How To Make a Good Logo: The Dos and Don'ts

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A logo is the secret sauce behind your brand. It’s your company’s personality packed into one simple, powerful design. But does that mean you need to hire a designer to make a business logo? Luckily not. These days, you can use a free logo maker to design a logo that is professional, aesthetic and meaningful without needing to be a graphic design expert.

Good logo design comes down to following a few simple rules. We spoke with Ofra Lior, Social Design Team Lead at Wix, who shared some helpful logo design easy tweaks. From using handwritten fonts the right way to creating a balanced design, these insights can make a big difference in your brand logo design process. Here are our tips on how to make a good logo.

Want to design your own logo? Start creating now.

01. Explore conceptual icons

In logo design, an icon is a simplified visual that captures the spirit of your brand. A common misconception is that your icon should literally be an image showing what your product or service is. While this may benefit some, it doesn’t have to be the case for all businesses. You can explore more conceptual (or even abstract) icons to emphasize what it is your company does.

Consider Nike, for example. The iconic “swoosh” icon evokes the feeling of movement and speed. Very fitting for a sportswear brand. Think of your icon as a symbol rather than a picture. It needs to be highly visual, recognizable and capable of evoking emotion. The advantage of a more graphic icon is that it can often carry more visual weight. Ideally, your icon should be simple enough that clients can recall it even after one quick glance online or offline.

If you need a little logo inspiration, you can take a look at this complete guide on how to design a logo.

02. Use the space you have

For most businesses, an icon is simply not enough to fully express their brand identity. If you use a logo maker, you will have a variety of options to insert your name and tagline. Also known as a slogan, taglines are dramatic phrases that sum up the tone and premise of a brand.

Now, not every company has a tagline. And that’s okay, but it doesn’t mean you should let this valuable space go to waste. If your name allows it, you can break it up into two lines while keeping the same font and size for both lines.

03. Play around with caps or lowercase

When it comes to good logo design for your business, sometimes it’s the small details that make all the difference. Something as simple as playing around with letter case could bring your typeface and trademark to a whole new level.

Traditionally, uppercase logos give off a strong message of authority, while the use of lowercase exudes a more approachable, casual vibe. That’s not to say you can’t utilize uppercase text while softening the appearance with your choice of colors. It’s all a matter of balance. Learn how to make a text logo that suits your brand.

04. Consider handwritten fonts

Creative typography remains to be one of the major logo design trends. Specifically, handwritten fonts are some of the best fonts for logos. They offer a quirky and authentic feel that is sure to delight any customer.

Handwritten typography is especially effective when used as the font of your tagline. If you’ve opted for one of these font styles, then this logo design tip is for you. Often the use of caps for handwritten fonts make them seem less authentic, so take that into account.

Tip: You can hire a professional designer from the Wix Marketplace, or create your own fonts. If you need to understand pricing options, read more about logo design cost to see what fits your budget.

05. Balance your tagline

Let’s talk about your tagline. A simple rule to follow to ensure that your brand logo makes sense is to always make your tagline shorter than your name. This is why we suggest going for no more than 25 to 30 characters. For the same reason, if you’re using a thicker font for your name, it’s best to use a thinner (or more basic) one for your tagline.

06. Adjust your name and tagline

Here’s the golden rule of design—it’s all about visual balance. Although smaller in dimension, your tagline should always be perfectly aligned with your name. This will give your viewers and potential clients a natural sense of harmony. In the situation where either your name or tagline is considerably longer, you can easily solve that by adjusting the font or size of either element.

07. Let your logo breathe

Just like the Mona Lisa, some logos look best when surrounded by a beautiful frame. If you decide to go in this direction, be sure to leave enough space between your chosen frame and logo. In essence, allow your logo some breathing room. If things are looking a little cramped, simply enlarge the frame or decrease the font size.

08. Ensure readability

Your logo will be used in all your branding assets, from the header of your website to your business cards. Regardless of where your logo appears, your text should always be readable. To ensure this, take note of the text size and font that you use, and check the final result on various platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), and from different devices (desktop, smartphone, tablet, etc.).

If your logo is too difficult to read, what was the point of designing it in the first place? In order for your logo to serve its entire purpose, make sure it’s readable in any situation, for any potential customer.

09. Create a scalable design

Here’s how to make a good logo—make sure your entire logo design is scalable. Big or small, wherever your logo appears, it should always look sharp and recognizable. This includes both the text (as mentioned above), and any other elements.

Logos that are too detailed or intricate may be challenging to scale down to a smaller size. There is no “one size fits all” for logos, but ensuring that your logo is a high resolution vector that can be adapted to various sizes and file types means it will look good in any setting. If you want to familiarize yourself better, you can read more about logo sizes for various contexts. You can also check out some real life logo examples, designed internally by Wix experts for a real business.

10. Give your background contrast

Following the theme of visibility, another way to guarantee your logo is always ‘seen’ is by selecting a background color that gives enough contrast with your text. If the color of your text is white, go for a darker background color, such as black. So small, yet so effective.

Be mindful of your color palette in general, as colors are very powerful when it comes to inspiring specific emotions, be it love, happiness, drive or something else. Consider getting more familiar with color psychology, the color wheel and the concept of color space to ensure you're using the best combination of colors for your logo.

11. Align all your elements

We hate to sound like a broken record, but this logo design tip goes back to the golden rule of design. Once all of your elements (name, tagline and icon) are present, it’s imperative that they are well-balanced as a whole. In fact, paying attention to alignment, symmetry and negative space are key components of logo psychology.

While there are no set in stone rules, in order to be on the safe side, we suggest that you align all your elements in the same direction: left, center, or right. Remember, your logo design and content should be one (small happy family).

12. Size up your icon

The size of your icon affects the placement of certain other elements of your logo. Your icon should never be smaller in height than that of your text. To fix this, you can size up your icon to the same height as your text or even make it slightly bigger.

13. Know your competition

Be sure to look at competing brands to see what logos communicate effectively to your target audience, and which ones are missing the mark. Analyzing competitors' logos can not only help you gain strategic insights, but can help you differentiate yourself from the pack.

For example, if all your competitors stick to monochromatic wordmark logos, try designing a logo with color or unique typography to help your brand stand out.

14. Stay as timeless as possible

A classic never goes out of style. While design trends come and go, it can be tempting to follow the latest fad. Using short timed design trends is a pitfall you want to avoid.

Since your logo is the heart of your brand identity and will appear across all your branding touchstones (social medial, email marketing, business card and other places), it's worth putting in the time and energy, right off the bat. This way you can be sure your logo will stand the test of time and look good 5, or even 10 years down the road.

15. Be memorable

One of the best logo design tips we can share is to make your logo unforgettable. You want customers to not only notice your logo, but to remember it long after. Try to think of some logos that are particularly memorable to you. Why do they stand out? It's likely the positive association to the product of service that comes to mind.

That said, you want people to create positive and meaningful associations with your brand, and a good logo is just the way to do so. Some of the most notable and memorable logos like McDonald's, Coca-Cola, IBM, Visa and Apple are simple, direct and clearly represent the brand. If you stay true to your brand values, hold on to the concept of personalization, and design a logo that effectively communicates who you are, the easier it will be for people to recall your logo and think of your brand.

"The logo becomes a visual representation of the business's values and emotions in a single glance. Simplicity is key for memorability and adaptability across platforms."

Yaya Aaronsohn, Head of Brand Maker at Wix

How not to make a logo

Creating a logo is one of the most exciting parts of building a brand—but it’s easy to make mistakes. DIY-ing or working with a designer? Avoiding these common missteps will help your logo stay timeless and work across your website, packaging, social media and more.

What not to do when designing a logo: 15 common (and costly) mistakes

01. Font frenzy

Using too many fonts or ones that don’t pair well can make your logo look cluttered and confusing. A simple and consistent typography choice helps people recognize and remember your brand. Stick to one or two fonts that complement each other, reflect your brand’s personality and stay easy to read at any size.

02. Color overload

Using too many colors in your logo doesn’t make it vibrant—it makes it messy. A simple color palette looks more thoughtful and polished, plus it’s easier to use across different formats. Stick to two or three colors that match your brand vibe to keep things consistent.

03. Copycat syndrome

It can be tempting to pull ideas from popular logos, but copying others can make your brand feel unoriginal and might even cause legal issues. Your logo should reflect what makes your business unique. Focus on creating something that stands out and feels true to who you are.

04. Trend trap

Design trends change quickly—what feels fresh now might seem outdated soon. Following the latest fads too closely can make your brand feel dated fast. Instead, focus on creating a logo that's timeless, clean and reflects who you are, rather than what's trending.

05. Detail disaster

Too many intricate lines, patterns or small details can make your logo hard to read when it’s scaled down. Strong logos are simple, easy to recognize at a glance and look great everywhere, from social media icons to signage, without losing impact.

06. Spacing sabotage

Even with great elements, a logo can lose its impact if the spacing isn’t right. Uneven kerning, misaligned shapes and awkward margins make designs look unbalanced and unprofessional. Paying attention to spacing brings harmony to a design and highlights attention to detail.

07. One-color wonder (in a bad way)

If your logo relies on color to work, it’s time to rethink it. Consider how it’ll look in black and white or grayscale on things like invoices, receipts or basic branding materials. A good logo should hold up without the help of color.

08. Effects overdose

Effects like shadows and gradients can add flair, but using them too much can make a logo feel outdated and busy. If your logo relies on these tricks to look good, it might not be strong enough on its own. Focus on clean lines and solid shapes that stand out without extra decoration.

09. Platform fail

A logo might look great on your website but fall flat on a mobile app icon or product label. Your design has to work across platforms and sizes—from social media to packaging—so it stays recognizable wherever it’s used.

10. Pixel problem

Using low-resolution images or raster formats like JPGs can leave you with blurry, distorted logos. A professional logo needs to be in vector format so it scales cleanly for anything from a business card to a billboard.

11. All text, no punch

Text-only logos often feel generic in busy markets. Wordmarks can work well, but adding a small icon, monogram or creative twist can make your brand more memorable and adaptable across formats.

12. Symbol soup

Packing too many ideas or symbols into a single logo usually backfires. Instead of coming across as smart, it just feels messy. Keep your design clean and focused—your logo should make sense at a glance, not leave people guessing.

13. Culture clash

What looks like a cool shape or color to you might mean something completely different in another culture. If your brand connects with diverse or global audiences, it’s important to make sure your logo won’t offend or confuse anyone.

14. Emotionless design

Even a great logo can miss the mark if it doesn’t spark any emotion. Your logo should reflect your brand’s energy—bold and adventurous or calm and trustworthy. Focus on designing with feeling so it creates a stronger connection with your audience.

15. Strategy skip

Designing a logo without understanding your brand’s mission, voice and audience is like picking an outfit without knowing the occasion. Your logo is the face of your brand, and it should reflect your purpose and personality, not just look good on its own.

Tips to choose the best logo

Your logo is like a handshake—it’s the first impression of your brand. It should reflect who you are and connect with your audience. Start by defining what you stand for. Are you bold and edgy or classy and trustworthy? Think about your audience too. Use fonts, shapes and colors that match your vibe.

Make sure your logo works everywhere—big or small, from app icons to billboards. Keep it simple. Overcomplicated designs lose impact when resized and trendy styles can feel outdated fast. Go for something timeless and unique. Skip generic icons or overused templates and focus on fresh ideas that stand out. Once you have a design you like, get feedback from others to ensure it’s working as intended.

Start with your brand identity: Understand your values, voice and what sets you apart before jumping into design.
Design for your audience: Pick colors, shapes and fonts that resonate with the people you want to reach.
Make it flexible and scalable: Your logo should look great at any size, in color or black and white, and across different formats.
Be original: Skip the clip art and trendy designs—go for something that’s uniquely yours.
Get honest feedback: Share your top choices with others and listen to what they think before locking it in.
Keep it simple: Clean, easy-to-read designs are more memorable and practical.
Let color work for you: Choose colors that reflect your brand’s personality and vibe.
Experiment fearlessly: Try different styles and directions until you land on the one that feels right.

How to integrate your logo into your business

Your business logo isn’t just for your website—it’s your brand’s signature, the mark that says “This is us.” It should appear wherever customers connect with you, from packaging to social media. Make sure it matches your brand’s vibe. Keep it consistent, stylish and true to who you are.

Use it on your website and social media. Your company logo should be prominently displayed on your website and social media pages. This will help to create a consistent brand experience for your customers.
Include it on your marketing materials. Your logo should be included on all of your marketing materials, such as business cards, brochures, flyers and email signatures. This will help you increase brand awareness and recognition.
Add it to your products and packaging. If you sell products, you can add your logo to them directly or to the packaging. This is a great way to get your logo in front of potential customers.
Use it in your office and retail space. Your logo can also be used in your office and retail space. For example, you can display it on signs, walls and uniforms. This will help to create a professional and branded environment for your customers and employees.
Partner with other businesses. You can also partner with other businesses to cross-promote your brands. For example, you could offer each other discounts or give away each other's products or services. This is a great way to reach a new audience and get your company logo in front of more people.

Learn more: How to create a website

Bring your logo to life

So you’ve created a business logo—now what? A great logo isn’t made to sit in the corner of your website. It belongs everywhere your brand is, helping people recognize you instantly. Here’s how to use your logo in practical, creative and industry-specific ways.

Clothing brand logo

If you're starting a fashion line and wondering how to make a brand logo, think wearable and recognizable. Your logo should work as a tag, a chest print or a tiny stitch on a sleeve. Use it on packaging too—branded tissue paper, custom tape or holographic stickers are great options. Behind-the-scenes details matter just as much. Add your logo to lookbooks, pop-up banners, hangers and sizing labels. The goal? Make your logo feel like it’s part of the clothes, not just stuck on them.

Travel agency logo

For travel brands, how to make a business logo starts with designing something that represents movement, adventure or escape—then using it to build trust across channels. Think custom passport holders, itinerary templates, travel gear and luggage tags. Turn your logo into a stamp or seal to "approve" trip plans or Instagram posts. You could even include subtle versions on travel photo albums you give to clients after their trip. It’s all about creating a brand people want to take with them.

Restaurant logo

When designing a logo for your food or drink business, keep it bold enough to grab attention from a distance and versatile enough to look great on a to-go box. Use it on napkins, coasters, receipts, menus or coffee cups. Create a simple icon version for social media highlight covers or as wall art in your restaurant. A great logo reflects your restaurant’s vibe and turns everyday items into moments people want to snap and share.

Hotel logo

Wondering how to make a company logo for a hotel or boutique stay? Design with class and consistency in mind. Once you’ve finalized your logo, use it across your front desk signage, stationery, key cards, robes, slippers and welcome notes. Think about the full guest experience—branded soap, custom door hangers, water bottles and “Do Not Disturb” signs. You can even project it subtly on the lobby floor or elevator screen for a touch of understated luxury. Your logo should feel like a seamless part of the stay, not an afterthought.

Fitness brand logo

For fitness businesses, creating a brand logo means thinking bold, energizing and motivational. Once you have the design, put it on gym walls, resistance bands, yoga mats, digital programs and fitness challenges. Make a sweat-proof sticker version for water bottles or protein shakers. If you’re building an app or running virtual classes, keep the logo visible during countdown timers or on intro screens. Turn it into something people want to wear—on shirts, in transformation posts or while crossing the finish line.

Gaming brand logo

Gaming logos should be bold, sleek or even a little chaotic—whatever matches your vibe. Once you’ve designed your logo, use it everywhere: animate it for stream intros, stamp it on controllers, light it up behind your Twitch overlay or flash it during loading screens. Create merch like mousepads or caps or turn your logo into a badge fans can earn or share. In gaming, your logo is your banner—fly it loud and proud.

Podcast logo

Your podcast logo is like the face of your voice—it has to stand out visually since your audience won't see much else. So how do you create a great podcast logo? Keep it simple, clear and scalable. Use it everywhere: on your cover art, animated audiograms, YouTube intros, guest invites and merch like mugs or beanies. Stick with the same logo for episode thumbnails and include it in emails or blog recaps.

The golden rules of logo design

Simplicity: A good logo should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid complex designs that can be difficult to remember or reproduce.
Memorability: A good logo should be memorable and easy to recognize. Aim for a design that is unique and stands out from the competition.
Versatility: A good logo should be versatile and able to be used in a variety of mediums and sizes. It should look good in both black and white and color, and it should be scalable to any size without losing its impact.
Relevance: A good logo should be relevant to your brand and target audience. It should reflect your brand values and personality, and it should appeal to your customers.

How to make a good logo FAQ

What do I need to know before creating a logo?

Before creating a logo, you should have a clear understanding of your brand and target audience. You should also have a good understanding of the principles of design.

Here are some things to consider before creating a logo:

What are your brand values?
What is your target audience?
What is your brand personality?
What colors and fonts represent your brand?
What are your competitors' logos like?

How to make a good logo: the dos and don’ts