7 Logo Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make
A logo should be simple, memorable and work everywhere. Avoid these seven common mistakes when creating or updating your business logo.
Your logo appears on everything from your website to a tiny social media icon. A poorly designed logo looks unprofessional and causes problems for years. Here are the most common mistakes we see.
1. Too much detail
Complex illustrations, gradients and fine lines disappear at small sizes. The best logos are simple enough to recognise at a glance.
2. Following short-lived trends
Trendy effects date quickly. Aim for a design that will still look right in ten years.
3. Hard-to-read fonts
Overly decorative scripts and very thin fonts become unreadable on phones and signage. Test your logo at small sizes.
4. Relying on colour
A good logo works in one colour (black, white or a single brand colour) because it will often be printed, embroidered or placed on photos.
5. Only one version
You need several versions: a full logo, a horizontal version, a compact icon or monogram, and versions for light and dark backgrounds.
6. Using clip art or templates
Generic template logos are used by many other businesses and usually cannot be trademarked. Your logo should be original.
7. Not getting the right files
Make sure you receive vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF) along with PNG and JPG versions, and that you own the rights.
A quick logo checklist
- Recognisable at 32 pixels wide?
- Works in a single colour?
- Readable on a phone screen?
- Distinct from competitors?
- Available in vector format with multiple versions?
Our branding service delivers a complete logo suite, colour palette and guidelines, with full ownership of all files.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small business spend on a logo?
It depends on scope. A logo alone costs less than a full identity with guidelines and templates, but cheap template logos often cost more in the long run.
Should my logo include my business name?
Most small businesses benefit from including the name, since an abstract symbol alone takes years of exposure to become recognisable.