What are the standards that your emblem is going to have to meet? If you are creating an emblem for a gaming site, this likely means that you are going to need to think about restrictions like size, color or topic. If you want to get your seal or emblem recognized by a specific regulatory body, you need to abide by its guidelines.
What is the main concept that you are trying to convey with your emblem? For instance, a group that is trying to convey boldness or ferocity might choose a wolf or a lion to represent this, while a group that is dedicated to a certain activity might choose to picture tools that symbolize that activity. The concept of your emblem is one of the most important things that you need to consider.
Words can be added to your emblem, and in many cases they spell out your group's motto or sum up your groups beliefs. You may find that words can be added around the border in fairly unobtrusive text or you can have them front and center, displayed on a ribbon or scroll. Remember that you should avoid tall and skinny fonts. Instead, look for bold fonts that have serifs for easy readability.
Remember that the higher the contrast between the colors that you choose, the more recognizable your patch is going to be. If your design is simple enough that it can be rendered in two or three colors, you will find that this gets you the most recognizable image. Remember that the background color should be light and the foreground color should be dark. This gives you the most visibility.
What shape should your seal or emblem take? Circles and rectangles are very common, but if you want something a little more bold, consider a pentagon or a triangle. Your patch should be symmetrical and it should have smooth edges with a clearly defined border. Check with your regulatory body to see if there are any shapes that are preferred or prohibited.
Your emblem should be balanced. If the left of the emblem is too busy, it will give it an unpleasant look. There should be an equal amount of weight and open space in your design. Most emblems are static, so you will not have to worry about movement, so just look at what kind of space you take up.