Building a brand is incredibly important these days. Without a recognizable brand, your business will struggle to stand out from your competitors. A logo is a big part of business branding. You can push logo creation on to the backburner, but without a logo, it’s very difficult to build an effective brand.

We can all think of logos that need no introduction: Nike, Gucci, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Apple – the moment we see these logos, we know instantly who we are dealing with. Words are superfluous. Your aim should be to create a logo that shouts out to the viewer exactly what your business does. Here are the five key elements of a great logo. Ignore them at your peril.

Memorable

A logo should describe what the business does, simply and effectively. It needs to be an image that sticks in the person’s mind, one that they will remember long after they have forgotten your name. If a person can’t remember your logo, it makes it much harder to build a brand.

Simple

The Apple logo is instantly recognisable. It’s an apple. The more complex a logo is, the less effective it is. Avoid using fussy designs with too much text, multiple colours and detailing. Too much clutter is your enemy. You’re missing the point completely if this is the type of logo you want.

Modern

Most brands change their logos from time to time. They tweak the design so that it looks more modern. Little changes, such as switching out a typeface or adding a different colour will help keep your company modern and “relevant”, but never forget, a logo needs to be “timeless” to be effective.

Versatile

Think about how you want to use your logo. Do you plan on printing the logo on merchandising materials such as pens, memory sticks, and t-shirts? If so, the logo will need to work in a range of different sizes and layouts. It shouldn’t be too small or too big. It also needs to work in conjunction with other branding elements, such as the font you use for your company name or the colours you have on your website. Ideally, all of these elements should complement each other.

Proportional

A logo needs to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. We don’t always know why an image works, but it is usually because it is well-balanced and in proportion. Going back to the Apple logo once again: this logo has a pleasing symmetry. We enjoy looking at it because of its balanced circular proportions.

Creating an effective logo is easier than you think. Check this site out if you want to create a DIY logo for your startup. Otherwise, speak to a graphic design agency and see what ideas they come up with.

If you already have a logo, take a good, hard look at it and decide whether it’s working for your brand. Does it tick all the right boxes? Hopefully, it does, but if you are not sure, it may be time to rethink your logo and come up with a more effective design.