Your logo is a powerful part of your brand identity. Studies have shown that brands with expressive, unique logos have a more positive impact on potential customers, increasing the odds of them buying.

Whether you’re starting a business or have had one for years, logo designs often get pushed back in the list of priorities. But the time you save by focusing on something other than designing a brand logo means missing out on increasing brand affinity and potential sales.

The Power of a Distinctive Logo

What makes a logo especially special? Its ability to convey complex ideas into one unique mark. When someone sees a logo, it can influence how they think about it. Researchers found that when a logo is illustrative and descriptive, it makes a pretty strong impression on the person seeing it and even impacts how credible they find the brand’s claims.

Visuals make a stronger impression

The first encounter prospective customers have with your brand is especially powerful. Since over half of brand impressions are visual, your logo and brand identity do a lot of heavy lifting. In studies comparing the recognition of brand names and logos, the “picture superiority effect” takes hold when people try to remember specifics about what they saw.

This effect is an occurrence where images are likelier to be remembered than words. When people see a logo, they can recall it more quickly than the business name itself.

For businesses and personal brands, it makes sense to design a logo that combines distinctive graphics that are simple enough for people to identify yet fairly complex to draw their attention.

Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical logos

People come to different conclusions about a brand’s personality based on its logo design. In a series of studies analyzing the link between logo design and brand perception, researchers wanted to know how its symmetry, or lack of it, affected how people regarded the company itself.

They compared a set of symmetrical and asymmetrical logos, putting them in front of potential consumers. Researchers came across an interesting discovery.

Participants thought the asymmetrical logo designs were more exciting and dynamic.

And this sentiment extended to how they judged the character of the brand. Study respondents regarded these types of logos more positively than symmetrical designs.

So what does this mean for you?

People pay more attention to a logo’s design than you might think. In a survey of US adults, over a third of respondents said they bought a product because it had an interesting logo.

Asymmetry can contribute to building this interest because it stimulates the eye and inspires curiosity. Using this treatment in your logo design will help people see your brand as captivating and worthy of attention.

Symbolism tells your story

Your logo helps tell the story of your brand. Incorporating symbolism into your design can show your origin story, who you serve, and even the benefits you provide as a business, including your unique selling proposition.

Symbolism provides depth to your logo and gives a deeper meaning to its design.

And it deserves to be protected. Using one-of-a-kind design elements with your unique logo can help you shield the brand legally and in the market.

Uncovering strengths and weaknesses

By now, we’ve given you a few reasons why your logo does so much for your business and why having a well-designed one is so important. Conducting a brand audit can help you determine how people perceive your logo and its impact on them.

Working with professional logo designers to perform the audit or design your logo outright can breathe new life into your business. When it’s time to update your logo, the change is manageable, productive, and still reflects the essence of your business.

Why?

Logo designers understand how to tie your business and its brand to the message you want to send. They know how to redesign elements of your brand while preserving precisely what makes it unique.

Create a business logo design that grows with you

A well-designed logo pulls a ton of weight for a business’s brand. It connects people with your products and services, makes it easier to pick your company out of a lineup of competitors, and helps protect the brand from copycats.

Even though there’s some debate about how often a company should update its logo, the test of how well one works is how it evolves with the brand as the organization grows and changes over time.

As you design your next logo, consider how it should grow with your business and its brand.