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When To Use A Text-Only Logo

Guest post by: Erin Ferree

Article Overview: A text logo (also sometimes called a logotype or word mark) is a logo largely made up of the text of the company's name. This type of logo can have some graphic elements-lines, boxes, borders-that interact with, surround, or even form the letters. However, the graphic elements should be used as an accent to the text, not as a major or equally-weighted part of the logo.

When To Use A Text-Only Logo

Text logo A text logo (also sometimes called a logotype or word mark) is a logo largely made up of the text of the company's name. This type of logo can have some graphic elements—lines, boxes, borders—that interact with, surround, or even form the letters. However, the graphic elements should be used as an accent to the text, not as a major or equally-weighted part of the logo.

A text logo works well when:

• You have a multi-word business name. If your business name is made up of many words, that are not commonly or easily abbreviated, or when an abbreviation may not be appropriate developing a text logo will keep the logo design as simple and clean as possible.
• You're working with an innovative, unique business name, as with Yahoo or Google. In each case, the business name is enough to make the logo memorable.
• You're designing a logo for a large company that offers many types of products, services, or a combination of both, that may be hard to define or "wrap up" in a single picture or symbol.
• You're designing a logo "for the long haul"—there is less concern about your company "outgrowing" a text logo—they are timeless and classic.
• Trademark protection is highly important—as long as your business name is unique, then a text logo will also be unique.

A text logo may not be the right choice if:

• Your business name is not unique; this can mean difficulty for building your brand recognition. Then, without a symbol, the logo will be more difficult to remember or to associate with your business.
• Your business name does not describe what you do, it can be hard to tell what products or services you offer when just a text logo is used. Taglines or other graphic elements will need to be employed to tell your audience more about your business.

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Article Tags: brand, branding, characteristics, design, effective, font, graphic design, how to, identity, logo, logotype, marketing, small business

About the Author: Erin Ferree RSS for Erin's articles - Visit Erin's website Erin Ferree is a branding coach, design genius and strategic thinker. She's been told that her right-brain, left-brain combination of creativity and logic is hard to come by... and that it's what small business owners need to be successful. She loves connecting the dots between passion and profit, mixing strategy and inspiration and shaking things up. She deeply enjoys working with entrepreneurs who want to help more people and look good doing it. Who want all of their branding and marketing to make sense and speak to their ideal clients. And who want an open, honest, inviting brand with integrity - instead of using icky, pushy, sleazy marketing tactics and trickery. She's branded over 450 small businesses in the last 10 years. She's been published in so many books and periodicals that she stopped counting. She's shared stages with some awesome people - like Michele PW, Linda Hollander, Lisa Cherney, Sheri McConnell and Kelly O'neil. In the rare moments when she's not obsessing about branding or design, she can be found hugging her corgi-dog Stanley, going for long walks, cooking improvisationally, or throwing parties so her friends can enjoy them. Click here to visit Erin's website More from Erin Ferree How To Brand Your Livestream

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Inspiration for Logos - When a Buddhist looks at a Tibetan flag one of the first thing that pops in their mind is admiration respect. After assimilating that they keep thinking and repression might come next. Living as part of a communist nation may bring lots of feelings. Chastity, prayer, humility all these virtues are all mixed. When you want a client to think of your Logo may this not be an example of what he thinks. Let its all be positive and with hope of something better coming.
Re: Inspiration for Logos - [quote="RussellWebb":3c1ri7h5][quote:3c1ri7h5]When you want a client to think of your Logo. May this not be an example of what he thinks. Let its all be positive and with hope of something better coming.[/quote:3c1ri7h5] Huh? Can you you say this a different way? I'm confused and curious... cause I like messing around with logos...[/quote:3c1ri7h5] I am simply stating: let your product stand out as a star. Don't let it become as complex, Infernal and a blur image as the state of this extraordinary country. In simple terms, let you not be bound or chained to anything that might affect your project. It’s a very round concept it’s more like a metaphor.
How do you value a firm - Hello, I've been trying to raise $50,000 for my online business but every time I approach an investor, they ask me how much is my business currently worth. One person was willing to give me $20,000 but for 33% equity. He says "I value your website for $40,000", I have no idea how he came across that number. My website was developed by a business partner for free but he says he would have charged no less than $15,000 if it was some other client. We are currently generating about 7000 unique visitors after being online for 10 months and we're grossing about $1200 every month. There has to be some value for our developed portfolio and a community of about 500 members and over $5000 we have already spent on link-building for SEO. The name of our business is "Logo Arena" you can search it on google. Please give me some estimate of what it could be truly worth so I can start negotiating equity. Thank You all for your time
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