When starting a business, many different things need to be taken care of to get your new brand up and running – a big one of these is your logo design. Your logo is likely to be one of the first interactions people have with your business and it is an opportunity to make a solid first impression. It should show you deliver quality service and visually state your purpose.
Generally, business owners fall into one of two categories when it comes down to getting a logo design. Some opt to hire a professional graphic designer to create it while others choose to do it themselves with an online logo maker. Whilst it is generally cheaper, there are pros and cons of using online logo makers, let’s take a look!
Pros of using an online logo maker
Easy to use
Online logo makers are easy to use, even if you have minimal design experience. The tools are generally user-friendly and as such work seamlessly and quickly.
Quick to work with
They can present multiple designs in minutes. If you need your logo ASAP and are happy to choose from a preset option, then an online logo maker could be faster than hiring a professional graphic designer.
Options at your fingertips
An online logo maker can evaluate multiple factors and then generate a logo. You can then edit the fonts, style, graphics, colours and effects – if you have time to tinker with all of the options.
Unlimited revisions
Some graphic designers* put a limit on the revisions they will make for you. By using an online logo maker, the only thing holding you back is your patience, you can tweak and adjust as many times as you like.
*lvfg creative offers unlimited revisions on logo designs – your satisfaction is paramount so we work on it together until you are happy!
Cheap
Many of the online logo makers are free or charge a small fee. It is worth noting that free ones tend to leave a watermark on your logo.
Cons of using an online logo maker
Can look unprofessional
With the best will in the world, but no understanding of design fundamentals, you could end up creating a logo that lacks a professional finish.
Has limits
Online logo makers offer multiple options but there is still a limit to those options – you might get close to your vision but unable to complete it. A professional graphic designer can create your logo design, without limits.
Not original
If particular options are available to you, then they are available to everyone else. This means that another person can make the same logo as you which could be detrimental to your business.
Lacking personal touch
When a graphic designer creates a logo, they put their heart and soul into it – their goal is to design your vision. They’ll do market research and even show you concepts you haven’t thought of. Online logo makers don’t do this!
Copyright
If your logo isn’t an original design, there is the possibility you could get into copyright issues. You will be unable to register your logo as a trademark because it uses templates that are available to anyone. See this excerpt from a very popular online logo maker:
“XX’s logo templates are customizable and can be used by anyone. This means that your rights to the logo are non-exclusive and you can’t register it as a trademark.”
Final thoughts
As a professional graphic designer, I am a bit biased when it comes to using online logo makers although I made the list of pros and cons as impartially as possible. Here’s where I stand:
A logo is more than just graphics, colours and fonts. It should show you deliver quality service and visually state your purpose. Your logo design will be on your products, website, business cards, social media and most importantly, in the minds of your customers. Yes, you may love butterflies and you’ve dreamed of using butterflies in your logo … but it may not be right for your business. Working with a professional logo designer can open up a whole world of possibilities that can spark your imagination and help define your business.
Using an online logo maker can be quite overwhelming. At first, it all seems fun and exciting, playing around with the settings and finding all of the cool graphics and fonts. But there are a lot of possibilities to trawl through, and in the nicest way possible, you are not a designer… and that is okay. It can be fun and even beneficial to look through the options to help you get some ideas from generated logos. But at the end of the day, your logo design will be on your products, website, business cards, social media and most importantly, in the minds of your customers. You want it to represent your business in the best light, so get a professional logo designer to do it.
That said, I do think that these tools can be useful in some circumstances:
- School or community clubs
- Helping your child start their own business with a simple logo
- Small non-profit organisations
- Becoming acquainted with basic design principles
