Let's talk about logos. Your logo matters greatly if you want to be taken seriously in your field. It is a translation of your brand and its essence, immediately recognizable, inspires trust, loyalty, and admiration.  

So I beg you, as a brand designer who has rescued a lot of $200 dollar, free, cousin's best friend's college friend's logo creations—invest in yourself and your brand. OK, I am stepping off the soap box. 

Did you know there are different types of logos your brand can have? Of course you did, you just may not know what they are and why they are called that. Today I want to break these down for you so you can make the best decision knowing what type of mark you want to create.

I like to categorize logos into three buckets: logotype, logomark, or combination mark.

A logotype is a logo that has type in it. By type, I mean letters (lettermark) or words (wordmark). 

Think of HBO or IBM. The company name is abbreviated into letters that are then...