The importance of typography & 4 tips to getting it right

Why is typography important in web design?

Typography is a fundamental part of your brand’s visual identity, and just like the images, colours and words you choose for your website, it can have a huge bearing on your ability to convert your target audience into consumers of your product or service.

In fact, the fonts you incorporate into your website do more than simply frame your content; they impact the entire user experience, and play an integral role in forming a positive impression of your brand, both of which are the key to making your website – and business – a success.

Why you must get your typography right

Your typography is one of the first things audiences will encounter when they land on your website, which is why it’s so important to get right.

You could have the most brilliantly engaging copy in the world but if your font choice is unappealing users will simply navigate away without giving your website a second look. After all, it takes just seconds for people to form an opinion, based on nothing more than what they see.

That’s why choosing the right typography for your business is so important, particularly when it comes to web design. You want potential customers to land on your homepage and feel compelled to consume your content, and that’s where good typography makes all the difference.

4 tips to get typography right

Getting your typography right doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated. All it takes is a design professional with the knowledge and understanding of good typographic principles to enable you to find the perfect font for your brand.

With that in mind, here are four of the most important things to consider when it comes to typography for web design.

1 – Limit your font choices

As well as holding visual appeal, website fonts also play an important part in your user journey, helping your audience to navigate your content and make sense of what they’re seeing.  For this reason, it’s highly advisable to incorporate more than one font into your website design and to use these fonts consistently throughout every page of your website. If you do plump for multiple fonts, make sure they complement one another and try to limit your choices to just 2-3. Any more can make your website appear unprofessional and inconsistent.

2 – Readable at a glance

Good typography also influences how readable your website copy is.  It’s common, for example, to have a font that acts as the title font or headline font and another that is used for all main copy or body copy. This helps to make your website more digestible. Using typography in this way has a significant bearing on your website dwell times (how long a user stays on your site) and conversions (the actions they take on your site) such as signing up to a mailing list or making a purchase, all of which can also help your SEO.

3 – Your colours need theme

Just as you need to condense the number of different fonts you use on your website, you also need to be disciplined when it comes to using colour too. Too many colours or random use of colour can be confusing to a website user and make your content difficult to follow. If you do elect to use colour on your website, be sure to do so sparingly and purposefully, or else it will fail to resonate with your audience.

4 – Typography that tells your story

Last but not least, your typography should convey who your business is (its personality and values) and what it does (its purpose or industry).  It’s no use, for instance, choosing a font that’s fun and quirky if your product offer is serious. Likewise, if your brand is young and innovative, you need to opt for a typeface that exudes these qualities.  The look of your content says just as much as your words, so it’s imperative that your typography reflects and communicates the nature of your business.

To learn more about the importance of typography, and how it can improve overall web design, please get in touch! We can be reached by email at hello@regencycreative.co.uk .