When it comes to logo design, shape matters just as much as color. Geometry influences how people interpret your brand, often on a subconscious level.

Why Shapes Matter in Branding

Shapes are visual shortcuts our brains use to assign meaning. A logo’s shape can signal stability, friendliness, or innovation, or a whole host of other meanings, long before someone even reads your business name. For small businesses, choosing the right shape can give customers subtle reassurance about who you are and what you stand for.

What the Research Says: Circles Inspire Trust, Squares Convey Stability

The LogoDek Silent Signal survey examined logo shape. The standout finding was that circles were ranked as the most trusted logo shape by the general public.

This aligns with broader research in design psychology, circles suggest unity and inclusivity, with the lack of sharp edges, making them feel soft and friendly. If your business relies on warmth and approachability, incorporating a circle into your logo can subtly reinforce that message. 

Whilst the established understanding is that squares and rectangles convey stability and order, in our survey, the general public found square logos to be the second most trustworthy shape but rectangles to be untrustworthy. In industries where structure and order are important, like engineering or construction, square logos may well be appropriate but for other sectors, particularly in the service industries, our research perhaps indicates that rectangular logos should be avoided, feeling rigid and uncompromising compared to circles.

Final Thought

Shapes are powerful visual tools that influence perception before a single word is read. With the Silent Signal survey confirming that circles are the most trusted logo shape, small businesses can use this insight to create designs that feel approachable and credible. Subtle design decisions, like pairing the right shape with the right color, ensures your logo communicates the values that matter most to your audience.