It may seem like a great money and time saving idea to use a free or low-cost logo builder tool at the start of your branding journey – but there are many reasons why I don't believe they will do any favours for your business in the long run. Here are seven of them...
One size fits all
Your logo won’t be unique if you get it from a logo builder website. I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve seen the exact same circular green and blue logo with a different company name plastered in the centre. Everywhere I go, there it is; online, on signage, on the side of vans… It’s not memorable and they all look the same! Not cool.
No copyright
It probably goes without saying, but if you’ve got a cookie cutter logo design that’s been sold to many different companies over and over, you’re not going to be able to copyright that design or stop any of your local competitors from using it also.
There’s no strategy
You might be able to knock up something that looks OK in a logo builder, but is it really going to appeal to your ideal customers and draw them in? What about the use of colour psychology, or carefully considered font choices? What exactly does your logo SAY to people. Is it obvious what you do and what you stand for?
It doesn’t represent your values
Figuring out the core values of your business is key and always a great place to start. A great designer will be able to take your key business ethos and help you to translate that into a brand personality that perfectly embodies the spirit of how you want your brand to be perceived and how you want your audience to feel about you.
It’s unusable
Many logo builders and cheap design tools will deliver files which are pretty unfit for purpose. Sure, a png or a jpg will be fine for online use, but what if you need to print at large sizes, for example, on a pull up banner? Or what about if you need to get embroidery done for your work wear? Using an experienced designer ensures you’ll get the right files that you’ll need. (Vector files, if you’re wondering.)
It might not really be a logo
Wait, what? Not all ‘logos’ are created equally. If it uses any photos, or is so complicated and intricate that it starts to become more of an illustration, I’d argue that it’s not really a logo at all and won’t cut it for all the different types of usage you’re going to need. When it comes to logo design, the simpler the better. Think Nike and Apple. So simple and so iconic they can just use the shape alone.
There’s no guidelines
You need to future-proof your brand to ensure consistency, no matter who touches it in the future. That means, it’s a great idea to have a brand guidelines document which details, as a minimum, your colour palette and font choices for future reference. You won’t get this with a logo builder tool.
Whilst it seems like a free logo builder can be a great way to save a bit of cash when you’re right at the start of your journey, it really can be worth the investment to get this area nailed down right at the beginning of setting up your business. A skilled designer will give you not just a logo, but an entire brand to build on, looking at your brand personality, tone of voice and core values. Not to mention audience targeting to ensure you’re aiming at the right people.
If that all sounds overwhelming, head over to the resources section on my website for some free branding tools, tips and information, where you can also see additional guides such as the brand clarity workbook which is available for purchase to help nail down your brand.
For more information, and help with setting up your brand correctly from the start, contact me at www.emmajaynecreative.co.uk/contact