If you are learning how to make a logo, you are at the exciting early stages of building your business. You’ve probably heard of amazing success stories where company logos became a brand’s symbol of success. A business logo is smaller than a sentence, but it tells a whole story about your purpose.
Research shows that 60% of people feel more connected to a brand if they like their logo. There is a lot to gain when you create a business logo that truly represents you.
Think logo design is too hard? It is, but only if you do it like it is 2005. Modern tools let absolute beginners create a logo free and have it look professional, matching your industry, tone of voice, colours, you name it. This article will give you all the information you need to make a logo yourself, even if you’ve never done it before. Are you ready for this exciting ride?
Why a logo is important
When people visit your website or see your marketing materials, your logo is the first thing they notice. It also might be the only thing they remember. A good logo will:
- Make your brand instantly recognizable
- Build trust and credibility
- Communicate your message briefly
Think of brands like Apple or Nike, their logos are simple, clear, and instantly recognizable. The “swoosh” sign from Nike is taken from Greek mythology, in the form of the wing of the Greek goddess of victory. It represents speed, agility, motion, and victory.
Other people can also see it as a “check sign”, meaning goal has been achieved. No matter how people see it, this is a perfect example of how a logo associates with the exact human emotions that Nike wants to be remembered for.
Decide What Your Logo Should Represent
It’s normal to wonder, “How do I choose a logo that represents my brand?” Here are the main questions you should ask yourself when you make a logo, and write on a piece of paper:
- What is the main idea or message of my brand?
- What is the main value proposition of my product or service?
- Does my product or service promote a specific human emotion that I want my customers to experience?
- What personality should it convey: playful, professional, trustworthy, premium, friendly?
- Which shapes or symbols reflect my brand values?
Keep your answers simple, short and authentic. Once you are done go to the next stage.
What Makes a Good Logo
Good logo design comes down to a few key elements that help it stand out and represent your brand. These principles apply whether you want to create a business logo for a startup or refresh a personal brand.
- Use your brand colors – Keep your logo consistent with your website palette.
- Choose the right style – Match your brand personality (modern, playful, elegant, bold, minimal). Playful will have more rounded edges, while a more serious tone should have sharper edges and fewer elements.
- Keep it simple – Simple logos are easier to recognize and scale across platforms. Do not go overboard with details, or extremely clever ideas that require people to dig into your brain to understand.
- Stay authentic – avoid trends that don’t fit because trends fade away fast while your authenticity is built over a lifetime.
- It is not an absolute requirement to be unique. Do not worry about having a logo that looks a bit like others around you. The rule is, if those similar logos are from companies outside your industry, then you should be safe.
Explore Logo Styles and Get Inspired
If you’re not sure where to start, look at other brands and competitors. On the same piece of paper as above, write answers to the following questions:
- What kind of logos appeal to me?
- What works well in my specific industry?
- Which feel memorable and professional? Can you rebuild in your mind some of the logos? Which one has the clearest format? What makes it?
You can also browse logo design galleries online or use inspiration tools like Behance or Dribbble to see examples of beautiful logos.
Combine Colors, Fonts, and Style
Now that you’ve (hopefully) chosen your website colors, you can use them in your logo design. If you haven’t picked your colors yet, click here to learn how to choose your website colours before designing your logo.
Tips:
- Stick to 1–2 main colors for simplicity
- Choose readable fonts that match your brand tone (we already covered this step above)
- Avoid clutter, simple logos are more memorable
- Test multiple versions and see which looks best on your website
For example, Spotify uses a single green as primary color with black/white accents, keeping it clean and easily recognizable.
Common Types of Logos
When you make your own logo, knowing the available types helps you make the right choice. Over the years, companies have broken conventional boundaries and experimented with all kinds of logo types. Most logos fall into one of these categories:
- Wordmark – Text-only (e.g., Google)
- Lettermark – Initials (e.g., IBM)
- Icon/Symbol – Graphic without text (e.g., Apple)
- Combination Mark – Text + icon (most flexible)
- Emblem – Text inside a shape
There are no rules as to what logo type you should choose, nor is a logo type a predictor of success. You should follow your intuition and stick with it. Some simple logical rules could help you filter out some of these types. For example, if your business name is very long, having an Emblem could be tricky.
Online Tools to Design a Logo
Luckily for you, millions of entrepreneurs and adventurers experienced the problem of building their logos before, and thousands came up with solutions for you. You don’t need design skills to make your own logo. Modern tools make it super simple and fun.
Below we break down the key tools that help you create a company logo that stands out.
Free Logo Design Tools:
- Canva – Use from free templates, customize colors and fonts. Free logo design has never been this accessible.
- Looka – AI-powered logo generator that suggests multiple options based on your text description
- Hatchful by Shopify – Quick, easy logo creation with ready-to-use designs
Paid and Advanced:
- Figma – Custom design and full creative control, it does take some effort to learn the app
- Adobe Illustrator – Professional-grade logo creation, for more advanced designers
How to use them:
- Enter your brand name and color palette
- Pick styles, fonts, and icons that reflect your brand
- Customize layouts and test different variations
- Download your logo in multiple formats for web and print
These tools make it possible to create a logo free while making them look like a whole creative team is behind it.
Make a logo yourself using the above method, and show it to your friend, loved one, or better to your (future) clients. Ask them: what story does this logo tell them? What emotion does it trigger? Which one will be most memorable? Iterate on their feedback and you should be ready to go.
Now it’s your turn. Create a company logo that builds the foundation of your brand. And don’t forget to have some fun along the process, it is a creative activity after all.