Your Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Designing the Best Product Label

When it comes to product labelling, there aren’t really any set rules to live by, but it does help to follow certain principles. Coming up with the ideal product label isn’t easy, after all, and you would have to consider a lot of design factors as well as practical features, and the label you end up with can definitely make or break the success of your product on the shelves. So what does it take to design the ideal product label, and what should you take into consideration when designing one? Here’s your ultimate step-by-step guide to designing the best product label.

1. Table of Contents

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   Know your audience – and your competition

Before you start designing or thinking about design, you should first know your audience. But along with knowing your audience also comes knowing your competition. For example, find out exactly who your target market is – what is their age, gender, education, and values? What do they consider a necessity in the products they purchase? Next, find out what your competition is doing when it comes to their own product labels. When you know what your competition is up to, you can avoid coming up with a product label that is too close to their own design, and you will also have a better idea of designs that may appeal to your target demographic.

2. Know what the product is for and what it’s about

The second step is for you to know what the product is for and what it’s about. Is there already a logo that comes with the product, or do you have to create a new one? Or instead of a logo, do you think your product will do better with a font for its name? Decide on these factors when designing a label, and also think about where the product is going to be sold. For instance, if the product will be featured on supermarket shelves, then it follows that it shouldn’t look the same as the other products beside it. If the product is to be sold online, however, this will entail a different design method and approach as well. It also pays to determine what the unique selling point or USP of the product is – you want to take advantage of this and incorporate it into the label’s design. Although it’s easy to acquire a good labelling machine, the design of the label is another matter, so it’s important to equip yourself with the right information about the product before you begin your design process.

3. Determine the packaging of the product

Sometimes, while you are still in the process of designing a product label, the packaging for it will not have been determined yet. But when the product already has packaging, you should know all that you can about this packaging material, including its size, exactly what material it is made from, whether it is opaque or transparent, its shape, and so on.

4. Consider the information

You also have to consider the information which comes with the product, especially since this information will help consumers make their buying decision. Of course, some elements are already a necessity on the label, such as the product’s name, the company logo, and the slogan, but with regard to other information, you have to determine how it will be displayed and where. Information which should generally be included in the label are the barcode, nutritional information, and the price.