One of the first things I learned about when I started designing was the importance of typography. I’m sure every designer has faced the challenge of choosing the right font. The right font will make your site look polished and professional while the wrong one will communicate the wrong message and make your site look cluttered. Here’s how to make smart typography decisions for your next site.
Prioritize Readability
It’s tempting to experiment with crazy, fun fonts to give your site some edge. While there’s a place for breaking the rules of design, readability should be the main priority. Choose a clean, easy-to-read font for body text. One of my favorites recently has been Inter! Limit decorative fonts to headings or accents, where they can add character without sacrificing readability.
Establish Font Hierarchy
A good rule of thumb is to stick to no more than 2-3 fonts to maintain consistency. However, I personally believe that sometimes one is enough. I’ll use a single typeface but differentiate between headings and body by adjusting the font weight. Occasionally, I’ll choose a more playful font for titles, but only if it’s “different” enough. For example, I might choose a script font for titles and a sans serif font for paragraphs. Rarely will I choose two sans serif fonts for titles and paragraphs. The idea is to ensure contrast between text elements, whether that’s with size, weight, or font.
Align Typography with Branding
I lost count of how many times I’ve revisited old design projects only to find that the font I chose is now outdated! It’s fun to experiment, but picking trendy fonts can be risky! Ensure that your choice is reflective of your brand’s personality and that it can stand the test of time.
Typography can make or break design. By focusing on readability, font hierarchy, and branding you can create a visually appealing web experience for your users!
