How to Choose the Perfect Typeface for Your Website
Did you know that it only takes 50 milliseconds (or 0.05 seconds) for someone to form their first impression of a website? In this incredibly minuscule timeframe, users get to decide whether they like what they’re seeing and whether they want to stick around.
This makes creating a great, professional website paramount to driving online traffic. One of the first things that you’ll want to take care of is your website fonts. Yes, because the right website typeface can make or break your website’s success.
Want to know how to pick the perfect typeface for your website, in three easy steps? Keep reading.
1. Understand Font Classification
Before you even begin to select your fonts, it’s important to understand how they are classified. There are three main font families: Serif fonts, Sans Serif fonts, and Script fonts.
Serif fonts are those that feature a tiny line at the end of a letter’s stroke. These are usually seen as more timeless and refined, and are often used in print.
Sans Serif fonts, as you might imagine, do not feature serif lines. They are cleaner, neater, and more modern, and you can easily find them in web design.
Script fonts are designed to mimic handwriting styles. They include cursive fonts and are generally best left to titles or headlines, as they might be a bit difficult to read for some people.
2. Match Your Font to Your Brand
Now that you have a clearer understanding of the three main types of fonts, you need to decide which one best represents your brand. For example, if you are a sophisticated, high-end skincare brand, you might want to choose a Serif font.
On the other hand, if you sell children’s toys and accessories, a Sans Serif font might work much better. Whichever font you opt for, make sure that it is easy to read and that it actively contributes to your brand’s storytelling.
3. Choose Primary, Secondary, and Accent Fonts
Once you have identified the right font for your website, you still have some more work to do. Now, it’s time to define three main brand fonts: primary, secondary, and accent fonts.
Primary fonts are the most important for your brand and website. They are the ones that your customers see first, either because they are included in your logo or on your homepage.
Secondary fonts can be used for longer sections of content across your website. These can be completely different from your primary fonts, which means you can even select fonts belonging to a different category.
Accent fonts are optional and normally used for call-to-action or other important icons and buttons on your website pages. Understanding which primary, secondary, and accent fonts to use can be tricky.
Many companies decide to work with a professional partner, like Michigan Creative web design, to handpick the best typefaces for websites.
Ready to Find the Right Typeface for Your Website?
If you were struggling to identify the best fonts for websites, then hopefully our handy guide right here has helped. Whichever typeface you go for, make sure that it matches your brand’s voice and values, and that it is easy to read.
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