6 Types of Logo Designs and How to Choose the Right One for Your Business

Your logo is one of the first things your potential clients see. Its importance cannot be questioned, as first impressions matter.

Surely, you want your logo to be outstanding and unique. But how to get this?

Designing a logo may seem simple. But is it really? Everything from the logotype, color, and typography to the ideas, values, and feelings that describe your business should be considered.

In this article, you'll learn about the essentials of logo design: why it's important, key elements and types of logos, how to choose the right style for your business, when it's time for a refresh, common mistakes to avoid, and the latest trends in design.

Enjoy your reading!

Why is Logo Design Important?

A logo means more than just making your brand name look really nice.

• It identifies your brand.
• Make your business easier to remember.
• It shows what your business is about.
• It reflects your style and what your brand stands for.
• A good logo makes your business look professional and trustworthy.
• Set you apart from all the other brands
• It creates emotional connections, which are reflected in customers' choice of your brand over others, because it feels part of their lifestyle.

What are the 3 Main Elements of a Logo?

A logo has 3 basic elements: fonts, colors, and imagery.

1. Typography (Fonts) clearly refers to the style of text you use, from bold and modern to elegant or playful. The style you select sets the tone for your brand.

Example: Disney's handwritten font sparks imagination and childhood wonder, while The New York Times’ traditional serif font shows authority and trustworthiness.

2. Colors influence emotions and perceptions, making your brand memorable and filling it with feelings.

Example: McDonald’s bright red and yellow colors create feelings of energy, happiness, and appetite.

3. Images (symbols/shapes) refer to all the icons, signs, or abstract shapes that make your logo visually unique.

Example: Apple's bitten apple is simple yet powerful; it’s about knowledge and innovation, while Twitter's bird symbolizes communication, freedom to connect.

Sometimes one of these can be missing. But when combined, these elements work well and aim to express the personality of your brand.

How Do Fonts and Colors Influence Perception?

Fonts and colors are two of the strongest elements in logo design because they shape how people perceive your brand, having a meaningful psychological impact.

Let's see what message colors and fonts have to convey.

According to Bynder, most logos rely on a simple color palette: blue is the top choice (around 39% of Fortune 500 logos), followed by black (25%) and red (16%). White is used as a background in nearly 70% of designs. Two-color combinations dominate (43%), with black-red, black-blue, and black-white being the most common.

Just as colors influence how we feel about a brand, fonts equally influence how one's identity is perceived.

According to TonerBuzz logo design, sans-serif fonts dominate—used by about 70–75% of major brands. Serif fonts appear in roughly 20–25%, while only a small share uses script or decorative fonts.

Fonts set the tone - be it serious or playful, while colors add emotion; together, fonts and colors are like a visual language of your brand.

6 Types of Logo Designs

According to the graphic design community, there are typically between 3 and 7 major types of logo designs, depending on different design frameworks, but broadly they fall into these categories: Wordmark, Lettermark, Pictorial, Combination, Emblem, and Mascot.

These categories also align with notable designers whose work has influenced thinking in the field of logo design, such as Paul Rand, known for simple, iconic logos (IBM and UPS), Saul Bass, known for symbolic and combined signs, and Carolyn Davidson exemplifies minimalist pictorial signs.

Let's take a closer look at each type of logo design to understand how they work and where they are most effective.

1. Wordmark (Text-Based)

A wordmark logo, also called a text-based logo or logotype, is a logo made up of just the brand name, written in a unique style, using custom fonts and colors. It is simple, clear, and places the emphasis on the text itself. This type of logo is perfect for establishing brand recognition.

2. Lettermark (Initials/Monogram)

A lettermark logo, also called a monogram, initials, or acronym, is a logo that uses a company's initials or a shortened version of its name, focusing on just a few letters. Usually, it has a unique typography aiming to create a simple and recognizable identity. A lettermark logo works best for a company with a long or complex name. It helps create a simple and memorable identity with few letters.

3. Pictorial (Symbol/Icon/ Abstract)

A pictorial logo, also called a symbol, icon, or abstract mark, uses an image or an illustration to represent a brand. It can be realistic (like Apple's apple), simplified (like Twitter's bird), or abstract (like Nike's swoosh). Pictorial logos are most effective for established brands when a single symbol is enough to be recognized by the audience.

4. Combination (Text + Symbol)

A combination logo is a design that combines both text (the brand name or initials) and a symbol or icon into one unified mark. The two elements can be overlapped, side by side, or even combined. This type of logo is one of the most effective because it provides name recognition and visual identity at the same time. It is perfect for both new and established brands alike. What's good here is that brands can use either the icon or the text independently, which offers a lot of flexibility.

5. Emblem (Text Inside a Symbol or Badge)

An emblem logo is a design in which text is placed inside a symbol, shape, often circular or shield-like. Unlike combined logos, where the text and symbol may be separate, the elements of an emblem are inseparable, fused into a unified design. These logos give the feel of an official seal or badge and are often chosen by universities, sports teams, automotive companies, and government institutions to signal prestige and heritage.

6. Mascot (Character-Based)

A mascot logo is a character or illustrated figure - often human, animal, or fictional - used to represent a brand. The mascot acts as a brand ambassador, giving the company a "face" and personality. It is often personified and expresses different emotions so that people can easily remember it. This type of logo is especially popular with food and beverage companies, sports teams, children's products, and other brands that target families, children, or communities to be fun, accessible, and close to the consumer.

Now that we’ve explored the main types of logos, let’s see how often each of them is actually used by the world’s most successful companies

Which Logo Types Are Most Used?

According to Exploding Topics, over 60% of Fortune 500 companies use combination logos, favoring a text-plus-pictogram approach, making this the dominant logotype choice among global brands.

In second place, about 31% of Fortune 500 companies rely on wordmarks. While other types (wordmark, pictorial, emblem, mascot) represent a small minority. Research indicates that, together, they account for less than 10% of Fortune 500 logos.

In this way, combination logos dominate, word logos continue to be a reliable and timeless option, while other types remain niche choices tailored to specific industries or brand personalities.

How to Choose the Right Type of Logo for Your Business?

Choosing the right logo isn’t about what looks “cool”; it’s mainly about what best represents your brand. Before designing a logo, we recommend following a few simple steps:

Define what makes your brand unique. Think about your values, mission, and personality. Because an eco-friendly brand might choose earthy shades of green and organic shapes, while a children's brand might use bright, cheerful colors and mascots.

Think about who your target customers are. Consider what attracts them. Corporate clients will appreciate logos that convey professional confidence, with structured layouts and formal typography, while teens/Generation Z respond well to bold colors, playful fonts, and interactive content.

Look at your competition. See what they choose, what are the common logo styles in your industry, and decide if you want to go with something similar or stand out with something different.

Keep your logo adaptable across all formats, from a billboard to a mobile app icon, and think long-term. Choose a style that will remain relevant as your business grows.

Test a few options. Show them to colleagues, clients, or even a small group — fresh eyes often reveal what works best.

DON’T!

• Overcomplicate your design - less is more.

• Blindly copy trends

• Use hard-to-read fonts

• Combine incompatible colors and avoid excessive colors

• Ignore feedback from real users

Your logo should be simple, clear, and versatile.

When Your Logo Needs a Refresh?

From time to time, even the strongest logos need an update, as design trends evolve, businesses grow, and customer expectations change.

Here are some common signs that it might be time to refresh your logo:

• It looks dated - old fonts, effects, or styles

• Your business has grown, and your logo no longer represents you

• People don't recognize it or remember it easily

• Your competitors have fresher, more modern logos, and yours may fade into the background.

• Often losing clarity when resized, being too complex, a simpler version can increase impact.

To refresh your logo doesn’t always mean a full redesign—it can be only subtle updates (a new font, simplified shapes, or brighter colors).

Best Platforms to Design a Logo

Depending on your preference, you can create a logo yourself with online tools, explore AI-powered platforms, or collaborate directly with a professional designer

Here are some of the most popular logo makers. Canva is easy to use and has thousands of templates. Looka uses AI to create logos based on your preferences, and then there's Wix Logo Maker, which combines AI with customization options.

If you want full control of your design, opt for professional tools like Adobe Illustrator for vector logos. CorelDRAW is often preferred by print designers. Figma is free and collaborative, useful if you’re designing with a team.

If you want something unique and high-quality, hire a professional designer. On platforms like 99designs, where multiple designers submit ideas, Dribbble, where you can browse portfolios and directly hire professional designers, and TechBehemoths, with more than 7000 companies that provide logo design service worldwide, apply the filter, check their portfolio and reviews, and get in touch with the most suitable designers for your project.

This being said, let’s conclude.

Conclusion

Your logo is part of your brand, and your brand is part of your strategy. Don’t make your logo too complicated, but don’t make it too plain either. The best logos are simple enough to remember and unique enough to stand out.

Follow the basics from this guide, and you’ll be able to create a logo that fits your business.

Out of all the logo types and trends, the right one is the design that tells your story and stays in people’s minds. Your brand, your logo!