5 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Fonts

Many people overlook the importance of choosing the correct fonts when designing printed content. The right font can play a key role in appealing to your customers and keeping their attention. Don’t succumb to these 5 font mistakes.

1. Choosing a font that is too difficult to read

Fonts may often look more appealing on the computer screen than they actually do in print. It is widely accepted that serif fonts (such as Times New Roman, Garamond and Baskerville) are easier to read in print materials, and therefore, more commonly used.

When reading online, people prefer sans serif fonts, such as Helvetica, Futura and Arial.

2. Using too many fonts

Consistency is key to giving your print materials a cohesive message and avoiding distracting your readers.

Generally, when designing a document, it is smart to limit your design to only 3-4 fonts. Keep your headlines and body copy consistent from paragraph to paragraph.

3. Choosing the wrong font size

Make sure your font is not too small or too big for your intended reader. Ten-point type is the smallest size you should use for body copy, but you may want to use 11- or 12-point for brochures, especially if your readers are middle aged or older.

Titles are generally larger than your body of text. A good rule to keep in mind is that your subheadings should be about 10 points larger than the body of text below it.

4. Choosing the wrong colour

Keep in mind the colour of your text should complement your design but should also stand out.

If your text is too light, it will be difficult for your customers to read. If your print background is dark, go with a lighter text. In the same way, if you chose a light background, select a dark font that will stand out in contrast.

5. Crowding your text

When your text is too close to the text around it, it becomes messy and difficult to read.

Provide enough interline spacing or leading, to make it easy for your readers to recognise the distinctive shapes and spaces created by the letters in each line. Provide enough white space above and below each line to highlight the ascenders (parts of characters that stick up) and the descenders (parts of letters that extend downward).

Conclusion

Avoiding these 5 simple mistakes when choosing font types for your print materials can help your customers read better and understand your message. If your content isn’t being designed for easy readability, it could be preventing your business from seeing returns on your marketing.

SOURCE: Imagine