Is A Logo Or Website More Important For Your Business?
October 5, 2010 | Thoughts & Words By Sneh Roy | 30 Comments
Whenever I have started an online personal project, after the initial research on the viability of my idea, I have always begun with the logo. We all know that a planned, well informed and structured approach to starting a business begins with a unique identity that sets you apart in this brand conscious society where chaos reigns on a regular basis. What happens if you launch a venture with a brilliantly functional website that is well received but has no purposeful identifying mark? How do things work if you’ve got yourself a logo that everyone is talking about but you don’t care very much about having a web presence? Do you spend more time researching a logo designer or a website development company? Today my question to you is,
"Is A Logo Or Website More Important For Your Business?"
After you have researched and outlined your business model, would a logo or would a website be the next logical step? Why do you think one is more important over the other? Have you ever had to make a choice to pick one over the other? How has it affected you and your business?
I am a logo designer to the core and I would probably brand our holiday activities, certain parts of our home, create logos for our kids and important events and occasions if I am not kept in check. So going by that alone, I would say that a "logo" is more important for a business than its website. Having said that, 10 years ago when we launched a website that grew exponentially over the years, we didn’t give its logo much thought. Despite having no unique identity, the website became extremely popular and generated a lot of interest and a lot of revenue. In retrospect, when I look back at that time now, I wish we had branded it formally and rightfully. It would have been that much more identifiable now.
In my opinion, a logo trumps over a website for any business. When we have a business idea, a brainwave, a startup dream; it is very easy to get carried away and rush things. "Do it before someone else does!" your mind tells you. "Just put a name together, slap on a clipart and get the ball rolling!" it goads you on. "The website is going to cost heaps of money, so better save up on your logo costs because you really shouldn’t be paying to get a logo made or wasting your own time on it!" your brain advises you. So we rush things in our race to get there first, to land that first client, to make that inaugural sale. But in doing so, we are being extremely short sighted. We turn away a long term relationship for a quick one night stand. I have made that very same mistake every single time I launched a website until LBOI happened. Now I truly believe in giving a business the respect it deserves. And I educate my clients on the importance of having a unique identity, tirelessly.
When a child is born, you don’t slap on a designer nappy, put on stylish headgear, call it "B" and shove it in front of the world to announce its arrival. Then why do you do it for your business? The local electrician in our suburb doesn’t have a logo and yet has a booming business. So whats the need? All I can say is that I forget his name and remember the name from the catchy logo of the "other electrician" for whom I search on Google and call every time I have wiring issues.
So, I pick the logo. I have learnt from my mistakes and I have learnt to take it slow and do what is right. I feel a logo is vital and an absolute must for any business. The website follows. I am sure there are many who will agree with me and there will be many who believe otherwise. Please join in the discussion and leave your thoughts for someone may read them and take heed from them. Tell us about your experience and tell us what you picked or what would be more important to you before you set sail on your new venture. Logo or Website?Image Courtesy stock.xchng
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The website developer in me actually agrees with you – logo first. It pains me to develop a site around a logo that hasn’t been professionally created. A logo will lead the website style, in my opinion. Not the other way around.
tracey´s last [type] ..this has only given Regan more ideas
Absolutely Tracey! I was recently brought in to design a logo for a new launch and the website was being handled by another agency. During our talks together, one of the pressing points was whether both of us could go ahead and design our stuff and then combine it at a later stage. That just doesn’t work now does it? It was eventually decided that the logo would be developed first and the website would take on the look and feel of the logo.
Great article.. Thanks for sharing!!!
hmmm I started with website
speedsurfing´s last [type] ..Trial and error
My personal opinion is that a logo should always come first. Creating the logo sets the tone for anything and everything that comes afterward. In today’s world, having ‘just a website’ is too potentially limiting (with phone and tablet apps, even E-books, etc.). Even the more successful blogs have a logo to differentiate themselves from their competition.
Setting yourself up right and planning for the future with a logo is the best way to start.
Leighton Hubbell´s last [type] ..How to find the right logo designer
I agree with you Leighton, wholeheartedly. It is becoming increasingly difficult to be seen, let alone be memorable. A logo sets you on that path to be “seen”.
Always the logo and not just before starting a website but also before starting any business / activity.
Nice article btw.
Why not both? Both logo and a website are important for your business. Obviously a logo is something every customer first encounters when they come in contact with your brand, but even so, if your website is unusable or trite it’ll reflect the same amount of mediocrity on your brand as a lousy logo.
Koren, definitely both .. although a website might not be of the utmost importance for some businesses. But the question here is, if you were going to be doing both, which would be first?
I vote for logo
Great post! It is such a hard question to answer. I truly think it depends on your target audience, but with these days it is so important for every business to have an online presence as we are nearly fully living in a digital world. I think they compliment each other and to really set yourself up to be successful from the beginning you must brand yourself as well as create an online presence. It is kind of like insurance for your business, you could create just a logo and be OK for a little bit, but what do you do when people start asking where to find you on the web?
Antonea Nabors´s last [type] ..Freelancers gone agency
My friend who does web design, will definitely say a logo first… After several projects we did together, when I was doing a logo and he was then making a great looking website based on that, the model proves to be viable and working, but… Both of us launched our portfolios logoless first
Honestly the one on my folio and one on my twitter are just qucik throw-ins… Guess close to what you Sneh did then…
)
SO, I beleive that when branding is not that important for the mission of your business (many online stores are opened without any logo, ebay shops, etc), go with the thing that will allow making you money fast…
Besides, noone has cancelled rebranding yet, a designer’s food
In my experience the logo, or rather the brand, always has to come first. The process of discussing what the brand actually is – brand values, positive associations, personality, audience appeal – is fundamental to determining the direction of the business. It shapes what you put into the website, how the business interacts with customers and ultimately the business itself. So the logo, as the first visual embodiment of the brand, is a way to put your business out there and make it memorable. If you don’t think about the brand up front, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice.
I don’t think it’s quite so clear-cut.
In an ideal world, the logo does come first, the branding carefully constructed and style guides written.
But if it’s an either/or situation: either have a good logo or a website, I’ll pick what’s *right for the type of business*. Increasingly, that would mean putting the website first.
Because it’s good to look fantastic, but there’s no point if no-one can see you. Like wearing a great dress the night of the prom, but failing to actually turn up.
If it’s a high-concept bricks & mortar operation with a great deal of foot traffic then undoubtedly the logo must come first. If they then can’t afford a decent website too, then I’d question their ability to operate as a business at all.
SME’s are another matter – small high-concept businesses are rare and usually offer high-end services. In which case, they can also afford a logo AND a site.
Everyone else needs to be found at least as much as they need to look good.
Logo first! It was said earlier that the logo sets the tone, and that’s absolutely true. I fight constantly with clients, well not actually fight, I quite like my clients. What I mean is, I educate them on how nothing can start without branding first, but some are stubborn and want to bypass this important rule. I love your naming-the-baby analogy, it paints just the right picture. If you don’t mind, I’d love to use that on potential clients.
Dennis Salvatier´s last [type] ..A Business Card is Just Another Art Canvas!
Me too. Logo first. For me it stands for the main design of the website. Also the color scheme of the website should be based on the logo. Its very difficult to build a website without the logo first.
To: Sneh Roy. I ahve found you at http://www.myinkblog.com/
I am really impressed with your article 3 Powerful Ways To Make Typography Talk On Your Website but unfortunately I could not comment. Hope to hear from you soon.
I am glad I have met you.
I feel both logo and website are equally important for any business. It’s the two side of a coin. Again cost is no longer an issue until you r looking for some thing extravaganza. Name of the business house/logo/website are the 3 very basic component of a business house to feel u different from others, no matter it’s a monopolistic or monopoly market.
Having logo designed, will make every thing easy. Building website brand around it. Totally agree with you.
Scube´s last [type] ..Perfect Web Design for Increasing Company Brand
I would think that it will be the business first. There are always chance when you can improve and re-design your logos. That what many successful business have been doing. It just take some time for to re-brand themselves.
Aidan´s last [type] ..60 Beautiful Corporate Website Designs for Your Inspiration
Logo me thinks… but website shold not be neglected as well just slightly less prioritised
Stumbled across this article a few moments ago. This is truly a great read!
I am also a developer and designer by profession and handle a big team of professional designers. I personally ask them to create logo first because I believe that Logos resonate with a large percentage of the market and customers.
At the same time I agree with Kelsey Brookes, LukeSF and Koren that it depends upon the objective your business has. And as Brookes said that looking good on a prom night will be of no use if you don’t turn up for the night, like having a great logo won’t be of help if no one can get to see you in absence of a web presence.
Between, the post is really great and informative. Thanks!
Logo first, for me. Then, I find it easier to pick the right colors for the website. I think logo consists of the colors that represent a company, and so to base the colors of the website with the logo is good thing to do.
My question: Does logo make a company popular, or the other way round?
I believe logo is very important because its goes long way, as business is identified through logo, as it will become your brand identity & people would recognized your business with your logo rather then your website.
Nikunj´s last [type] ..How To Add Business To Google Maps-Google Business Listing
Logo is definitely more important since it represents the identity of a company. A website is just a means of advertising your company and would need your logo in order to represent the company you’re trying to introduce or show on your site.
Nicely written and thought provoking post. I’d be interested to know what people’s thoughts are on involving the customer base in getting their ideas on designing a logo? Has this ever been successful do you think?
in my point i prefer to choose website design because it is more important
i still have no logo for my WebSite! But i agree with you
annonce algerie´s last [type] ..Immobilier Algérie Lkeria – 1665 Vente Chettia -Chlef
I started thinking for my logo before I created My site.
Thanks good articles.
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