Designing a website is an intensive process that includes many different parts from color schemes, layout, navigation, user experience, and fonts. Website fonts play a large part in the unity and user experience of a website’s design. The font is what the consumers will be reading which means it needs to be clean, eye-catching, but not too eye-catching, and not comic sans! 

There are thousands of different fonts to pick from, and choosing the right font is just as critical as the right branding colors. While Google Fonts provides plenty of great options, it is important to understand how to pick the best one. 

The psychology behind fonts 

There are four different types of fonts. 

1. Serif fonts 
2. Sans-serif fonts 
3. Script fonts
4. Display fonts 

Font psychology is the study of how different fonts make an impact, create an emotion, or bring up feelings when consumers are reading these different fonts. 

Canva provides a great example of how font psychology can be utilized. For a company that is launching a children’s clothing line, it is important to appear whimsical and friendly. You will want a font that is softer versus something harsh. 

The importance of branding 

As stated above in the example of a children’s clothing company that wanted to pick specific fonts based on their industry, that is a big part of branding as well. Our web design and development agency will tell you that everything deals with branding on the design and marketing side. 

(You’ll hear our experts say it again, and again, and again.) 

For those with a high-end font, a Serif might be a great option. This is because it speaks a sense of “luxury” or a “higher-end” brand. On the other hand, slab fonts (blocky serifs) are like an old-school typewriter which would be fun and unique. 

Just like the tone of voice and other major branding elements, the font needs to fit the brand as well. 

Readability and scannability 

Some fonts are easier to read than others, and with color contrasts, spacing, and other elements to consider, it is important to understand that readability along with scannability should be kept in mind as well. 

Research from a 2008 study, that still holds value to this day from Nielsen Norman Group, estimates that users only read about 20 to 28 percent of the content on a website. This means content that is easy to read and scannable can be part of the small percentage of content that is actually read. 

Accessibility 

Accessibility means that anyone with or without a mental or physical disability can read the content that is on a website. Not all fonts are accessible and some fonts can turn away a large part of your audience because of the lack of accessibility.  A large percentage of companies and even other agencies can forget about accessibility until the very end. Find a font that is accessible and matches branding in the beginning. 

Hire us! 

Our web design and development agency has worked with hundreds of companies to get their website up and running or redesigned. Our website designers help through this entire process of ensuring fonts are readable, scannable, accessible, and match branding. 

For more information, contact our web design and development agency today!