Technology today has never been more innovative or progressive, hence why our society is transitioning to online platforms more so than ever. With websites now accessible via multiple devices in just a few clicks, they continue to rise in popularity for both businesses and customers. This abundance of new websites has resulted in increasing competition amongst companies to have their website seen and heard. In order to make their business memorable companies tend to lean on their Logo.
At its basic function, a logo is the graphic representation for a company, used throughout daily business and amongst audiences to ultimately give a good first impression. A logo can become globally recognizable, and take on the role of promoting brand trust and awareness, making business easier for the company. Brands are continuously trying to produce a successful logo that will help boost their profile, however what is widely misunderstood is that a recognizable logo is the outcome of success rather than the cause of success1. Whilst a company’s logo is important, this misconception as to how important it is can lead to the downfall and hindrance of a successful website by those who focus on the wrong aspects, such as the logo.
Bigger isn’t always better
When it comes to designing a website, one of the most common requests is to make the logo bigger; this concern in line with the client’s desire to be seen and remembered by audiences. Having a big logo may not seem so disastrous and in fact may sound plausible, but it’s impact can be harmful. In attempt to make a logo seen by increasing its size it is forcibly pushing it onto the audience, which will come across as overbearing and deviate from the information the audience is looking for. If the audience can’t find the information they want quick enough, due to a large and unnecessary logo for instance, they are likely to leave the site. A successful website design avoids any overbearing elements – including the logo.
For instance, Nike are one of the most successful companies in the world and their logo is just as, if not more famous. However, the success of this logo is not down to the style or shape of the tick but down to the businesses success. Their website does not focus on the logo, and instead choses to promote product and content. In a culture where people assess you not on the strength of your logo but on the quality of your product of service2, it is important that businesses should focus on the content and experience they offer in order to gain returning traffic, which will in time raise the status of the logo.
What is worthwhile noticing about Nike’s website design is that the logo is placed in the top left hand corner, this position has become the unofficial home for logos. As you read left to right it is one of the first things you notice on the page, without being domineering over other important page information.
Marks and Spencer’s are another example of a company who have achieved an A-list status logo. Their website avoids heavy focus on the logo, and instead opts for a small sized ‘M&S’ in the designated top left-hand corner. Ultimately most people will only look at the logo for less than a second3 and increasing the size won’t change that, no matter who you are.
Less is more
Every business wants their logo to be original, whilst this is hardly a crime it can result in many overly complex designs. In attempt to stand out from the crowd logo designs’ use unnecessary details which make it unmemorable due to its difficulty to replicate. When people are using your website they are (hopefully) taking in a lot of information, if you then add a complex logo on top of that it simply won’t sink in. That is why the general rule of thumb for a logo is that it should be memorable enough so someone could easily draw it onto a piece of paper3; helping you to provide the easiest user experience possible for your audience.
Simple designs can attract negative connotations, but it is in fact simplistic logo’s that dominate our market; Apple being a prime example. Despite their ‘apple’ logo being simple, it has become synonymous with not only the company, but innovation, technology and much more – this achieved through the company’s capability to deliver complex, state of the art products. The website design and logo however do not try to push Apple’s technological intelligence, due to the fact that simplicity sells because it’s what people remember3. Brands needn’t overcomplicate things when it comes to logo design, and should focus on producing work that will showcase their skills instead.
A logo is an important part of web design – but not a priority. Companies need to be cautious that in the process of promoting their logo, they don’t harm the brand reputation, which is a risk taken when trying to push your logo onto customers. A logo won’t allow a company to build a respected brand on its own2, but will grow with your company as it achieves trust and loyalty through successful website interactions.
Sources
1 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/one-cares-your-company-logo-joe-moreno
2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32495854
3 http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrampton/2016/04/25/7-tips-for-creating-the-perfect-logo-for-your-brand/2/#be0e31830f7f
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