Logos and branding · Guide
What makes a good logo? 7 qualities to look for
A good logo doesn’t need to be clever or complicated. It needs to be clear, memorable and work everywhere your business shows up. Here are the seven qualities that matter most, and a quick test you can run on your own logo.
3 min read · SiteBuddy guide
A logo is the visual anchor of your brand. It appears on your website, invoices, signage, uniforms and social media, often at very different sizes. That’s why the best logos are usually simpler than people expect.
1. Simple
A simple logo is recognised at a glance. Fine details, thin lines and lots of elements disappear when the logo is small or seen from a distance.
2. Memorable
Could someone describe your logo after seeing it once? A single distinctive idea, such as a shape, a letterform or a symbol, is easier to remember than several ideas competing.
3. Works small and large
Your logo needs to work as a tiny website icon (a favicon) and on the side of a van. Test it at around 32 pixels wide: if it turns into a blur, it needs simplifying or a separate icon version.
4. Works in one colour
Embroidery, stamps, newspaper ads and single-colour printing all need a one-colour version. A strong logo still works in plain black, in white on a dark background, and in your brand colour.
5. Suits your business
The typeface, colours and style should match your business and your customers. A bold, high-contrast mark suits an electrician; a warm, friendly style suits a café; an elegant, light style suits a beauty studio. A logo can be beautiful and still be wrong for the business.
6. Timeless rather than trendy
Trends date quickly. A logo built on clear shapes and good type will last years, which saves you the cost of reprinting everything when a trend fades.
7. Distinctive, and yours
Your logo should not look like a competitor’s, or like a stock icon many other businesses use. Before you register it, search IP Australia’s Australian Trademark Search and try its TM Checker tool to see whether something similar is already registered. For anything beyond that, talk to a trade mark professional.
A logo is part of your brand, not all of it
A logo reaches its full potential when it is used consistently with the same colours, fonts and style across your website, business cards, social media and signage. Consistency makes a small business look established. If you need matching cards, flyers or social graphics, see our graphic design menu.
The files you should have
- SVG: a sharp, scalable file for websites and digital use
- PNG: with a transparent background, for documents and social media
- JPG: for everyday images
- PDF or EPS: print-ready vector files for signage, printing and embroidery
- Colour, black and white versions of each
- A favicon and a social media profile image
Quick test for your current logo
- Someone can describe it after one look
- It is still readable at about 32 pixels wide
- It works in plain black
- It looks right on a dark background
- It suits your business and your customers
- You have the original vector files, not just a JPG
If your logo fails several of these, a refresh can help. That doesn’t always mean starting again: often a simpler version of the same idea does the job.
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