The typeface is a big part of a design, whether it be for graphics or websites, as it represents your brand and can make or break the readability of your information. The most important part about type is that your audience can read it, otherwise, there’s no purpose having text on your website. By simply making your writing readable, you’re already ahead of at least half of your competitors. Therefore, it’s important to think carefully about your typeface before committing to one.
Firstly, try not to overthink when picking a typeface for your website. Many designers may dismiss popular typefaces to be different, but the reason these typefaces are so popular is that they’re good. Helvetica and Arial fit into almost every design you can think of, and they work well in any size or font style. Readable content is more important than looking unique. Your body content is arguably the central part of your design, so this section needs to be the most legible. Make sure that the font you choose can be read in smaller sizes because this indicates the readability of your chosen typeface.
As for titles, make sure your reader immediately knows what it says. There’s no formula to follow when picking the right fonts. Give each font a try and see which one works best for your design. Most of the time your reader won’t think about your font – as long as they can read it, that’s good enough for them.
Font pairing
There’s rarely an instance where one font family is enough for your whole design. Great designs will generally use at least two typefaces – one for headlines and one for body text. When choosing your font, put them side by side and see how they work together. Are they too different or too similar? Often, it’s best to pick two sans serif fonts. Other times, you may want to pick a serif for the headline and a sans serif for the body. What matters is that they act similar and that they effectively convey your information.
Matching your font and design
Typography isn’t something that sits by itself. It’s a part of your overall design, just as your images are, and your colour swatch, so ensure your typeface fits into the design you have in mind. For instance, if you have a busy background texture, choose a simple serif font for your titles to make them stand out. Design is a huge field, and fonts are just one part of it. Fit your elements together, and craft the experience you want for your reader.
