What Makes a Good Logo? Here’s What I Tell People.

Lately I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about logos. So here’s what I tell people who are serious about building a brand.

A logo isn’t supposed to explain your business. A logo is meant to identify it. If people have to decode it, it’s already doing too much.

A logo should be simple. The more complex it is, the faster it gets forgotten—or worse, ignored.

A logo should be memorable. Not because it’s loud, but because it’s distinct and well-crafted.

A logo should be timeless. You don’t want to redesign it every time a trend dies.

A logo should be versatile. It needs to work on a billboard, a business card, a T-shirt, or a favicon—and still feel like you.

A logo should be appropriate. Not just in how it looks, but in what it communicates about your brand.

A logo should be scalable. It needs to hold up at every size, not just in the perfect mockup.

A logo should be legible. A logo that can’t be read is just art.

If your logo doesn’t check these boxes, it might be time to rethink.