Launching a new brand? Thinking about re-designing that old out-of-date logo you’ve had for the last decade? Today more than ever, it’s crucial your identity can be used across multiple platforms; social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter, print and online. A logo visually tells the story of your brand.  Your story should instantly translate to the viewer. You’ve got one shot to make an impression with your brand identity. Keep in mind these three important factors when redesigning or creating a new logo.

1. Multi-channel Sizing

Example of using a flexible, square, stacked logo on social media.

Example of using a flexible, square, stacked logo on social media.

Logos end up in so many different places – multiple social media platforms; print and web – and all have different sizing requirements. A logo that looks good on a letterhead or coffee mug might not look as good on a 150 x 150 pixel square on a social media account.

Guarantee your new logo will look amazing on screen or off by getting the right shape. Uniquely shaped logos can be very difficult to work with on social media accounts. You risk having to crop part of your logo or having to scale down very small to fit.

A very long shaped logo, for example, won’t nestle nicely into a square thumbnail on twitter. A logo that is closer to a square shape is best. Having a flexible logo is another great way to set your identity up for success. A flexible logo is a logo that is variable depending on the use.

For example, a company could have a type-based logo that is used in all communications and letterhead, and have a stacked more square variation, which is used for everything involving social media. Depending on your brand, having a flexible logo can be a great solution to using it across multi-channels.

 2.  KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid 

Multi-Channel_BlogPost-Graphics_1Yes, I abide by the KISS method in all things design (well, really in all things). When it comes to creating a logo and identity, simple is BEST.

Having a simplified logo will save you headaches, time, and money, as well as crossover on social media and multiple screen sizes. But don’t underestimate the difficulty of designing a “simple” logo. No matter how simple a logo may look, the process wasn’t. Countless hours, blood, sweat, tears and gray hairs are put into designing a logo.

That said, you may want to think twice about taking up your cousin Kenny’s offer to design your new logo, who designed last year’s golf outing tee-shirt (which was pretty good, considering he did it in Microsoft Word 2007). Incorporating all elements of your brand into a unified, simple, versatile logo that will be used in countless places, telling the story of your brand and looking good, is a challenge. Which brings me to…

3. Hire a Professional (Cough, Responsory is a full-service agency!)

Your logo is your greatest brand asset. Work with someone who is able to understand your needs, communicate your brand and create something unique that you love. You only have one chance to tell your story, make sure you are telling the right story.