For many small business owners, a logo can easily become an afterthought as you focus your time and energy on other elements of your business. After all, you went into business to provide specialized goods or services that you’re passionate about — not to become a marketer. However, marketing and branding are crucial for business growth and continued success.
Your logo is the symbol of your business, and it may be what potential customers remember most about your business. A solid logo can grab attention and convince potential clients to give you a try, while a subpar logo can lead clients to choose a competitor’s services over yours, regardless of your superior quality.
So how do you know when to update your logo design? Here are some thoughts on when you should update.
Your logo is a symbol for “Throwback Thursday.”
Times and styles change, and so do logos. Updating your logo is not a sign of failure. Rather, it’s a sign of success. It shows that your business thrived in the previous era to get to the current era. Now your business is ready to thrive in the current era so it begins the next era strong. The only way to stay successful is to stay relevant to the current times, and that includes a modern logo.
Many top companies have changed their logos over the year. Pepsi-Co, Coca-Cola, Apple, Shell, and Volkswagen are just a few of the big names with a history of logo updates. If these huge international companies can change their logos to keep up with the times, maybe you should, too.
Your company’s focus has changed.
Your company’s focus can change over time and put your original logo out of date. For example, you might have started out as a children’s art teacher with a somewhat disciplined logo representing painting and sculpture. Over time, you might have changed your focus to leading art projects at children’s parties. Your new logo may need to be more fun, colorful, and celebratory to capture the mood that potential clients are looking for you to provide.
The market’s climate has changed.
Times change, and so do consumer preferences. Being in business for a while is a good thing, but not if your logo promises to deliver what was popular decades ago when you started. Health-conscious customers want organic and local, not fat-free and low-carb as they did in the 1990s and 2000s.
Here are some more examples of how the market changes and your logo should, too.
- Landscaping: A logo that shows lush greenery may have implied luxury no so long ago, but now you might be better off advertising drought-tolerant landscapes as the focus on saving water increases.
- Architecture: Large homes may have been the American dream in the past, but millennials now want space saving efficient homes, and your logo should reflect that.
- Fashion: If your logo features round-toed pumps popular in the 1990s, potential customers might run the other way in search of a designer who understands their look.
Your logo is not friendly for modern marketing.
Marketing has changed. If your business started more than a few years ago, you might have designed your logo with paper media in mind: think mailings, newspaper ads, and phone books. Those media are nearly obsolete; now, your logo needs to be suitable for social media and online ads. That means your logo must:
- Be effective whether large or small — think smartphones versus desktop computers.
- Be comprehensible in black and white or color depending on where it’s displayed.
- Look right on printed business cards as well as on digital media.
- Convey your business message at a glance as viewers scroll down a page.
You may spend most of your time and energy on your specialty, but you still need to market your business to be successful. Since your logo represents your business, you want it to be professional, accurate, and current. These tips can help you decide whether it is time to update your logo and what to consider as you do so.
> If you think your logo could use a refresh, browse through some of our logo maker templates to get some new design ideas.
