Always start with researching the audience your brand targets so your logo is appealing conveys a message that speaks to them. Whether that’s through illustration, font, typeface, or color, there is always a message. But don’t just do research on your audience, also spend some time researching color theory and competitor logos or even failed brands and their logos.

Keeping your logo simple doesn’t mean boring and plain. Monotony can quickly destroy a brand or the positive perception of a brand. Take Google’s redesigned logos for Drive, Docs, and Gmail. Those have fallen under scrutiny even by loyal fans ever since release because they are monotonous. They all look the same and don’t convey any specific meanings.

You can keep your logo simple without it becoming monotonous by using negative space to your advantage, avoiding clutter, and ensuring every aspect of your logo conveys your brand’s message. That message can be about luxury, accessibility, youth, care, environmentalism, or anything else your brand values. It should be the essence of your brand wrapped up into one, simple image.

Weakness may be a harsh term, but when you follow trends or when your logo is too trendy, it can easily get lost amongst your competitors weakening your branding goals.

However, you can follow good design trends like simplicity. But if mustard yellow is the color of the year or you use Open Sans for your logo because it’s recognizable, then you shouldn’t expect your logo to work for you. These are bad trends because they are either temporary or bland. Your logo conveys uniqueness, or at least it should.

Updating your logo absolutely should happen, but not too often. It’s a strategic decision, not a seasonal one. If you update too often, your logo loses its impact as people will no longer be able to recognize your brand when they see your logo.

Keep your logo simple, try out new and interesting designs, do your research, and don’t be too trendy or monotonous. Your logo should always convey your brand’s core values through its design.