As a website and branding agency, we often work with small business owners that come to us with the belief that a logo IS branding. This misconception is common so we want to take the opportunity to discuss this in greater detail.

We’ve briefly explored this topic in previous blog posts and we hope we’ve hit the point home that a logo IS NOT a brand. That’s all fine and dandy, but what IS a logo then? And how does it relate to a brand?

Not to worry, Logo VS Brand blog coming right up!

What is a logo?

When you think about the term “logo”, it’s likely that something visual comes to mind. When used to identify or differentiate a business, graphics, text, and images can all be considered logos in one way or another. 

Logos often communicate the overall message that a business or organization would like to portray. For example, a photographer might use an element from a camera within their logo to offer a visual representation of their offerings. However, this is not always the case. 

It’s a common misconception that a logo must have a hidden meaning or detail what the business does. With good branding, this is totally unnecessary!

A logo should: 

• Be eye-catching and unique to set your business apart from the competition
• Make a great first impression on potential customers
• Be backed up by a solid brand and amazing business

What is a brand?

We’ve established that a brand is not a logo, so what is it? 

A brand is essentially the 50ft overview of your business as a whole. Sound intimidating? We have good news – it doesn’t have to be!

Branding encompasses the entire experience one might have with your business. The logo certainly is included in this, along with your website, social media, and even business practices!

This means that to have a strong brand, it’s crucial to be intentional about how you do things and cohesiveness throughout your business. A branding strategy can give well thought out direction to brand guidelines that can be implemented throughout your business. Everything from colors, fonts, icons, graphics, logos, to even overarching themes, brand strategy, and business branding is wide reaching. 

So how does a logo work within a brand?

A logo on its own doesn’t necessarily carry the same rich meaning as a logo saturated with brand strategy. 

You could have the most beautiful logo ever and without a cohesive brand strategy, potential clients and customers can become lost and confused. Consistency is key in the marketing and branding world. This means that it’s crucial to consider things like, how is your business brand showing up to embody all that your logo stands for? What’s your course of action to achieve this? 

If you’re still feeling lost and confused about how to use a logo and how to develop a strong brand, please reach out to us! We love working with small businesses just like you.