics. Canva has so many wonderful tools (I use it some myself!), but graphic design goes deeper than using a template. I do think there are factors the average user doesn’t consider when using online programs. Canva is NOT made for logo creation — despite what you may think!
In January 2014 Canva had 150,000 users and has grown to over 75 million users in 2022.
Another thing you should not use for logo creation: templates! Beyond Canva, there is also a growing popularity in websites that offer templates you can purchase to create your logo, such as Creative Market. These tools are so accessible and easy to use, but I’d like to give you some reasons to consider hiring out a professional to help with your logo design.
Also, please note, I understand hiring a graphic designer may not fit in everyone’s budget, so even if you do end up DIYing your logo, hopefully this blog will give you some ideas for things to avoid.
Probably the most important one — copyrights and trademarks! Your business identity and logo are important elements to your business, so you want to make sure you have the rights to everything!
If you use Canva, you won’t have the rights to own (trademark) your logo. Per Canva’s Content License Agreement, prohibited use includes any of the Content as part of a trademark, design-mark, tradename, business name or service mark.
Another thing to consider are commercial licenses for fonts. This is important because it can land you and your company in a lot of hot water if you use something without the correct license. Finding that perfect font is so important when developing your logo, so make sure you have the rights to use it.
You may be just starting out and not thinking about trademarks or may think no one will find out. Honesty is the best policy, don’t steal from someone. Also, with advanced technology some website that sell stock materials can scan the internet for their products.
I hope your business grows! Looking 5 or 10 years down the road, if your business blows up, you don’t want to end up in trouble for the materials you’ve used on your logo.
Bottom line: always make sure you have the rights to EVERYTHING you use in a logo.
You’ve probably seen me say this before — you are unique, so is your brand! When you are using a template, remember other people can use that template too! A logo is not something you want to blend in with others, especially a competitor.
You more than likely won’t be able to tweak or truly personalize a template and may end up with something you don’t completely love. You’ll want to get a logo that works for your business, so find a professional who will learn and understand your business. This will also help you avoid having to redo your logo over and over when you aren’t completely happy with it.
To have a professional logo, you need it built as a vector. Getting your logo built as a vector in a program like Adobe Illustrator will make your logo infinitely scalable. Vector files will maintain the resolution and quality, no matter the size. This will allow versatility with your logo for large printing project like a sign or banner.
Most online programs will not give you the option for vector files or give you a transparent background. Editing raster graphics (non-vector) is also much harder to do, so raster logos will limit you. To look professional with your logo, go with vector and have the ability for a transparent background and high resolution!
Be sure your logo comes in a variety of file types to have everything you may need. Be sure you get the scalable versions (ai, eps, svg).
While you need to love your logo, you also need to be able to think beyond just what you like and don’t like. Colors say a lot, so make sure the colors you choose for you logo / branding are saying the right thing to your target market. Your audience can feel different emotions based on colors chosen for a project. 84.7% of consumers name color as the primary reason they choose a particular product.
Hiring a professional can help you see the logo from different angles. It also helps when the professional knows about color theory and how particular colors make people react.
Another thing about color is how they interact with each other. Colors need to work well together so a logo is legible and not harsh on the eyes. You don’t want to pick 10 colors for main colors in your branding. You’ll want 3-5 colors, some as a primary and some as secondary to help support. You don’t have to use all these colors all the time. Use them strategically.
Tip: Make sure your logo looks good in ONE color, such as black!
Building on the ideas of not picking 10 colors, you also want to keep the design simple. Minimize the number of colors, as well as fonts. You don’t want a lot of fonts, or fonts that are hard to read. A common mistake I see is someone picking a script font that is hard to read, especially if your business name is unique.
Keep your logo simple, it will be easier to recognize in different scenarios. Simplicity with overall design will help you not lose details when the logo is made larger or smaller. Simple logos are harder to make than you may think but tend to be more timeless.
If you are looking for a professional who can help you get the logo (and branding) of your dreams, let’s chat!
Hello[at]RebeccaLeighDesigns[dot]com
It has been a dream to start my own business. It is a lot of work, but it is worth it to have flexibility with my kids and have creative freedom. I’d love support from you — you don’t need to hire me or purchase a product! A donation shows you care! You can select to do a recurring donation or one time donation.
