There's something very powerful about a simple wordmark logo.
A "wordmark" or "logotype" is a logo design made up purely of text. It simply spells out the name of your business. No graphic accents or other bells & whistles.
Some of the biggest brands in existence have chosen a wordmark logo to be the foundation of their visual identity. Think Google, Etsy, Netflix, or FedEx.
Wordmark logos are based upon typography, which is the art of arranging letters in a clear and aesthetically pleasing way. They are straightforward yet memorable, and striking in their simplicity.
From my own portfolio, I’d like to take the wordmark logo for Here Comes The Guide as an example. I redesigned this logo back in 2015 with a combination of a dreamy script font and a stately serif.
Here Comes The Guide is a national wedding website that lists thousands of venues, articles, checklists, galleries, and planning resources. It's a veritable wealth of wedding information, yet the website is super clean, organized, easy to navigate, and forever free of flashy advertisements or pop-ups.
In fact, for a long time our tagline was: "The wedding resource that's long on content, short on fluff."
To communicate this no-frills approach to our website, the logo follows suit with a pretty yet no-nonsense wordmark logo.
Top Tips for Wordmark Logos
→ Readability is paramount
Above all else, a wordmark logo must be legible. Make sure the wordmark logo font is easy to read, that there’s adequate breathing room between letterforms, and that it is readable at both large and small sizes.
→ Choose the right font personality
Fonts inherently have a lot of personality. Just like colors can represent different characteristics of a business (e.g. the green in Whole Foods denotes health), businesses can choose to represent their own brand personality through a carefully-chosen typeface.
Sans serif fonts can be seen as more clean and modern, while serif fonts tend to give off a more sophisticated vibe. Script fonts feel fancy while handwritten fonts can feel a bit more casual. And to really stand out, you can opt for a custom font completely unique to your business. Like Disney or Coca-Cola.
I’d also recommend staying away from widely-used fonts. The key here is to make your wordmark logo unique—and anyone can type out your business name in Papyrus.
Who Should Use a Wordmark Logo?
→ New Businesses
Wordmark logos are *perfect* for brand-new businesses. If you're not quite sure what your brand style, messaging, or mission is right off the bat, create a simple wordmark logo that you can build upon later. It’s a great way to quite literally get your name out there!
→ Businesses with Descriptive Company Names
They're also great for businesses whose name spells out exactly what it is you do—no other visual cues required.
→ Businesses with a Minimalist Style
If a clean, minimalist approach best represents your business and attracts your ideal clientele, a text-based wordmark logo may be perfect for you.
