Guide to Choose Best Website Font

Posted by The Byte Guy on January 26th, 2024

Your website serves as the cornerstone of your brand's identity, and the design elements you choose – from the typography to the colour scheme – speak volumes before a single interaction takes place. We explore how you can choose the best website font to build a strong online brand identity.

1. The Historical Tapestry of Typography on the Web

The inception of typography on the web dates back to the early 1990s when website fonts were limited to a handful of options. These were primarily system fonts like Times New Roman or Arial, which were chosen for their universal availability across different operating systems.

2. The Evolution of Web Fonts

The advent of Google Fonts and other open-source font libraries marked a renaissance in website typography. It democratised access to a diverse array of typefaces, enabling designers to express brand identity more distinctively.

3. Best Practices for Selecting Typography and Colour

When choosing the best website font and colour, consider readability, brand congruence, and emotional impact. A website for charity might opt for a compassionate and approachable font, while a website for small business might favour a typeface that conveys reliability.

4. The Font Families: A Closer Look

a. Sans-Serif Font-Family:

Characterised by clean lines without decorative strokes, sans-serif fonts like Helvetica are versatile and modern, perfect for a contemporary website design.

b. Serif Font-Family:

With their classic decorative strokes, serif fonts like Times New Roman embody tradition and trustworthiness, suited for premium website templates.

c. Monospaced Font-Family:

Every character in a monospaced font like Courier takes up the same width, offering a mechanical aesthetic ideal for blog templates.

d. Cursive Font-Family:

Cursive fonts like Brush Script imitate human handwriting, imparting a personal touch to WordPress templates.

5. The Impact of Font Size on Web Visitors

Font size significantly affects readability and user engagement. Statistics suggest that header fonts range from 18 to 29 pixels, while paragraph text often sits between 14 to 16 pixels. Recent trends indicate an upsurge in larger font sizes, reflecting the mobile-first approach in website development.

6. Delving into CSS Styling for Typography

CSS offers an array of styling options, from text-shadow to letter-spacing. Less common properties like ‘text-stroke’ can add unique flair to website typography style guides.

7. The Significance of the Font-Family Property

The ‘font-family’ CSS property ensures a consistent typographic experience across different browsers and devices by specifying a hierarchy of desired typefaces.

8. Embedding Custom Fonts: A Strategic Move

Embedding custom fonts, such as through @font-face, can elevate a website's uniqueness. When deploying custom fonts, balance creativity with performance considerations to maintain site speed.

9. The Symphony of Web Colours and Typography

Creating a custom font colour palette is akin to designing a site colour palette — it should be harmonious, accessible, and resonant with the brand. Avoid colours that clash or compromise readability.