8 Best Fonts For Your Website
The font you use on your website says a lot about your brand. Each web font has its own unique set of traits and helps to relay the message of your business. However, given the wide array of choices, it can be difficult to know which option would be the right one for your site.
Fortunately, there are many factors that can help you choose a typeface for your brand. By looking at some examples and their uses, you’ll be able to select a font that communicates your story and personality.
In this post, we’ll look at the different types of fonts and their characteristics. We’ll then review some of the best web fonts for business websites and blogs. Finally, we’ll share some tips to help you choose a style for your site. Let’s get started!
An Introduction to Fonts
Fonts are an important feature of your website. You might be able to recognize Times New Roman in a heading and Arial in the body of a post, but there is more to fonts than meets the eye.
According to a recent study, 75 percent of consumers will judge a business by its web design. Therefore, the font you use plays a big role in how your site visitors perceive your brand.
There are more than 550,000 fonts on the net. Most of them can be classified into one of four categories: serif, sans serif, script, and display/decorative. Let’s take a look at what distinguishes these groups from one another.
Serif
Serif fonts are categorized by the small lines at the ends of each letter. They’re usually found in newspapers and textbooks. Additionally, many news sites like The Atlantic use serif fonts:
Popular examples include Times New Roman and Verona. This font family communicates a sense of tradition and formality.
Sans Serif
Sans serifs are the most ubiquitous font on the internet. They are clean and simple, and come without any bells or whistles.
Additionally, sans serifs promote authority and trust. In fact, these fonts are widely used on corporate sites:
Popular sans serif styles include Open Sans and Arial. These fonts can help you project a contemporary look.
Script
As the name suggests, script fonts (or cursive fonts) resemble handwriting. They are lively and fun, and can therefore be used to relay creativity and playfulness:
Lobster and Pacifico are two examples of script fonts. Since these fonts are more creative, they are usually found in ads that promote festivals and other cultural events.
Display
Display (also called decorative) is the most artistic font group. These fonts tend to resemble calligraphy and are often used in headings or logos:
This typeface is bold and creative. You can find decorative fonts on a variety of sites, including cultural blogs and artisan boutiques.
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Font
There are many things to consider when it comes to choosing a font for your website. First, you’ll want to think about the values that you want to communicate.
For example, if you’re a professional corporation with high-profile clients, you wouldn’t want to choose a font that transmits informality or playfulness. On the other hand, if you’re a small business that sells artisanal pottery and other crafts, a plain and serious typeface might not reflect the artistic values of your brand.
Your font can give off a certain vibe. Therefore, it’s important to choose a typeface that can help you elicit a desired emotion from your visitors, such as excitement or trust.
Readability is another aspect to consider. When your font is clean and simple, it makes your text easier to read. While an elaborate header is ideal for catching attention, a simpler typeface is better for the body of your post or page.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that your fonts are user-friendly. Choosing the best typeface for people with dyslexia and visual impairments can say a lot about your brand. It shows that you are an inclusive business. It also makes your website accessible to a wider audience.
8 Best Fonts For Your Website
Now that you know a bit more about fonts and how they’re used, let’s take a look at eight styles that can be found on Google Fonts. These fonts differ in characteristics and can be used for different types of websites.
1. Merriweather
Merriweather is an excellent choice if you want something readable and modern. Although it is a simple font, its subtle strokes give it a more playful side. It’s a good option for those who want to come off as professional but not too serious.
2. Exo
Exo is a quirky option that has a futuristic style. It’s also clean and very readable. Its geometric features and versatile weights make it a great choice for IT companies and tech blogs.
3. Corinthia
Corinthia falls under the script category and communicates a sense of creativity. It resembles cursive handwriting and could be ideal for a boutique shop or an artisan’s website. It would be best to use this font for page titles or headings (and not for longer texts), as its loops and curves can make it slightly difficult to read.
4. Alegreya
Alegreya is another serif typeface that you can use on your website. It was originally created for literature, so it is ideal for long texts. It also works well for literary blogs or virtual bookshops.
5. Open Sans
Open Sans is a basic, sans serif font. It can be used for a professional website with a minimalist design. It could also be ideal for longer texts due to its legibility and user-friendliness.
6. Playfair Display
Playfair Display is a serif font that is often used in fashion magazines and editorial content due to its elegant style. It could also be a good option for professional portfolios. It is versatile and has numerous weights to choose from, so you can pair it with a more decorative font.
7. Lato
Lato is a bare-bones font that has a clean and modern feel. It is a member of the sans serif family, and it would be a good fit for a corporate website or a business looking to build credibility. You can pair it with a font that is slightly more lively, depending on the vibe you’re going for.
8. Roboto
One of the most popular fonts on the internet, Roboto is used as the default tyepeface for Chrome OS, it is a readable and accessible option. It is therefore a good font for websites and businesses that want to communicate reliability and familiarity.
How to Choose the Right Font for Your Website
Now that we’ve gone over some recommendations, let’s take a look at how to choose the right font for your website. Here are some things to consider before making a decision.
Step 1: Think About Your Brand Voice and Values
When deciding what typeface to choose, it’s important to think about the characteristics of your options and see if they align with your brand voice and values. Ideally, you’ll want to tell your story through your font choice.
For instance, Wild at Heart is an online flower shop with fonts that reflect its brand values:
For example, do you want your website to relay professionalism, or playfulness? Try to come up with a list of adjectives and look for fonts that communicate your desired traits.
Step 2: Test the Font on Different Devices
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you could try viewing each typeface on different devices. This way, you can make sure that they are readable and responsive. Readability is important for both your visitors and your site’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Just because your page looks amazing on a laptop, it doesn’t mean it will render well on a mobile device. If a font looks off on any given preview, you might want to eliminate that choice and move on to your next one.
Step 3: Rank Each Font by Significance
As a general guideline, you’ll want to use a maximum of three fonts on your site. Any more than that will restrict accessibility and make your site look a bit messy.
Once you’ve chosen your top three options, you can decide which one will be your primary font. This will be at the front and center of your website, such as your banner or headers. Your secondary will serve as the bulk of your written content:
You can use your third option for Calls to Action (CTAs) and logos. Feel free to tinker with different fonts to see which ones look best together before making your final decision.
Conclusion
Fonts can help you tell the story of your brand. Choosing the right typeface will enable visitors to better understand your message and values. Additionally, it can help you build brand recognition.
If you want to communicate reliability and professionalism, you can use a serif font like Playfair Display and Merriweather. Alternatively, you might want go for a fun cursive style, such as Corinthia. Meanwhile, a clean sans serif typeface like Open Sans can make your content more readable.
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