5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t DIY Your Logo

OMG!!! We just heard you’re trying to DIY your logo. SAY IT ISN’T SO!

Your Question: “Can I just design my own logo?”

Our Answer:
1. Never.
2. Never, but in bold with exclamation marks and flashing lights. 🚨

Whether you’re launching a new brand or re-branding your current business, it really is never a good idea to DIY your logo — in fact, we’d go so far as to say it’s a pretty awful idea.

We’re going to serve up a hard truth here: A BAD LOGO CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

We’ve all seen them…  the homemade DIY logos that are distorted and ill-fitting; the copycat ones that look like you’ve seen them a zillion times over; the overly “creative” ones that make zero sense at all.

A logo may seem like a minor detail — one that you don’t want to invest too much time or money in; something you can just “design” yourself by using a logo-making program online. WRONG. Maybe you even happen to be an artist or a graphic designer, so surely it’s okay for you to create your own logo. We have no doubt you do brilliant work, but even YOU should just say “no” because it’s hard to be objective about your own brand.

Take that creative streak and DIY a photo gallery wall in your home; DIY that Pinterest-perfect cake; DIY a terrarium. But, stop and do not pass go on a DIY logo.

Here’s why:

1. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. your DNA.

Think about it like this: A logo is a small-but-mighty picture that packs a PUNCH. It tells the BIG story of your brand. It’s your company’s first impression. (And a bad logo could be your company’s first and LAST impression.) A professionally designed logo not only tells people the name of your company, it alludes to your values, your mission, your aesthetic, your professionalism, and more. Don’t you want yours to make a splash in all the right ways?!

2. WOW with your brand’s design IQ.

The WOW factor is where it’s at — with every element of your brand — and your logo sets the tone of your visual identity. It’s the foundation from which every.single.thing related to your brand is built. So iIt has to be the BOMB.com. A professional graphic designer knows how to interpret your ideas and personality and package them into a logo — with just the right CMYK colors to define your brand; the cool, uncommon fonts that make all the difference; and the iconography, imagery, and other illustrative elements to set your brand above and beyond the rest.

3. It’s a Q.C. check.

Quality control is everything when it comes to a logo. What does that even mean?! Well, it’s not just about how one version and one size of your logo looks, it’s about its versatility. This is something that many people forget about — or simply don’t know how to do — when trying to DIY their logo. A successful logo has multiple variations — maybe the primary version is horizontal, but you need a stacked version for social media. Maybe it’s necessary to even have a monochromatic or reversed colorway. You also need several file types for print and digital uses of your logo. A professional designer understands all of this and how important it is to create a versatile logo.

4. Be an O.G.

No one likes a copycat. Even an unintentional copycat. A superstar, VIP logo is all about originality. And, if you’re DIYing your logo based on “inspiration” you’ve seen from other brands, you could be guilty of borrowing a teeny bit too much from someone else. You might not even realize you’re doing it or mimicking a logo you’ve seen before. Oh, and those free online logo makers? Nope. They’re not original, either — at all. Sure, it SEEMS like there are infinity combinations that they somehow spit out for you, but they’re the same commonplace song-and-dance. You can spot the banality a mile away.

5. Don’t test the TM titans.

Speaking of originality, it’s not just about being an O.G. because it’s the cool thing to do. There could be legal ramifications and copyright issues for a DIY logo. For example, how do you know three other businesses don’t have the SAME logo as you because you ripped it from the web or from a make-your-own logo website. Also, did you license that clip art, icon, or image you’re using?! Personal use and commercial use are two very different things here. Not only does a professional designer ensure your logo is a one-of-a-kind original, they know how to do the due diligence surrounding any and every aspect of your logo design.

At CRANK Digital Marketing Authority, when we design a logo, we do a deep dive into your company to really get to the heart of what you’re all about. That means we absorb your brand’s DNA. We learn what you want your logo to look like and how you want to be perceived. We use our expertise to analyze your target audiences and/or intended market and what will resonate with them. We even cross-examine your competitors to ensure your logo WINS in the end.

We deliver the WOW. And we have fun doing it.

Don’t let your logo crash and burn. We’re here to save the day!