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How to make a company logo: types and criteria
A logo is a short visual brand anchor: a mark, a word, or both. It doesn’t replace product and service, but helps people recognize the company on the site, in ads, and on packaging.
Below: why a logo matters at the start, which types exist, what “works / doesn’t,” and how to order or draft one. Full color, type, and brand-book system — in the identity article.
Why a logo and where it lives
A mark speeds recognition: people see the symbol before they read a long name. At business launch the logo sets the tone of communication — even if you’re not Apple yet.
Carriers: site and favicon, social, cards, letterhead, packaging, signage, ads, uniforms, decks. One “pretty on monitor” file isn’t enough — you need versions for light/dark backgrounds and small size.
Delivery minimum:
- primary logo (horizontal/mark)
- monochrome / reverse
- favicon and avatar
- vector (SVG/PDF) + raster
- short spacing and don’t-do rules
Types: mark, wordmark, combination
A graphic mark (symbol without words) is strong when the image is already known or the niche allows a metaphor. A wordmark is built on the name and distinctive typography — a solid path for a new brand.
A combined option — mark + name — is the most common: it gives flexibility (mark only in the icon, full lockup on the site). Don’t overload the primary mark with founding year and a long slogan.
Criteria for a working logo:
- reads at small size
- differs from niche competitors
- doesn’t depend on a trendy filter
- fits the business character
- scales to print and digital
How to make one: builder, freelance, studio
Builders (Canva and peers) — a fast draft and hypothesis tests. Freelance and crowd platforms give several options from a brief; check portfolio and rights to sources. A studio / brand designer — when you need a system, not one picture.
In the brief describe niche, audience, anti-examples (“not like competitor X”), carriers, and constraints. After choosing the mark, lock colors (HEX/CMYK), fonts, and don’ts — or a “new version” appears in messengers a month later.
What to request from the vendor:
- vector sources
- variants for dark/light backgrounds
- usage rights
- fonts (licenses)
- a short application guide
FAQ
Is a logo the same as brand identity?
No. The logo is a part. You still need palette, fonts, and rules for carriers. Otherwise the mark “floats” in every layout.
Can I make a logo in Canva?
Drafts and variants — yes. A final mark with rights, vector, and guideline is better closed with a designer — especially if the brand is serious.
How many colors are OK?
A guide is 2–3 main ones. Complex gradients and a “rainbow” scale poorly to print and favicon.
Do I need trademark registration?
For a serious brand — yes, separately from “the logo file.” Legal registration ≠ ordering a layout from a designer.
What matters more — uniqueness or simplicity?
Both. A complex mark reads poorly at 16×16 and on a stamp. Copying someone else’s risks claims and confusion.
Need a logo — and only have a pretty PNG that fails as a favicon?
We’ll pick mark vs wordmark, lock vector sources and rights, and fit the sign into identity — not one random Canva draft.
Discuss the task
