While a logo may be small, its effect on a business's success can be substantial. A logo gives a first impression that helps determine a consumer’s willingness to purchase products or services. You only have a few seconds for a logo to grab a consumer’s attention, so good design is imperative. While there are no standard rules, you can consider a few important elements to analyze a logo's effectiveness.

Review the culture of the business. A business with a laid-back, relaxed image should have a logo that matches. For example, a wellness spa would be better with a simple, clean image without complicated designs or patterns.

Consider the size and shape of the image. Very tall or very wide logos are not as visually appealing as more proportioned varieties.

View the logo side by side with competitor logos, or symbols selling similar products and/or services. A logo needs to create instant impact and should stand out among the clutter of other ads or logos.

Consider the reproducibility of a logo. A good one will work just as easily on letterhead as it does on the Internet. This may require a few variations that will look comparable. If an online logo uses a transparent background, make sure the it will reproduce on any type background. If it doesn't, it may be necessary to craft a standard background color.

Ensure the logo is legible in all forms of production. Not all font types are as easy to read. Thin fonts will be hard to read in small type, while a large, wide font will be difficult to reproduce as a small image without losing readability.

Consider the number of elements. Complex designs are not only more difficult to reproduce, they also are more visually dense. Because a design with many visual elements takes more time for a viewer to process, instant appeal is lost.

Determine whether the logo can stand the test of time. A good logo should incorporate classic lines and elements, instead of symbols representing current trends or fads.

Analyze the graphical elements separate from the text elements if you cannot pinpoint the exact issue. Consider if the individual elements portray the look and feel of the corporate image. If one element doesn’t fit, it could be throwing off the whole logo.