The Power of Type
Typography is far more than just letters on a page; it’s a cornerstone of brand identity and brand equity—impacting readability, emotional resonance, and trust. 94% of first impressions for a brand or website are design-related, with typography playing a leading role. Whether the font gives the wrong impression of the brand or your line and character spacing makes everything illegible, typography shapes perception, influences decision-making, and elevates brand voice.
A quick aside: Typeface and font are different. Helvetica is the Typeface. Helvetica Bold is the font. You’ll likely select a specific font for different aspects of your brand. You might use Helvetica as your overarching typeface but then Helvetica Bold as your heading font.
The Emotional Impact of Font
The Psychology of Type
I’m sure you didn’t think we’d be doing a brain science deep dive when discussing typography and why your brand voice depends on it (or maybe you did if you’ve read my blog on the psychology of color). But did you know that font choice can affect your brand’s credibility to your target audience? Too casual of a font, your audience doesn’t take you seriously; too serious of a font, your audience doesn’t find you approachable.
Here are some examples of how different font families evoke different feelings and associations, making them a powerful tool to make or break your brand voice and identity. Serif fonts such as Times New Roman are often associated with trust, tradition, and reliability. On the other hand, sans-serif fonts like Helvetica tend to convey modernity, simplicity, and clarity, while script fonts are generally perceived as elegant and creative.
But what does this look like in practice?
- Coca-Cola’s flowing script creates feelings of nostalgia and joy.
- Apple’s minimalist sans-serif type exudes innovation and sleekness.
Typography’s Role in Brand Identity
Here are the top things that typography does for your brand identity and message:
Creating a Visual Voice
Think of typography as the visual manifestation of your tone and personality. We can all likely hear Morgan Freeman’s voice in our heads and the overally feeling his voice gives, powerful, soothing, and reassuring—which is why brands choose to use him.
A font can be the visual manifestation of how a voice sounds.
Do you want your brand to feel like Morgan Freeman? Or should it be more like Seth Macfarlane? Picking the right visual voice can set your brand’s tone before you speak (or type).
Building Trust Through Consistency
Using consistent typography across platforms builds brand recognition. Many of us could pick out our favorite brands’ font, even if the brand name was switched out. It’s like spotting a knockoff or dupe purse in a flea market—you might not notice at first glance, but you will later.
The important thing here is that consistent branding can increase revenue by up to 33%, so why wouldn’t you invest in consistency?
A way to be consistent is through an established type hierarchy where all Headings (1,2,3), body copy, callouts, and other textual features are used consistently. This will help the reader follow what you want to convey. Consistency creates predictability.
The Science of Readability
Readers spend more time engaging when reading legible, well-designed typography. Because of this, typography significantly impacts readability and legibility, meaning certain fonts are better for specific mediums.
Screen: Sans-serif fonts, characterized by their clean lines and lack of serifs (small decorative strokes at the end of letterforms), are generally preferred for screen-based content. This is due to their simplicity and how they render on lower-resolution displays. The absence of serifs prevents any blurring or distortion that might occur with serif fonts, ensuring clear and easy-to-read text on digital screens.
Print: Serif fonts, with their distinctive serifs, are traditionally favored for printed materials. The serifs are believed to aid in readability by guiding the eye along the line of text and creating a visual flow. The intricate details of serif fonts are also better suited for the higher resolution of print, where they can be reproduced with greater clarity and precision.
The Role of Spacing, Line Height, and Alignment
In the world of typography, kerning, tracking, and leading play a crucial role in ensuring that content is visually appealing and easy to read and digest. These seemingly minor adjustments can significantly impact the reading experience, making the difference between a reader effortlessly gliding through your text and struggling to decipher its meaning.
- Kerning, or adjusting space between letters, creates visual harmony. Poor kerning hinders readability.
- Tracking adjusts the spacing between all letters in a text block, impacting its density and readability. Tight tracking hinders readability, while loose tracking makes text appear disjointed.
- Leading, or line spacing, is the vertical space between lines of text. It affects readability: tight leading can make text cramped and difficult to read, while loose leading can make it disjointed.
Even subtle adjustments to kerning, tracking, and leading can have a huge impact on the readability and overall aesthetic of your content. Paying close attention to these typographic details allows your message to be communicated clearly and effectively, providing your readers with a pleasant and engaging reading experience.
Accessibility Matters
Accessibility should also be a consideration when selecting typography. Here are some accessibility factors to take into account:
- Dyslexia and ADHD: Choose fonts with clear letter shapes, consistent spacing, and good contrast. Sans-serif fonts are generally preferable. Specific fonts are designed for dyslexia and ADHD, such as Lexend, Verdana, and good old Comic Sans.
- Visual Impairments: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background, use large font sizes, and provide alternative text for images. WCAG has a great color contrast checker.
- Cognitive Challenges: Opt for simple typefaces and avoid excessive italics or decorative elements.
A possible solution to accessibility issues is responsive typography on screens that can adapt. This approach allows the font size and other typographic elements to adjust dynamically based on the screen size. By doing so, the content remains legible and easy to read across a wide range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Mistakes to Avoid in Typography
- Using more than 2-3 typefaces can make your brand look chaotic and unprofessional.
- Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Fonts must scale well across devices.
- Low-contrast typography (light gray on white) is a design trend but terrible for readability.
- Fonts like Papyrus and Comic Sans became memes for a reason. Don’t chase trends—focus on timeless design.
- Inconsistent typesetting makes it harder for brands to stick in the audience’s minds.
- Selecting a typeface that doesn’t support specialty characters and glyphs you need to use in your day-to-day work. Some typefaces don’t support, for example, the Spanish “ñ” or accents on letters. Or if you’re writing a legal document, you may need to use “§.”
Best Practices for Choosing and Using Fonts
- Reflect Your Brand: Select a typeface that aligns with your brand’s personality and target audience.
- Prioritize Readability: Ensure your chosen fonts are easy to read across various devices and screen sizes.
- Limit Font Choices: Stick to a maximum of two or three fonts to create a cohesive and visually pleasing design.
- Pair Fonts Thoughtfully: Use tools like Fontjoy to discover font combinations that complement each other and enhance your overall design.
Let Typography Boost Your Brand Voice
Typography isn’t just about aesthetics but communication, emotion, and connection. Choosing the right fonts can make or break your brand voice. Each font has its own personality; it can make people feel a certain way and set the mood.
The right typography gives your brand a unique voice that speaks directly to your audience. But choose the wrong one, and your brand identity gets lost in translation.
What story is your typography telling? If you’re ready to elevate your brand voice, let’s talk.
