Your logo is an important feature of your branding. It’s an image that makes your business instantly recognizable and sets you apart from everyone else. If you need proof of this, think of some logos that people associate with famous brands such as Nike, Apple, McDonald’s, and many others. When you put your logo on swag, you have people’s attention, maybe for just a moment. The right logo can make all the difference.

Your business may not be as well-known as the above brands but your logo still plays a crucial role. One way to protect and increase the value of your logo is to use a vector file for logo creation. There are advantages to creating vector files for both businesses and agencies that create logos for their clients. Let’s look at some benefits of using vector logo files.

An Introduction to Vector Logos

If you’re not familiar with vector logos, the first thing to understand is that vector is a type of file and doesn’t refer to the logo design. You can turn any logo design into a vector file.

Once you’ve created a design for your logo, you need to save it using a certain file type, just as you’d save a written document in formats such as .txt, .doc or other forms. When you create a logo file, you have two main choices: raster and vector files. Raster files are familiar to almost everyone. The most common ones are:

• JPEG
• GIF
• PNG
• TIF

These file extensions are typical for images that are downloaded online. One of the advantages of these file types is that they can be created by many types of software. Vector files are not quite as commonly used and require more specialized software, such as Adobe Illustrator and comparable programs. These include the file extensions:

• AI — which stands for Adobe Illustrator.
• EPS — Encapsulated PostScript.
• SVG — Scalable Vector Graphic.

AI is a proprietary type of file for Adobe and which can only be created or edited using Adobe Illustrator. EPS and SVG files can also be created using Adobe Illustrator as well as in other drawing programs.

Limits of Raster Images

Raster images are the most commonly used on the internet for things like photos, illustrations, and memes. They have certain limitations, however, that make them less than ideal for logos.

Raster images consist of pixels, which are great for images. However, the number of pixels is fixed, which means that these images can’t be significantly resized without reducing the resolution. When you have a logo, you may need to resize it drastically from one purpose to another. For example, you may want to display your logo on business cards, a coffee mug, your website, a trade show booth, an email signature, t-shirt, or countless other places.

The ideal format for a logo is a more flexible file type. This is why a vector file for logo creation is the best choice. Vector files are created with points, lines, and curves rather than pixels. This makes them more flexible when it comes to editing and resizing.

Top Benefits of Using Vector Logo Files

Here are some of the best reasons to create a vector logo.

• Easy to export. You can easily export vector files to other formats, including the most popular raster file types. If you want to create a JPG, PNG, TFF, or another file type, you can easily create it. Vector files are also compatible with PDF.
• Smaller files. Raster files, because they contain so many pixels, tend to be larger in size than vector files. Smaller files take up less space on your devices and they’re easier to send.
• Suitable for online and offline use. For most web uses, you don’t need high-resolution images. However, if you want to use a logo offline, such as on a brochure or poster, you’ll need a higher resolution if you want it to look sharp. Since raster files aren’t scalable, you can’t readily use the same file for online and offline purposes. You would need to create separate files for each use. If you have a master vector file, however, it’s perfect for any purpose.
• Easier to edit. The ability to edit your logo is an important consideration. This advantage applies especially to designers and agencies that create logos for businesses. Very often, clients request edits to projects such as logos. Even what they consider to be minor changes can be complicated and time-consuming when dealing with raster files. Vector files, which are made from geometric elements, can be easily edited.

Vector Files: Helpful for Businesses and Designers

If you’re an entrepreneur or own a business and need a logo, you can create one with a vector file using a program such as Adobe Illustrator. If you outsource the task, the designer you hire can supply you with a vector logo. This will allow you to get full use out of your logo and display it in whatever size is needed. It also lets you make changes whenever you want.

If you’re a designer or agency, you have to meet the needs of your clients which can change from one day to the next. When a client wants a logo, they may not be completely sure what they want until they see a finished product. That’s why so many clients request revisions. If you send them a raster file such as a JPEG, it will be hard to edit. There’s also the possibility that the client will come back to you later on to change the logo. With vector files, you can make changes without having to start the project over from scratch.

Raster files are quite useful for many purposes such as posting images to social media pages. With a vector file, you can easily create a format such as JPEG, GIF, or PNG. A vector file is the best choice for a master file that can be converted into other formats as needed. Whether you’re creating a logo for yourself or a client, it’s best to use a format that’s flexible and scalable. A vector file is the best choice for a master file as it lets you use and change a logo for many different purposes.