Importance of a logo in the digital age

Clients know what you do. But do they know who you are?

The importance of social media is undeniable. Most companies have come to understand it is beneficial to embrace this shift in how they advertise and market themselves, therefore are using Twitter to introduce their business to the social media landscape.

Twitter poses one straightforward question; ‘What are you doing?’

Of course what you are doing as a company says a lot about who you are. However, in terms of updates, this can be answered hourly and in a multitude of ways – as a result the overall quality of your image could be confused by the quantity and variety of Tweets.

Furthermore, the impression left to potential and existing customers becomes harder to control and monitor. For example: your helpful responses to criticisms leaving negative impact instead of doing any good, or the desire to convey yourself as ‘human’ with a few personal Tweets accidentally damaging your professional identity.

So although it is most definitely a phenomenon we encourage our clients to be a part of, using social media does not ultimately serve to produce a clear, concise, and memorable image of your business. And isn't that what you strive most to achieve?

That’s where your logo comes in.

Think of your brand as your stamp and your logo as the mark left from it.
Think of Twitter as a place to share information and build relationships.

By definition Twitter is a social networking site; it is crucial to grasp the meaning of the social bit. Not everything will be read by everyone. Not everything will be remembered. Not everything you say will be taken seriously. Whereas, it is decided immediately that you are as serious about your logo as you are about your business.

How seriously does it appear you take your business if your logo looks like an MS Paint creation?

“Which came first, the logo or the brand?”

Reputation + Company Name & Logo = Brand.

We often deal with clients who dismiss the function of a logo by arguing “it is not the brand.” The simplest response to this is, because your logo has the ability to damage your brand, it should be dealt with as a tangible segment of your brand.

Your brand sets expectations of your company, and your logo is the first part of your brand a client visiting your website sees. If they remember only one piece information from your site, it will be your logo.

Therefore apathetically viewing the logo as merely a ‘space filler’ means you are losing out on using it to your business’ full advantage. An amateur logo undermines your professional credibility, no matter how good your service and website are. A weak logo or weak name undermines company strengths.

Think of a poor logo as the equivalent of turning up in your gym clothes to sell a costumer a product. You wouldn't dream of it. Unless of course you’re selling gym equipment.

For businesses looking to promote changes and attract new customers, reinvention in terms of a website design may not be enough. As your company evolves, you want your image to grow with it. If you want your brand to develop, your logo is an important weapon in your strategy.

A strong logo is an instant visual representation of who you are. It encapsulates and amplifies your corporate image. It attracts the target audience. Look at your current logo and ask yourself: is the best vision you have of your brand emphasised in your logo?

If your answer is no, you are suffering and it’s time to reconsider.