What Makes a Good Logo (And Why Yours Might Need Work)

A good logo is simple, reads at any size, and looks like nobody else's on your street. A lot of small business logos miss at least one of those, and plenty look like they were made in Microsoft Word in 2007. No judgment: when you are starting out, the logo is the last thing on your mind. It is also usually the first thing a customer sees, on your website, your Google listing, your social media and your invoices.

01How Do You Know Your Logo Needs Work?

If your logo has more than three colors, uses clip art, looks blurry when you zoom in, or doesn't work on a dark background, it is time. A good logo reads at the size of a favicon and at the size of a truck door. Think about the logos you recognize instantly. Nike. Apple. Chick-fil-A. None of them are complicated.

02What Makes a Logo Good?

A strong logo does three things. It looks right on a business card and on a billboard. It gives people a sense of what you do, or at least the feel of the business. And it sits far enough from the shop down the street that nobody confuses the two.

03Should You Make It Yourself?

Canva is right there, and it is tempting, but no. A logo drawn properly costs less than most people expect, and you do not have to spend thousands. What you want is someone who can hand you the files that work everywhere: a vector that scales, a flat one-color version, and one that holds up on a dark background. Run yours through the four checks above first. If it fails one, that is the brief for whoever draws the next one.