Being on many ends of the design spectrum I have a chance to view quite a number of websites and analyze them as a graphic designer as well as a web designer. The first thing I notice on any website is the company logo. Not only is this the first thing I notice, it is also the first thing I should notice. Branding a company logo is paramount to the success of a business. Sure, there are many small businesses that have no logo at all and do quite well for themselves, however, commercial viability revolves around a strong logo that people will recognize and remember. Perhaps the best example of a strongly branded logo is the McDonalds logo. A simple yellow M is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. If the M looked anything like the one written here in this post it would just be another M, but the "golden arches" of McDonalds helps customers feel safe knowing that even when one is thousands of miles away from home, and half way across the globe, it's the same double cheeseburger.
While McDonalds status may be beyond your business' goals, remember, they spent thousands of dollars just to design an M, because often, simplicity is key. Keep this in mind if you are thinking about designing your company's new or first logo.
Jason