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Why Your Typeface and Typography Matter

By Snap Agency August 15, 2018

Your typography matters because it can convey meaning, evoke emotions, and create a harmonious visual experience for users. It establishes a sense of professionalism and ensures that users have a positive impression of your brand. 

Today, we will discuss these design elements and dive into what they are, why they’re essential, and how to ensure the ones you’re using fit your brand.

What Is Typography?

People make mistakes every day when it comes to the English language. Whether it’s mixing up “effect” and “affect” or saying ‘factoid,’ which means the opposite of what you think. Errors like this are understandable. 

Well, what if I told you that you’ve been using the word “font” wrong this entire time? You probably feel like you’ve been living a lie your whole life, but don’t be discouraged! You are not alone. Just like with ‘factoid,’ the misconception of the ‘font’ is so commonplace most grammar nerds have given up trying to correct others. 

In fact, what most people mean when they think about font is called typography and typeface.

TYPEFACE VS TYPOGRAPHY: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Typography and typeface may seem like the same thing to the untrained eye, but there’s a nuanced difference between the two. 

Typeface is actually what many people commonly think of when they hear the “font.” Times New Roman, Futura, Helvetica, and yes, even Papyrus are all typefaces, not fonts. 

However, how you alter it in size and weight is considered the font. Think of the typeface as the starting point and the font as the finished product. 

On the other hand, typography encompasses a broad range of elements web designers use to arrange type to make written language visually appealing and easily readable. It includes spacing, alignment, and overall layout. The use of typography allows us to convey meaning and evoke emotions.

Now that we’ve cleared up, let’s talk about the important role of typeface in your marketing.

The Importance of Your Typeface

Think of some recognizable brands and their accompanying typefaces on their logo:

  • Nike’s fits mesh perfectly with their iconic swoosh and convey strong, athletic performance. 
  • Patagonia’s integrates seamlessly with its mountain designs. 
  • Lego’s bubble letters remind you of being a kid again.

While logos are a larger example than the typeface you choose on your website, the same principle still applies. You want to choose a typeface that matches well with the brand image you’ve created. A business in the financial sector will feature a typeface that differs from a company that sells toys to kids. 

You also will want to find a typeface that your site users will deem ‘trustworthy’ because, yes, the typeface you choose impacts how credible customers perceive your information. So, when it comes to your typeface, your consumers are unknowingly fairly picky. That’s why what option you go with matters.

HOW DOES TYPOGRAPHY INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKING?

Imagine a website with a poor layout where the body text is unevenly spaced, paragraphs aren’t aligned properly, and the overall appearance seems poorly done. Would you trust the site as an authoritative or helpful source? Would you bother scrolling through the mess to find what you were looking for?

No, and neither will the average user. 

Additionally, poor typography reflects poorly on your brand. If a site isn’t competent enough to make its written content look appealing and deliver a good user experience. Users will go elsewhere and actively avoid your brand in the future.

HOW DOES TYPOGRAPHY HELP CONVEY MEANING?

Another reason why typography matters is its ability to convey meaning. Good typography combines various elements like font type, spacing, colors, and the overall layout of text to set the tone and evoke emotions.

Consider the brands we mentioned earlier: 

  • Nike’s website uses bold, black, standard font against a white background, creating an immediate contrast that draws users in and allows them to easily navigate to their desired product type, evoking a sense of professionalism and trustworthiness. 
  • On the other hand, Lego’s website uses bright yellows and deep reds, along with casual white font against a gentle green background, promoting excitement, curiosity, and whimsy.

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT TYPEFACE

The perfect typeface won’t just slap you in the face. No, it’s a bit more complex than that and will probably require more trial and error than anything else. Check out your top competitors to see what’s working and get some inspiration.

You also need to figure out what emotions and feelings you hope your website will convey. The ‘Daily Egg’ has an awesome infographic that helps illustrate what feelings people associate with certain typefaces. Whether you’re going for a modern, progressive, or strong look, there is a typeface for that.

Also, consider how typography plays a role. Consider it’s readability across different platforms like desktops and mobiles. It’s okay to use multiple typefaces across your website too, but we recommend not using any more than five, with three being the best option.

Make sure to be picky when testing out typefaces. If you don’t love it, leave it. The perfect typeface is out there; you just have to do a little digging first. Don’t be afraid to change it up as well. If you’re unsatisfied with the typeface you’re currently running with, find a different one. And never, ever go with Comic Sans. Just don’t do it.

NEED SOME HELP WITH YOUR WEBSITE DETAILS?

Here at Snap, we know that everything matters regarding your web design. That means we don’t cut corners and certainly don’t overlook the details. That includes everything from your typeface and the colors of your site to the layout and functionality. 

You want your website to be perfect as an extension of your brand. Reach out today if you’re ready to create the website of your dreams.