So you want to create a logo? Whether you’re commissioning a designer or going it on your own, knowing what type of logo you’re after is a good first step. Here are the five types of logo, ordered by complexity, plus a few examples by yours truly:

Wordmark

Text, generally the name of the business in a stylized, unique font. This is the second most common type of logo and the easiest logo option to DIY. Just find a font you like and type out the name of your business in it!

Lettermark

Initials designed to look unique and memorable. The initials can stand alone or be incorporated into a Combination Mark, which we’ll get to in a minute.

Brandmark

A symbol used alone to represent a brand. This is a risky move for a new company BUT you can always use the symbol along with text. Once your customer base is familiar enough with the symbol, you can use it stand-alone.

Combination Mark

Text plus a symbol. This is the most common type of logo as it both conveys the full name of the business and ties that name to a visual graphic. In some cases, the symbol and text can be split apart and the symbol can be used on its own.

Here are the a few of the Lettermarks and Brandmarks above, used as Combination Marks:

And a few more examples in which the symbol can’t be split from the text so easily, but they’re still Combination Marks:

Emblem

Instead of placing the along side a symbol as in the combination mark, an emblem logo incorporates text into the symbol. This often results in a logo that functions as a badge.

Thats it! Please contact me if I can help you design your new logo!