Free logo design services are not free

Branding TipsGraphic DesignLogo Design

Logo design is one of the first things a company undertakes to establish a brand image and corporate identity. A good logo represents and symbolises what the company stands for and carries the company’s credibility on its shoulders.  Most companies spend a lot of money on custom logo design because they know that a good logo must be appropriate, aesthetic and reliable. A good logo should penetrate its way through people’s minds and carve a place for itself. An alternative option would be to go to a “free” online logo-maker because you think it’s the faster and cheaper way of getting a logo for your company, but is it really? We will be discussing why using a “free” logo service might not be the best option for your company but first let’s look at some of the reasons you may need a new logo.

8 signs you need invest in a new logo

Your brand is growing

If you are going through growth in your company, now is the best time to upgrade your logo and have it stay in line with your corporate identity. Your business is gaining new attention and you want to generate a positive and lasting first impression on new and potential clients. A fresh and unique logo is one way to do this.

Want to connect to your customers

A well designed logo can make a significant difference on how well you reach your clients. Creating authentic connections with your customers is an essential step in growing and expanding your business. A distinct and aesthetically appealing logo can be used to make your brand more recognisable.

Having trouble standing out

If you have trouble standing out and always competing with your competitors, you might want to look at re-doing your logo to give you a strategic advantage. An elegant and distinct logo can really set you apart from your competitors. Usually keeping your logo simple is the best way, having a logo with too much detail might make it less memorable.

You don’t have consistent media branding

Another very important thing to consider is the fact that your clients will expect to see you on social media. It is important to be consistent with your branding throughout all social media platforms, or people could loose interest on your brand. Consistency shows your customers that you are reliable and focusses, as such you need a logo that can be used across multiple social media platforms.

Preparing for a new product

When you are about to launch a new product, you have to pay attention to how you are presenting yourself. A good way to start is by your logo design, make sure its memorable so your brand is instantly recognised where ever it is advertised. Launching a new product or service is a great opportunity for your business to gain new clients and you need a logo that will draw in audiences.

You want to influence potential customers better

You would be surprised as to how much your logo can influence a customer’s reaction to your brand – the better the logo, the better customers are influenced into trusting your brand. Look at recreating your logo to have a stronger impact on your target market, try not making your logo look cheap or rushed as people will lose trust in your brand.

Your logo is made In-House

If your logo was created by someone who was merely given the task to design a logo and does not have any background in designing, you might want to consider looking at redoing your logo again. Having a professional graphic designer to do your logo means that you get experience-backed designs and different design elements will be taken into consideration to give you the most unique and professional logo.

Your logo has not been updated in a long time

It is important to keep your logo updated with the latest trends. You will notice even some of the most well-known logos update their logos every few years to keep it fresh and interesting. Yes, there could be risks in updating your brand but if it’s done by a professional graphic designer you have nothing to worry about.

8 reasons why you shouldn’t make use a “free” logo maker

So you have decided you need a new logo and you are tempted to go to a “free” logo maker, here are 8 reasons why you shouldn’t.

Free logo makers lack original graphics

One of the most important things when considering your new logo design is to have an original design that strongly represents your business in the best way possible. Hiring a professional graphic designer to create your logo will give you the flexibility to create an original design, knowing that what you will be getting a high-quality logo based off of the designer’s experience. On the other hand, using a free logo maker will give you limited graphics and colours as all the designs are predesigned, and chances are there could be somebody who already has a similar logo as the one you are getting.

Lack of creativity in fonts

The key to a good logo is to have the complete freedom when designing, this won’t be possible using a free online logo maker. You will always be limited by what the site or platform offers you. Free logo maker would be fine for a “Quick Fix” but do you really want to limit yourself with a quick logo to represent your company moving forward? The answer is no. You want a range of creative freedoms, all the way to the choice of font.

Less Creative features to enhance your logos

As cheap and as quick as online logo makers can be, they are also very limited in their ability to offer you additional style features. Special styling features like drop shadows, special layering effects or a bevel/3D look help to enhance your logo. These “free” logo makers either don’t offer these features or if they do, they do so at an additional cost or a premium subscription. So not so free after all.

No consultation from professional experts

If you decide to go with the free online logo maker, you won’t have any professional team to turn to should you need advice or suggestions. Even if you know what you are looking for in a logo, it is always a good idea to ask industry professionals for suggestions, advice and consultation as to the latest trends as this will greatly benefit your logo design and use of it in future.

Hidden Charges could accrue

Online free logo makers aren’t as free as you think they are. The could possibly charge you towards the end of the logo process, holding your logo hostage and thus wasting time and money. Or as mentioned previously they could limit you to options until you upgrade to premium. So, either way you will still pay but get less quality, freedom and control at the end of the process.

Unable to customise your logo design

This is a big problem when using free online logo maker. You won’t have the ability to customise your logo graphics or colour as you please, customisation is an important part of growing you brand and sticking with the trends, also always being ahead of your competition.

Limited resources & technical help

Another reason to reconsider online logo makers is because you won’t have technical help or other resources that may help you build your brand. Not only that, you won’t get all the different file formats like JPEG’s, PNG’s, Vector PDF’s and the original files for you to use on different platforms.

No access to copyright & trademark

When you use the free online you won’t have human resources who can advise on how to go about trademarking your logo, Additionally, you could risk having the exact same logo or similar logo to someone else and you won’t be able to trademark your logo.

The Bottom Line

As much as an online free logo design is tempting by promising to be quicker and cheaper, it really is not. You will end up being limited by options to improve your logo in future, spend more money than you planned and risk having your brand/logo not noticed. Your logo is the face of your company and therefore needs to be appealing and have an everlasting impression on potential customers. In order to achieve a strong brand and corporate identity, it is always advised to go to professional graphic designers so that you will not be limited in design scope and you will be able to continually grow your company. Cognite believes in creating unique and custom logos for your business to reflect your identity and vision, get in touch today to find out more and avoid unexpected costs.