Creating a website that is user friendly is one of the most important considerations for any company or business. And the typography you choose can be a big part of that. Here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design professionals. From Wigan to Southport, we work with companies across Manchester and the surrounding region to deliver high quality web design solutions that really get results. As a result, we have produced this guide to typography for user friendly web design.
What is the role of typography in web design?
So first of all, what exactly is typography? And what kind of role does it play in web design? Well, you know when websites use a swirly font over the top of an image? That’s typography. Or when you get a popup and they have chosen a certain font just over one word? That’s typography. The aim of typography in these cases is to make text really stand out, and draw attention, while being part of the overall web design.
Typography is even related to your branding and logo. Just take a look at Vans, Disney, Harry Potter, Coca-Cola, Virgin and ebay to name just a few. The branding of these companies rests on the correct presentation of the typography used for their logos. So if your company has a logo, and you display your company name in a certain style, your web presence needs to reflect this. And this is where typography comes in.
What are the effective options for maintaining user friendly website typography?
To create a truly user friendly website, your text has to be seriously well planned out and organised. You should:
- Make sure any unique fonts are still readable- too many swirls and twirls and your message will get lost and your users will either be confused, or just leave
- Use three or less different fonts for all of your text content – one for the main body of your text, one for headings and titles, and the other only if you have unique font as part of your branding
- Use a typeface that can be read at a range of different sizes- remember good web design will be responsive, and a responsive site might scale down your text depending on screen size. If your text is illegible below size 16, your users will have no choice but to leave.
- Avoid using all caps- this can look aggressive and unappealing
- Avoid flashing text– this can be very uncomfortable for some people to read, and your message will quickly be lost in the gimmick
- Include white space- space around text is very important, too much and your text will look strange, too little and your text will be hard to read. Make sure you find the perfect balance.
For more information, or for professional web design support, get in touch today with the experts here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.