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Typecast: What your font says to the world

Shelley Walker

Many people treat choosing their font as an afterthought. This is a mistake.

The font you choose impacts your brand and your message. It sets the tone, mood, and aesthetic, resonating with your audience on a subconscious level.

Let's explore various font styles and what they convey:

Serif Fonts: Fonts like Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond, with small lines or strokes at the end of larger strokes, project a traditional, reliable, and professional image. If your brand emphasizes classic and trustworthy values, consider using serif fonts.

Sans Serif Fonts: Sans serif fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri, devoid of tiny lines or strokes, communicate simplicity, modernity, and cleanliness. Brands striving for a contemporary and straightforward look can benefit from sans-serif fonts.

Script Fonts: Script fonts like Brush Script, Lobster, and Allura resemble handwriting and are commonly used for invitations, logos, and headings. These fonts evoke elegance, creativity, and sophistication, making them ideal for luxury brands or artistic projects.

Display Fonts: A display font refers to a wide range of fonts that are specifically created for short-form text, headlines, or headings, and are not limited to a particular style, such as serif, slab serif, script, sans serif, and more. They include Impact, Avenir Next, and Sofia Pro, and are attention-grabbing and make a bold statement. They suggest excitement, boldness, and uniqueness, suiting brands aiming for a solid and distinctive image.

Ok. You have chosen your dream font. Great. But how will it play online?

Digital accessibility is crucial for creating inclusive and user-friendly content. Selecting universally accessible fonts ensures your content remains easily readable and engaging for diverse audiences, including those with visual impairments or using different devices.

Here a few universally accessible fonts:

Arial: A popular sans-serif font designed for legibility across various platforms and devices. Its clean lines make it a versatile and accessible choice for body text and headings.

Verdana: Designed for screen readability, Verdana offers wide letter spacing and clear distinctions between characters, ensuring legibility even at smaller font sizes.

Georgia: A screen-friendly serif font with a robust design and strong x-height that performs well in digital content.

Roboto: A modern sans-serif font by Google, balancing readability with a friendly, approachable appearance.

Open Sans: Another Google-developed sans-serif font focusing on legibility and accessibility, making it a popular choice for web and mobile interfaces.

Tahoma: A sans-serif font designed for on-screen readability, featuring even spacing and distinguishable characters.

Lato: A warm, semi-rounded sans-serif typeface with a friendly and professional look, providing legibility in various font sizes.

Lots to consider. Font selection may seem like a trivial thing, but it is anything but. Take the time to choose the best fonts for your newsletter or project. Then set them in stone in your visual identity and branding guide!

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