Did you know typography can influence how your brand is perceived? That’s right: after simply glancing at the text on your web page, your visitors form preconceived notions about your business. And it’s better to have those notions working for you rather than against you.

If you’re looking to learn all about typography, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’ll cover the basics: what is typography and why is it important.

What Is Typography?

So, what is typography? It’s the style and appearance of print. On a website, it’s the text on your page.

What are the most important elements of typography on your web page?

• Font: This refers to your text face and size.
• Alignment: This refers to how your text lines up with your web page. Is it to the left, to the right, or centered? Is it justified (which gives the left and the right of the text box a straight edge)?
• Hierarchy: Larger versus smaller text size should convey importance. A title should be huge, section headlines should be smaller, and subsection headers should be even smaller than that.
• Typographical Emphasis: This is bolding, italicizing, or underlining your text to indicate importance. Remember: if you try to make too much stand out, then nothing is going to stand out.
• Location: Make sure your text is somewhere logical on your page. There’s no point of placing it where no one is going to see it. And be cognizant of white space: if there’s no space free of text or images, your page is going to look too crowded.

So, now that we’ve covered the basics of typography, let’s discuss why we care about it in the first place.

Why Is Typography Important?

If you care about your web page, you have to consider typography: it’s 95% of web design. So, what can typography do for you?

• Convey Tone: Typography alone can convey the seriousness or lightheartedness of a page. Some fonts emphasize power or importance, while others represent fun and playfulness. Beware not to use a fun font for a serious piece (or vice versa).
  
• Make It Readable: If you use clashing colors or cursive-like fonts, they can be difficult to read. If your page is hard to read, the visitor will likely leave instead of struggling to read the page. At the very least, make your headline and subheadings clear enough to convey your message at a glance.
• Keep Them Reading: Good typography is utilitarian and doesn’t draw too much attention. It keeps the page legible and user-friendly. Avoid using too many colors or font choices, which can make it difficult for the reader to focus.
• Communicate Purpose: The purpose you want to convey will depend on your business. If you’re a design company, you’ll want to use creative typography so that your website stands out. But for professional organizations, keep it utilitarian, avoiding quirky font and color choices.

Your typography emphasizes business identity. So if you notice your web page is breaking a lot of these rules, it may be time for a redesign.

Need Custom Website Design?

We hope we’ve answered all your questions about what is typography and why it’s important. It’s not all about looking nice: it also influences the user experience.

Is your website outdated and in need of a redesign? Or maybe you’re looking to create your very first business website? Check out our latest work and learn more about what Jonesen can do for your business website.