The Power of Typography in Web Design

The Power of Typography in Web Design

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This article was contributed by Lexie Lu.

Typography is often overlooked when it comes to website design. Yes, some of it is taken seriously. Your logo and certain graphics were most likely designed with your brand in mind.

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But what about your chosen typefaces / fonts?

Your typeface says more about your brand than you might think. Every design and typeface you use has a different impact on your users.

Here are seven reasons to pay attention to typography. It’s powerful stuff and can even influence the voice inside your head.

Power of Type

1. Type Influences Decision Making

That’s right. Typography has mind-control powers. The typeface you choose can alter your visitors’ perceptions.

The charts below from The New York Times show how individuals tend to believe factual information based on the typeface that’s used. And a survey of 45,000 people discovered that the Baskerville typeface is more likely to influence readers’ minds. This font is perceived as being more believable and can get your readers to agree with your statements.


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Type Influences

Although this study shows Baskerville is considered the most trustworthy font, I wouldn’t go changing your entire website. The typeface you choose should fit the tone of your website and help tell the story of your brand. It’s important to keep in mind that certain typefaces do have an impact on your users. Test a few different typefaces and see which one yields the best results.

2. Type Evoke Emotions

The best way to get people to care is to evoke emotion, and typography is the perfect tool for this task.

Your logo, colors and type choice can evoke emotion from your users. Good typography can lift people’s spirits without them realizing it. It can make them feel creative and give them a positive association with your brand. After all, the purpose of typography is to extend your brand’s story.

Together We're Extraordinary

EVS created a page on its website to celebrate the new year and had people physically represent their message. At the end it says in a handwritten typeface, “Together we’re making the extraordinary.” This look represents a personal tone and evokes an appealingly imperfect quality. The audience feels included and becomes inspired as well.

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These tiny details can help you stand out and make people emotionally invested in your journey.

3. Type Connects to Your Brand

Everything you design is an extension of your brand. The typography you choose to incorporate in your work gives the user a better idea of who and what your brand is all about.

This infographic highlights the importance of your overall message when considering your typefaces. A good way to identify what your brand represents is listing the core values and attributes.

Mistakes Choosing Fonts Infographic

Look at a selection of fonts and determine what these values would look like if they were fonts. This can help you narrow down which typography set best represents the company.

Ecosaver

For example, this designer used lettering to create a logo of a bird and includes the “e” and the “s.” The fluid typography emphasizes a cycle and leads to sustainability.

Typography is a reflection of your brand’s tone. Let’s say your brand has to do with cowboys and has a Western theme. You wouldn’t use the same font as for a digital clock. This font doesn’t match the user’s expectations of your brand, and this causes a lost connection.

Every brand has a story. The typeface and logo you use should add a unique element to the storytelling process. You want users to connect to your brand without them even realizing it.

4. The Correct Type Builds Trust

Type is generally the first thing people see when they visit your website. It’s the first element of your design that can make or break their loyalty to you and your brand. This is why typography plays the most impactful role of design, which is building trust.

You want people to feel positive when looking at your typography. Building trust is a great way to do this. Your typeface should match — or exceed — the user’s expectations.

You can also build trust by making your typefaces professional. Black Times New Roman font won’t go over well because it’s the standard font that can be found anywhere. It also makes it look like your website was just quickly thrown together without any effort.

Black Website

Papazian’s site embodies elegance and complements the jewelry industry. If the company had used a sans serif for any of its headings, the brand may not have been perceived in the same light.

Choose a professional-looking font that matches your brand to build trust with your users. Once they’re loyal to your brand, they’ll never let you go.

5. Type Enhances Readability

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Typography in your logo and header certainly impact how users view your brand. Although this is highly important, the typography you use for your web content is just as vital for success.

Different fonts are responsible for the user’s readability. A 1986 study of fonts found 67 percent of participants found serif fonts easy to comprehend, while 12 percent of participants preferred sans serif. The smallest details in certain fonts can determine the complexity of your content. Choose a font that is easy to read so people stay on your website and take in your content.

6. Secondary Typefaces Matter

After spending a colossal amount of time looking at different fonts for inspiration, you finally came up with the perfect design for your logo. Unfortunately, your work isn’t done yet. A bad secondary font can ruin any impact the logo’s typeface might have.

See here for some great font combinations.

Secondary Fonts

Using the same font as the primary logo for the sub-logo suggests the sub-logo logo is just as meaningful. The user is tempted to look at both at the same time, even if the secondary font is smaller.

Don’t make this mistake with your secondary font. Make it thinner so it a to the typography you chose for the primary logo.

7. Type Size Makes an Impact

The type of font and style of your typography is important for any design. The color and way it’s presented will also have an impact on viewers. The size of your typography makes an impact as well.

Size Matters

If you’re designing an infographic or slogan, chances are there are specific words that you want to stand out more than others. If you’re creating a design for the sentence, “Here are the top trends for back-to-school shopping,” you probably want back-to-school shopping to stand out more than the.

You can separate these words from the rest of the pack by making them larger. Increase the size of impactful words to add an element of importance to the design.

Have a Typography Game Plan!

It’s time to decide the best typography for you. Analyze your brand, find out why people care about it, and design your typography to match those expectations.

Lexie Lu is a designer, writer, and coffee lover. She writes about trends in the web and graphic design industry and contributes weekly to Design Roast. Follow Lexie on Twitter @lexieludesigner

13 thoughts on “The Power of Typography in Web Design”

  1. Typography plays a big role in graphic design and can be one of the hardest things to get right. Typography is most important for our design work! Thanks for sharing.

  2. I think you really share better tips and tricks about typography. Your post are help full for new designer like me. Nice post Thank you.

    • Best of luck to you! It’s definitely a thrilling and wonderful field. I learn something new each day–a total cliche but 100% accurate. Thank you for reading! 🙂

  3. Hi
    Typography plays an important role in every design. I think typography can change the look and feel of the design. Its eye catching and wonderful.
    Excellent article.Thanks for sharing.

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