10 best freelance social media designers for hire in 2020

Social media has an undeniable impact on the way people create and experience content, products and brands. No wonder it has become a crucial part of any brand’s marketing strategy. And it has led to a growing demand in social media designers, who can create an outstanding experience for your visitors.

The fast-paced, easily consumed nature of social media calls for the creation of dynamic and immaculately designed social media pages—it’s easier than ever to spot inconsistencies in a company’s branding and messaging.

Illustration by OrangeCrush

This is why it’s essential to work with a professional. Social media designers specialize in creating designs for the unique needs of social media platforms. They are often freelancers who are knowledgeable in market needs and know how to make a social media page stand out.

For those who are working on their social media branding strategy, hiring some of the best and most creative social media designers out there is the key to success. In this article, we’ll showcase some of the top social media designers whose designs help brand voices shine—even on the smallest screens.

How to get the best social media design
—

Most people are familiar with the concept of hiring a freelance designer. You can find the perfect designer for your social media design by browsing designer profiles and finding the right designer for your style, budget and brand. You’ll describe what you need and the designer will create your social media design based on your requirements. This option is perfect if you already have an idea of what you’re looking for.

Browse social media designer profiles –>

A modern twitter cover design by CREATIVE NINJA

While hiring a freelance social media designer directly is a great option, it’s not your only option. If you need help coming up with design ideas or you want to see a bunch of different designers’ work before committing to work with one, consider hosting a design contest.

Learn more about social media design contests –>

In a design contest, you write a design brief describing what you are looking for, and designers from all over the world submit concepts unique to your brief. You then choose finalists, give feedback to hone the designs and ultimately pick your favorite. If ideation and seeing a variety of different design styles is important to you, we’d recommend a design contest.

The 10 best freelance social media designers to hire in 2020
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1. 1

   

   CREATIVE NINJA

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 139 )

   • Facebook cover
   • Social media page
   • Banner ad
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Other business or advertising
   • Other design
   • Poster
   • Signage
   • Logo design
   • Sticker
   • PowerPoint template
   • Icon or button
   • T-shirt
   • Other web or app design
   • Clothing or apparel
   • Infographic
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Web page design
   • Stationery
   • Other packaging or label
   • Menu
   • Logo & business card
   • Brochure

   

   

   

   Request quote
2. 2

   

   I am a sinner

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 158 )

   • Banner ad
   • Facebook cover
   • Social media page
   • Web page design
   • Other web or app design
   • Other design
   • Logo design
   • Other business or advertising
   • Landing page design
   • Web Page Design (Coded)
   • Poster
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • App design
   • Other Graphic Design
   • Signage
   • PowerPoint template
   • Other packaging or label
   • Other book or magazine
   • Other art or illustration
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Icon or button
   • Email
   • Clothing or apparel
   • Brochure
   • Logo & brand identity pack
   • Brand guide

   

   

   

   Request quote
3. 3

   

   Karl M.

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 51 )

   • Social media page
   • Banner ad
   • Facebook cover
   • Other web or app design
   • Other business or advertising
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Poster
   • Other design
   • Other book or magazine

   

   

   

   Request quote
4. 4

   

   Daylite Designs ©

   Top Level

   4.9

   ( 171 )

   • Other design
   • Icon or button
   • Logo design
   • Brand guide
   • Product label
   • Product packaging
   • Social media page
   • Landing page design
   • Other packaging or label
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Facebook cover
   • Web page design
   • Logo & business card
   • Stationery
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Other art or illustration
   • Button or icon
   • Brochure
   • Logo & social media pack
   • Logo & brand identity pack
   • Banner ad
   • Signage
   • Other clothing or merchandise
   • Email
   • Clothing or apparel
   • WordPress theme design
   • T-shirt
   • Sticker
   • PowerPoint template
   • Other business or advertising
   • Other book or magazine
   • App design
   • Merchandise
   • Logo & hosted website
   • Car, truck or van wrap
   • Cup or mug
   • Book cover

   

   

   

   Request quote
5. 5

   

   MailDesigner

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 93 )

   • Email
   • Web page design
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Other web or app design
   • Banner ad
   • Landing page design
   • Product packaging
   • Other business or advertising
   • Other design
   • Other packaging or label
   • WordPress theme design
   • Social media page
   • Product label
   • Logo design
   • Infographic
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Facebook cover
   • Signage
   • Poster
   • Other art or illustration
   • Card or invitation
   • Brochure

   

   

   

   Request quote
6. 6

   

   JaneSol

   Top Level

   4.9

   ( 53 )

   • Banner ad
   • Facebook cover
   • Social media page
   • Other web or app design
   • Other business or advertising
   • Logo & hosted website
   • Other design
   • Logo design
   • Email
   • Prezi design
   • Poster
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Icon or button
   • Business card
   • Landing page design
   • WordPress theme design
   • Postcard, flyer or print

   

   

   

   Request quote
7. 7

   

   ConceptAlley

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 85 )

   • Banner ad
   • Other web or app design
   • Landing page design
   • Web page design
   • Other business or advertising
   • Other design
   • Social media page
   • Product label
   • Infographic
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Stationery
   • Other Graphic Design
   • Other book or magazine
   • Logo design
   • Email
   • Book cover
   • Poster
   • Logo & hosted website
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Other packaging or label

   

   

   

   Request quote
8. 8

   

   agnes design

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 128 )

   • Other design
   • Logo design
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Other clothing or merchandise
   • Other art or illustration
   • Clothing or apparel
   • Social media page
   • Merchandise
   • Other Graphic Design
   • Product label
   • Card or invitation
   • Other web or app design
   • Other business or advertising
   • Product packaging
   • Infographic
   • Icon or button
   • T-shirt
   • App design
   • Brochure
   • Banner ad
   • 3D
   • Logo & business card
   • Logo & brand identity pack
   • Poster
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Other packaging or label
   • Business card
   • Book cover
   • App
   • Logo & social media pack
   • Web page design
   • Facebook cover

   

   

   

   Request quote
9. 9

   

   arc44

   Top Level

   5.0

   ( 47 )

   • Banner ad
   • Facebook cover
   • Poster
   • Social media page
   • Postcard, flyer or print
   • Other web or app design
   • Email
   • Other design
   • Logo design
   • Illustration or graphics
   • Other business or advertising
   • Other book or magazine
   • Menu
   • Landing page design
   • Brochure
   • Logo & brand identity pack
   • Book cover

   

   

   

   Request quote
10. 10

    

    isabellarrazola

    Top Level

    4.9

    ( 36 )

    • Logo design
    • T-shirt
    • Product label
    • Social media page
    • Product packaging
    • Other business or advertising
    • Merchandise
    • Book cover
    • Postcard, flyer or print
    • Other clothing or merchandise
    • Icon or button
    • Web page design
    • Business card
    • Poster
    • Other design
    • Illustration or graphics
    • Facebook cover
    • Logo & social media pack
    • Cup or mug
    • Clothing or apparel
    • Card or invitation
    • Brochure
    • Logo & brand identity pack
    • Email

    

    

    

    Request quote

More social media designers

How did we choose these as the top social media designers?
—

Social media design is important to get just right because it has a large audience, in fact, it can be the channel in which your reach is at its maximum. Top social media designers will create designs that express your unique brand voice through various platforms while growing your engagement. Social media is an indispensable opportunity to interact with and receive feedback from your audience and the aim is to get their attention and keep it with professional design choices. Here’s what we looked for when selecting the designers on this list:

1. Design quality

When a designer joins 99designs, an expert from our team goes through their portfolio and considers the conceptual thought, technical execution and knowledge of design principles evident in their work. They then assign the designer one of three levels:

• Top Level
• Mid Level
• Entry Level

These levels are displayed on designer portfolios, so you can easily see if you’re working with someone with lots of experience and design chops, or someone that is up-and-coming.

A stunning instagram brand design by Daylite Designs

2. Social media design experience

Just like most fields, designers also choose to specialize. Social media design is a relative venue in design and though it feels very specific, it is actually quite expansive. Think of how varied the different platforms are in sizing, style, layout, even in their limitations. When making our selection, in addition to looking at overall quality, we specifically vetted each designer on this list to make sure they specialized in social media design.

3. Professionalism

Of course you want someone with design skills, but you also want a social media designer who communicates with you throughout the process, delivers on time and is generally enjoyable to work with. We factored in past customer experiences to make sure all of our recommended social media designers are professionals in service as well as design.

Are you ready to hire your freelance social media designer match?
—

Social media platforms are the venues in which customers most frequently interact with your brand. A designer who focuses on social media design can create designs that not only represent your brand voice flawlessly but also increase your engagement with your existing audience while growing beyond them.

If these 10 designers aren’t quite what you’re looking for you can always do a search to connect with the countless incredible designers on our platform.

Want more social media designer choices?

Browse top social media designers for your project

Find a designer

The post 10 best freelance social media designers for hire in 2020 appeared first on 99designs.

How to evaluate logo quality

As the first and most important statement your brand will make, a quality logo design is one of the most essential vehicles for branding success. Whether you’re building a new brand or refreshing an existing one, evaluating the quality of your logo is an important step to take.

Illustration by OrangeCrush

Let’s make one thing clear: “good logo design” is subjective. Personal taste and preference will inevitably become a factor when assessing logo quality. Still, there are certain principles of logo design that a high-quality logo needs to adhere to, so it’s wise to try and look at the logo objectively. Pare it down and approach it with fresh eyes, even if it’s hard to step back. We recommend thinking of the logo as a communication tool: it should always speak clearly.

We’re here to help distinguish what makes a quality logo. Remember: whether your brand is bold and edgy or refined and elegant, you deserve to look good—and “good” doesn’t always mean flashy and expensive.

4 key questions to ask yourself when evaluating logo quality:
—

1. Does the logo embody the brand itself?
2. Is the logo aesthetically pleasing?
3. Is the logo memorable and identifiable?
4. Is the logo functional?

Does the logo embody the brand itself?
—

First impressions are everything, and for many newcomers to your brand, your logo is likely their first experience of who and what your brand is all about. A high-quality logo will say exactly who you are, right from the start. To get there, you simply have to ask, what makes your brand unique? Make sure you’re confident about the answer and then ensure that your logo matches up.

A successful logo will often have a built-in message or meaning which supports the brand’s overarching purpose and goals. Here, we’ll look at two top-quality logos—one long-standing logo and one from a rebrand effort—which both thoughtfully convey a message.

via FedEx

FedEx has used the same logo since 1994, and it has become a pillar of the brand as a whole. What makes the logo so special is the strategically placed arrow between the letters E and X. It adds excitement for the consumer—especially when they discover this treasure for the very first time. The arrow upholds the company’s goal and purpose, as it’s a business which was founded on the principle of speedy delivery. The arrow is an intriguing visual element which symbolizes speed and efficiency. The execution of the spacing is absolutely perfect, and the bold colors stand out nicely on their white packages. The FedEx logo is honest. What more do you want from a shipping company?

Tour de France logo

Now, let’s look at a modern spin on successful messaging. The Tour de France logo has seen several iterations, but it has remained constant since its 2002 rebranding effort. What made this rebrand so unique was its drastic change from past logos which felt stuffy and corporate, to the current logo which feels artistic and adventurous.

The message in the logo is crystal clear: the letters and symbols form an active cyclist on a ride. The logo embodies the excitement and movement of this major sporting event. And in addition to the bike, the script feels fluid and full of motion. It’s an athletic logo with artistic vision: a clear gold medalist.

In contrast, not-so-great logos are the ones which don’t embody their brand and don’t get the message across. London hosted the 2012 Olympics, and while the event was met with much excitement and buzz, the logo fell short.

2012 Olympics Logo by Wolff Olins

Sports fans criticized the jagged shapes and neon colors within the logo. It felt too retro-inspired for the year 2012, and critics jokingly noted its resemblance to Lisa Simpson’s hair.

But the issues went beyond the shapes and colors, as this logo also didn’t fulfill its overall purpose: conveying the message of the Olympic spirit. The Olympics are all about global athletes coming together for the love of their sport. Just like the interlocking Olympic rings in its parent logo, any corresponding Olympic logo should display a sense of togetherness and unity. The pulled-apart pieces in the London logo fell short. They came across as disconnected; almost as if they’d had an argument and were drifting apart. Famed design firm Wolff Olins has stood by its creation, but many onlookers continue to disagree.

Is the logo aesthetically pleasing?
—

Let’s talk about aesthetics. A great logo should not only look good, but it should also acclimate well to any space, and also have a sense of individuality. A quality logo is adaptable in various environments and unique to its brand. Let’s break down these two aesthetic concepts.

A quality logo is adaptable

Great logos are chameleons: they look good anywhere, any place and in any color scheme—yet still recognizable. Logo quality shouldn’t be impacted by whether the logo is big or small, or even digital versus tangible. It just needs to adapt.

via Adidas

A unique success story is Adidas. The global brand actually has several similar-but-different logo variations to offer, but Adidas makes it work. Why? Because these logos always look good. While they’re most commonly seen on wearable items, they can easily work elsewhere (on a soccer ball or a gym bag, for example). They’re obviously sporty (as Adidas should be), but more so, they’re versatile.

via Verizon

Unlike Adidas, Verizon for example has a tough-to-adapt logo. Despite several rounds of redesigns, the logo still isn’t quite as outstanding. A logo should be aesthetically pleasing, and Verizon’s really doesn’t have much to offer in terms of aesthetics. Simple is good and less is more, but this isn’t a logo that you’d particularly want to look at on a billboard, and it wouldn’t make you feel good to wear it on a T-shirt. It’s an instance where a company’s logo doesn’t add as much value as it could.

A quality logo is unique

Nobody likes a copycat—or a generic logo that blends into the crowd. It can lead to a lack of identity, as well as confusion for the consumer.

via Playboy

Think about the Playboy logo: say what you will about this brand and its purpose, but the logo is iconic. It is undeniably Playboy, and it would be hard to find another logo with similar aesthetics. In terms of quality, the Playboy logo is a major success.

On the other hand, there’s Pandora. In 2017, the popular web-based radio station redesigned its logo, and the result looked shockingly similar to the existing logo for PayPal. The design felt so referential that PayPal opted to file a lawsuit against Pandora.

When looking at the two side by side, it’s important to remember how both brands’ customers typically utilize their services. Whether you’re listening to music or sending money to a friend, it’s likely happening in app form on a pretty small screen. That single logo for the app tells the customer everything they need to know, right away.

The similarities between PayPal and Pandora’s logos are particularly confusing in a mobile environment. Remember that more and more brand interactions are happening in mobile settings. So, when you think about your logo looking unique, don’t forget about what its going to look like in different settings, such as your app icon. It’s essential.

Is the logo memorable and identifiable?
—

Face it: some of the best logos in the world are also the most widely identified. But being memorable and identifiable can mean many things.

For Shell, it means that a logo can speak for the brand without using any words. The average consumer sees the Shell logo and knows exactly who the brand is, what it’s all about and what to expect. But for others, it’s a more strategic, nuanced experience. The Disney logo is a great example. Not only is it explicitly associated with the brand, but it also utilizes a custom font to enhance its overall voice. It’s the ultimate branding experience.

via Coca Cola

Interestingly enough, one of the most memorable, identifiable global logos has barely changed since its inception in the late 1800s. We’re talking about Coca-Cola. The logo is truly timeless, and despite many technological advancements in culture and society, the logo has remained constant through the years. Even the beverage packaging has barely changed, and consumers still appreciate the nostalgic nature of the glass bottles. Coca-Cola is easy to spot in a crowd. It’s approachable and relatable. It’s ingrained in the minds of consumers young and old, male and female, working class and wealthy. Coca-Cola speaks to all, and that’s what makes it great.

Remember, a logo needs to be functional
—

In addition to being easy to remember, a great logo needs to be functional. In this day and age, this means serving its purpose in both tangible and digital environments. Think about all of the places where a logo can live: a T-shirt, a shopping bag, a business card, a website, an app—the list goes on.

Think about what the user wants to see in a digital space. More than anything else, the logo should provide convenience and ease of use. Symbol-driven logos tend to be the most versatile in both types of environments (look to Swirl, Resto, LovedUp and FitMarguerite for fresh examples of multifunctional logos).

Don’t sacrifice quality when it comes to logo design
—

Making a quality logo comes down to embodying a brand, offering good aesthetics and being memorable. Now is the time to examine your approach to logo quality. Remember its sizable impact on your overall success! And if you need a little help, turn to the global community of designers at 99designs.

Want a high-quality logo design for your brand?

Work with our talented designers to make it happen.

Get a logo

The post How to evaluate logo quality appeared first on 99designs.