Why a Logo Really Is that Important

When you think about a logo for your business, you might not necessarily be fully cognizant of how important it is. Most businesses and new startups realize they need a logo of some kind, but they don’t put a lot of thought into whatever it is.

They may quickly throw something together and then move onto what they see as more important things, but it’s important to put enough time, thought and overall effort into a business logo.

While the first logo was trademarked legally in 1876, the use of branding and ownership marks and images has been around for much longer than that. The concept of the logo originated in ancient Greece, dating as far as 3200 BC.

So what do logos mean for the modern business? The following are some ways logos really are that important.

Logos Are Memorable

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business marketplace, it’s difficult to grab the attention of customers, much less be engrained in their memory. The use of a logo is one of the best ways to create a lasting memory in the minds of the people you’re targeting.

When a logo becomes synonymous with the brand it represents, it can go a long way in keeping your business in the memory of the people you want to reach.

Your logo can leave such a lasting and memorable impression that it does a lot of the work for you when it comes to customer loyalty, and having loyal customers is often a better proposition than constantly trying to secure new customers.

First Impressions

Logos are your first impression. They are the first representation of your company most customers are going to see. A logo, even if we don’t realize it, shapes how we view a brand and also determines whether we’re interested in learning more about that brand.

If there’s something particularly interesting or compelling about a logo, someone viewing it is more likely to want to see more. On the other hand, if a logo is bland or unappealing, the potential customer is likely to see the entire business that way.

Evoking Emotion

You want customers and potential customers to have particular feelings toward your company. The specific emotions you hope to evoke are largely based on what type of business you have, and the customers you’re targeting.

Logos can play a big role in ensuring that you do get the emotional response you’re seeking.

Colors, in particular, are significant in terms of creating emotions. For example, yellow is associated with a sense of energy and happiness. Green is a color consumers are likely to associate with a sense of calm and harmonious feelings. Purple is a color that often makes people feel a sense of luxury and power.

It’s not just the colors of a logo that serve to create emotions and feelings. Every element, even the seemingly small details, can have an impact on consumer psychology. You can let people know what your values and philosophy as a business are, and this helps them decide if you’re the right for them.

For example, are you a fun, relaxed company, or are you more formal? Are you about efficiency, or are you about something else? All of this can be conveyed through a logo. It tells a story for you, in a time when you have only a split second to make an impression on your audience.

Building a Brand

A strong, powerful logo can serve as the foundation for all other marketing. Marketing needs to be streamlined and cohesive. There can’t be mixed messages or mixed branding elements if a business wants to be successful. A logo can anchor everything else a business does regarding branding.

When you’re creating your logo, even if you don’t realize it, you’re also determining the colors, fonts and overall feeling you want your business to take.

Before you create a logo, you might not have any clear idea of the path you want to take in terms of your marketing and branding. However, once you create a logo, it can lead you down other paths that you might not have otherwise considered.

Finally, when you’re creating a logo, you’re also building your targeted audience. Your logo can speak to the people you want to reach, in a segmented way. There are certain colors and design elements that are going to appeal to certain demographics more than others, and that kind of targeted marketing is so important to businesses.