Here’s a quick just-before-New-Year quiz – which one of these is the correct Twitter logo?
I see them all over the web, especially the text one and the ‘t’ image.
None of them is correct. Today, there is only one official Twitter logo:
Web designer and branding enthusiast Dustin Stout has a bee in his bonnet about correct and incorrect social media branding and logo usage and makes the obvious case for getting it right:
[…] When I see someone use a social media logo that is out-dated, or worse – a cheap knock-off of a logo – it really bothers me. It not only hurts my eyes, it gives the impression that the individual using it either doesn’t know better (they’re not paying attention to what they’re talking about) or they don’t know the importance of using credible visuals.
If you’re a web designer or help others understand social media, Stout’s last sentence above is especially for you.
Stout’s passionate criticism of incorrect logo usage embraces Twitter, Google+ and Facebook in particular – the three social networks that suffer most from others’ use of incorrect imagery. His particular bee is Google+ whereas mine is Twitter.
The changes to Google+ and Facebook are more subtle and it’s easy not to notice those changes (but still see Stout’s quote above). Twitter’s is far more obvious.
Either way, his infographic and links to various social media logo use and branding guidelines provide a very handy resource that makes it easy for anyone to get it right.
No excuses.
33 responses to “Be cool with social media logos”
Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/2dCaZH0geL #PR
Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/f4zCwlPYIy #B2B
Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/g69vAib3XX
RT @jangles: Be cool with social media logos: Here’s a quick just-before-New-Year quiz – which one of these is the correct Twi… http://t.…
RT @PRDailyNews: Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/2dCaZH0geL #PR
RT @jangles: Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/g69vAib3XX
Hobson: Be cool with social media logos: Here’s a quick just-before-New-Year quiz – which one of these is the … http://t.co/VKZwzUFkP0
Really useful. But sad – marks that these companies are no longer having the fun they were if they start brand policing!
I don’t think they’re brand policing, Claire – the three social networks highlighted have always had logo usage and branding guidelines. This is more about those who should know about these things – all of us, actually :) – getting it right. Not too difficult.
RT: Be cool with social media logos: http://t.co/zDjYCMxCzX How social media logos should look like
Sure. The brand guidelines are there – I used Twitter’s the other day to try and illustrate a blog post, and it was such a faff to download (required registration etc) and fix the format I ended up pinching the closest match from a Google image search to save time. So the downloadables on the guide are a SUPER useful timesaver. Perhaps I expressed it clumsily – the creativity and subversion (using them wrongly and making them part of a visual as well as verbal story) are surely part of the fun of social? Personally, I can’t get too exercised about someone using an older version of a logo – but will go and check client sites to make sure they have the latest icons as i’m evidently alone! :-)
Good idea and resource, but shame his graphic has a typo (the Google+ one) as his main point is that attention to detail matters!
Thanks for pointing this out! <“@PRDailyNews: Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/XbuBL50xrQ #PR”
It is what it is, Claire. Sure, using guidelines etc could be simpler (although I find them easy to use and follow). And I’m with you on the fun of social. The point here, though, is getting it right in using someone’s logo, whether it’s a social network, a consumer brand, etc. Attention to detail, as Stuart notes – and you have to get that right, too!
Stuart, I can’t see any error. Where is it?
First Google+ graphic has newtork instead of network (which with auto-correct is actually quite difficult to type!)
RT @jangles: Be cool with social media logos: Here’s a quick just-before-New-Year quiz – which one of these is the correct Twi… http://t.…
I blame the SNs. Why do they keep changing the logos while expecting everyone to use them correctly? Not very customer friendly…
Stuart, ironic, that! Heh, and I just spotted another one, in the text about the Facebook logo. See if you do :) It’s a common one: I make that error myself too often.
Actually now I’ve read the whole post there are quite a few copy/grammar errors which is definitely ironic. It perhaps highlights the difference between communications professionals and niche specialists. I care about getting images, video and copy right, but I’m not a designer, filmmaker or copywriter. Specialists tend to care more about their area of expertise. Communicators care about the result of the overall communications.
Not to forget that 98.3% of the general public (i.e. the real users of the websites where these logos are embedded) couldn’t care less if the correct logo is used. As long as they can easily recognise it they just don’t care.
Be cool with #socialmedia logos – by @jangles http://t.co/9T6g3DJjNI #socbiz #comms #digital
Be #cool with #socialmedia #logos http://t.co/v5s8WwEF5o
Correct and incorrect #socialmedia logos usage – by @jangles
http://t.co/Vn3b8btZaJ FT @dustinwstout #socbiz #comms #digital
RT @LOMBARDI_GLORIA: Correct and incorrect #socialmedia logos usage – by @jangles
http://t.co/HJP0B75IEH FT @dustinwstout #socbiz
Gloria Lombardi liked this on Facebook.
RT @PRDailyNews: Be cool with social media logos http://t.co/2dCaZH0geL #PR
You may be right, Armin Grewe. Still, professional folk should care. I’m sure most do.
And the added irony, Neville, is that whatever service you are using to bring social posts onto your blog site… is using the wrong logos for Twitter and Facebook! ;-)
That is priceless, Dan! Hey, Crowd Favorite… :)
Lynette Young liked this on Facebook.
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