Approving a logo on a gut feeling is risky: what pleases its creator or their friends and family doesn't necessarily speak to customers. A small test, run before you approve, lets you spot problems of reading or perception in time, when fixing them costs almost nothing.
What you should really test
- The impression produced: serious, warm, modern… does it match what you want to say?
- Legibility: can the name be read quickly, including small?
- Memorability: what do people remember after a few seconds?
- Consistency with the sector and the business's promise.
The five-second test
It is the simplest and most telling. Show the logo to someone for five seconds, hide it, then ask three questions: What did you remember? What kind of business does it suggest? Which word best describes this company? If the answers are far from your intention, the logo is saying something other than what you think.
Real-life mock-ups
A logo on its own on a white background doesn't tell you how it will live. Put it in real conditions: on a business card, a sign, an avatar, a quote header, in black and white, very small. Many flaws only appear then. See a logo that stays legible at small sizes (in French) and the black-and-white test (in French).
Who to ask
A few people from your target customers are generally enough to spot obvious problems of reading or perception. Avoid consulting only your friends and family, out of politeness, or, conversely, running an open poll: the opinions collected don't represent your customers.
How to interpret the feedback
Distinguish taste ("I prefer blue") from perception ("it looks serious, but a bit cold"). Only the second tells you about the logo's real effect. The difference between a logo people like and a logo that works is explained in aesthetic logo or effective logo (in French).
What's better avoided
- Asking everyone's opinion, at the risk of a lukewarm compromise.
- Comparing variants without context, which pushes people to pick the showiest.
- Testing too late, once the materials are printed. An extreme example is told in a logo withdrawn within 24 hours (in French), after months of work.
Frequently asked questions about testing a logo
How many people should you ask to test a logo?
A few people from your target are generally enough to spot obvious problems of reading or perception. Beyond that, you start measuring preferences, which isn't the goal.
Should you let your customers choose between several logos?
It helps you understand their perception, but the final decision must stay consistent with your positioning. A vote can separate tastes; it doesn't validate a strategy.
More questions about logo design
How Many Colours Should a Logo Have?
In practice, an effective logo uses one to three colours: more legibility, more consistency, fewer printing headaches. Read the article →
Should You Put a Tagline in Your Logo?
As a rule, no: keep a main logo without a tagline, and a version with a strapline for large materials. Read the article →
Can You Use a Gradient in a Logo?
Yes, as long as you don't depend on it: the logo must exist flat first; the gradient is just a digital option. Read the article →
Should You Draw Your Logo by Hand Before Moving to the Computer?
In most cases, yes: the pencil explores ideas, the computer builds the final vector file cleanly. Read the article →
How Do I Choose a Logo Style Suited to My Industry?
The style depends on the visual codes of your industry (colours, shapes, tone) and your positioning within that industry. Read the article →
How Do I Know if a Logo Is Trendy Versus Modern?
A trendy logo follows the fashion of the moment; a modern logo stays relevant without following it. Five signs give away a dated logo. Read the article →
What Are the Key Elements of a Professional, Memorable Logo?
A good logo combines five qualities: simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and relevant to the business. Read the article →
See all questions about logo design →
My take as a designer
I recommend a very simple test to my clients before they approve: show the logo to three or four people from their target, with no explanation, and note what they say spontaneously. It is often more instructive than a long discussion between the two of us.
The best test of a logo is what is understood by someone who didn't attend its design.
To sum up
Testing a logo means checking the impression produced, the legibility and the memorability with a few customers from your target.
The five-second test and mock-ups on your real materials are the two simplest and most telling methods.
Do it before approving, when correcting costs almost nothing.
