Whether you are marketer, designer, or any other type of creative artist, it’s important to know what to do to create the best designs possible. Not only does your brand’s success depend, at least in part, on your design, but you may be responsible for creating excellent site designs for your clients if you do logo design, branding or graphic design for others.
As creative as it is to be a designer or marketer for a brand, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, it’s important to also be organized. By creating a systemized order of things that is easy to manage and maintain, you can cut out a lot of the confusion and chaos when you are creating a design or planning a design logo for yourself or a client.
21 Point Checklist
We have created a 21-point checklist that you can use as a great resource when you are planning a design or marketing project. Some tips apply to design only or marketing only while others apply to both.
1. Study your target audience and run experiments.– If you are going to create the best logo or graphic design for your brand (or our client’s brand), you need to get to know your target audience. You can do this in a number of ways such as studying your customer service emails, doing split A/B testing or experiments on your target audience, and other lean UX that will help you know who they are.
2. Think about the functionality of your design.– One of the most important things to consider when planning your design is to consider the purpose and functionality. Think about how and where your logo will be used and plan it so that it will be compatible with all channels and contexts where you will use it.
3. Make a list of the social media networks where the design will reside.– If you are going to create graphics that will work on social media, it’s important to know what type of specifications are required for each one. Facebook has very different specifications and requirements for logos and graphics than Twitter does, for example. Pinterest and Instagram, though they are both photo-based services, require various measurements for the photos for them to look right on the platform. Study the requirements before creating the graphics and logos so that you won’t waste time having to do it over.
4. Check for uniqueness– As you start creating the design, you should ask yourself if the logo or graphic is unique. If it is not, what can you do to improve on the graphic? If you got the graphic from an online service, be sure it is not copyrighted or you may not be able to use it in a commercial setting.
5. Consider the evergreen status– If a logo is “evergreen,” it means that it will last beyond the circumstances of the present day. Your business logo should be able to be used in a variety of contexts and to work for your business for a long time. You don’t want to have to make too many changes too often.
6. Line up your resources and tools– In order to create a strong and lasting logo, you need to have the tools to create it. Consider and shop around for the best design software before starting on your design. Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw are two you may want to consider.
7. Create video ads using the graphic– Videos are a great way to create your marketing ad. Think about how to include your logo or graphics within the video ad. Make a list of ways you will use the graphic within the video ads. Then create a motion graphics video with the graphic as part of the ad.
8. Make a list of freelance designers that you can outsource to.– When creating a logo, you may want to make a list of potential freelancers that can help you to design your logos or your clients’ logos if you decide to take it on yourself.
9. Create a marketing budget for your ad strategy.– It’s important not to overextend when it comes to budgeting for your marketing and design. Plan your digital design project carefully and allow for more time and expense than you think it could take. You never know what kinds of issues you could run into once you get into it.
10. Create three versions of your logo.– By creating at least three versions of your logo, you can look at each one and decide which one is best.
11. Consider colors and fonts carefully.– One of the most important aspects of a logo is the color and fonts that you choose. Think about and compare different colors that will influence the overall impact of your choices.
12. Look at other logos to get ideas.– If you look at what others have done with their logo, you can make a more informed decision for your own logo.
13. Check out design portfolios.– By looking over the design portfolios of various designers and marketers, you can see what professional designers or marketers can do for you.
14. Make sure it is versatile.– Versatility is important for your logo if you plan to market it on multiple channels and platforms.
15. Ask for revisions if hiring a professional design team.– Most design firms will allow you to ask for multiple revisions in order to get the result you need.
16. Ask for input from the target audience.– Do a short experiment that will give you input from your target audience so that you can create a design that they are more likely to respond to and like.
17. Ask for previews along the way.– By knowing how the progress is going along the way, you will be able to judge whether you are getting the results you want.
18. Create an automated social media posting schedule for your logo and ads.– We all know social media can be one of the biggest time wasters on the internet. The same holds true for online businesses and brands as well. Save time and get more done by automating your social media updates, outreach, and scheduling.
19. Use creative design software to fine-tune your design.– While everyone might feel like they are a designer, it’s really the design tools we all use that make us experts. When attempting to create a website or logo design, be sure to play around with a wide range of design tools and software. Some of the best tools on the internet are free or come with a free trial.
20. Bookmark digital marketing sites for later reference.– When is the last time you came across a really great online resource or tutorial that provided you with value? It probably happens quite often, but many times we will forget when or where it was. Build up a solid collection of online tools and resources by starting a new bookmarking list within your browser. This wil definitely come in handy later on.
21. Check out a professional design team like logodesignteam.com.– When all else fails, or if you simply would like to outsource the process to a professional design time, consider you options with Logo Design Team. With thousands of designs already created, there is no doubt you will be happy with the final result.
Work with the Best. Work with Web Design Team.
At Web Design Team, we understand that there are many things to remember when designing, organizing, and creating your online website, brand or graphic assets. We have been creating professional logos and site designs for businesses for well over a decade to help online business owners to promote their business and brands.
Check out our online portfolio and then contact us for a free quote. We will give you as many revisions as you need and stay in touch with you as we progress so that you will know what the final result will be.
Don’t forget to use our checklist if you plan to do it yourself or contact us and we’ll help you get it done! Either way, make sure you focus on quality. Your online logo, brand, and identity may be with you for a very long time!