In the modern times, when 64.6% of the world population uses internet and there is an increased usage of e-commerce websites, web-design plays a significant role in shaping online experiences. It is more than just the aesthetics of the website, it encompasses user experience, branding, functionality, accessibility, presenting your business’ image to the user.
One of the major aspects of web designing is typography, the art and technique of meaningfully designing and arranging text in a manner that is visually appealing and readable. Typography accounts for 95% of the web design, and it involves font selection, line spacing, letter spacing, and font size and style. Typography is not just about selecting pretty fonts, but rather communication and creating a visual identity that resonates with the users.
In this blog, we’ll discover the role and importance of typography in web design, shedding light on the best practices and tips that’d make your website stand out.
Imagine a website that looks elegant, professional and user-friendly, and one that looks cluttered, chaotic, and unreadable. As a user, you’d definitely find yourself spending more time on the former website, whereas you’d immediately click out of the latter.
Typography has a powerful visual impact on a website. It sets the tone and the mood amongst the user, bringing out emotions and shaping their perceptions. The fonts that you choose makes a stark difference in what making your website look inviting or user-friendly, instead of unprofessional and confusing.
Fonts have a psychological effect on readers. For instance, a sleek and modern sans-serif font like Helvetica or Arial can convey a sense of cleanliness and simplicity, while a traditional serif font like Times New Roman might is likely to create a more formal or authoritative feel. The key here is to align your chosen typography with your website’s purpose and target audience.
Consider a website dedicated to children's books. Using playful, colorful, and child-friendly fonts can immediately appeal to the target audience, making the site feel engaging and welcoming. On the other hand, a law firm's website should utilize more serious and legible typography to convey professionalism and trustworthiness.
Since most part of a web design is textual, readability of the content matters a lot. The primary goal of every website is to provide information to the users, however, if that information is not easy to read, then the website fails to meet its basic requirement. A poor typography that fails to benefit the users will immediately cause them to navigate away.
To enhance the readability of your website, there are a few things you need to focus on; font size, line spacing, and line length. The size you choose for your font is the most important, as too small a size can put strain on the user’s eyes, whereas a font that’s too large disrupts the flow of reading.
As each web design is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach that you can use. It mainly depends upon the font style you are using, and the device that is being used to access the website. Ideally, a web design should be responsive, where fonts can adapt to different screen size, maintaining both readability and aesthetics.
The line spacing is the vertical space between the lines of text. Selecting appropriate line spacing prevents the texts from appearing cramped or disjointed and unorganized, both which decrease readability and aesthetic. Remember, its always better to present text in shorter and an easily scannable manner, instead of long, tiring lines.
Typography is a great way to reinforce your brand identity in a web design. The fonts you choose and the way you present them can help communicate your brand’s personality and values to your users. The consistent use of typography across all digital touchpoints is essential for creating a strong brand identity.
Consider the Coca-Cola brand. Its signature script font is instantly recognizable and is an integral part of its brand identity. It conveys a sense of timeless tradition, history, and warmth. The choice of this font aligns with Coca-Cola's brand image, which is deeply rooted in nostalgia and shared moments.
Some companies also use custom fonts that are designed exclusively for their brands. These unique fonts are great in making a strong statement and setting a brand apart from its competitors. But make sure that the your font is still readable, visually appealing, and aligns with your brand’s image.
In websites, the important of responsive web design cannot be overstated. Considering the diversity of devices people use to access websites, from smartphones, tablets, to laptops, it’s essential that your web content adapts to different screen sizes. In this adaptation process, typography plays a great role.
Responsive typography allows the text on your website adapt to different screensizes. It involves adjusting font sizes, line spacing, and line lengths, suiting various devices. Sometimes, a responsive design might also require the use of varying fonts for varying screen sizes to maintain optimal visual and functional experience for the users.
Another crucial step in web design typography that many designers often overlook is the accessibility. Websites should be usable and easy to navigate for people with disabilities, including those with visual impairment. Using legible fonts, providing alternative text for images, and having a clear text-to-background contrast are some key accessibility considerations you could take.
All web designers and web design services providers should follow the established web accessibility guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), to ensure that their typography choices support an inclusive online experience.
Let’s take a look at some of the best practices that you can employ when selecting the typography for your design:
One of the very first step that you need to take is choosing the right font for your web design. Consider the following