Fonts can make or break a business. They can either convey class or break a brand. Different types of typeface can affect the psychology of your customers and the message of your business.
Fonts influence emotions and impressions. With their lines, curves, and structures, they have a certain distinct personality that resonates well with your brand.
Different types of font and their meaning
There are three major font types but has since branched out to five classifications. So, how do these fonts make you feel?
Serif: These are typefaces that have little tails at the end of each character. The best examples are Times New Roman, Book Antiqua, and Courier. Serifs convey emotions like class, tradition, respect, and royalty.
Sans Serif: Fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, and Century Gothic contain no tails at the end of their character. They show modernism, as well as, simplicity, straightforwardness, and sensibilities.
Scripts: They’re considered fancy but not too decorative. They’re cursive fonts like Edwardian Script, Vivaldi, and French Script.
Decorative: Decorative typefaces are fun, quirky, and unusual, perfect for casual events. They have swashes and exaggerated serifs to display an ornamental character. The best examples are Jokerman, Algerian, and Curlz.
Handwritten or freestyle: It’s a font style that looks like it has been created by hand due to its likeness. Some examples are Segoe, Catholic School Girls, and Freestyle. It brings fun and casual emotions from the viewers.
How to use fonts for your business
There are lots of considerations and actions to be made before choosing a font. Not sure where and how to start? Here are our cool nitty-gritty tips on how to use fonts for your business.
1. Know your brand. Are you a fun and quirky beach pub? Or a powerhouse fitness gym? What mood or emotion does your business convey? We mentioned above that each font has its own personality. You can pair up which typeface is best suited to your branding.
2. Experiment with a font’s variety. If your chosen font type comes with various styles you can experiment, match or contrast them together. For example, you might want Gothic Light with Gothic Black together to signify emphasis.
3. Ask for input from a neutral third party. Try asking colleagues or friends for their opinions about your font logo. Don’t explain to them your brand first. See whether your business identity matches in the eyes of other people.
4. Choose which is easy to read. Readability is a crucial element in your font design to make sure that your message would go to your customers. Consider the size, space, and height of your typeface.
5. Consider the proper color of fonts. If you want to add color to your font, make sure it signifies your business brand. Even color has a personality of its own.
Should you buy or license fonts?
Unless you want to make your own personal font, then go ahead! But most businesses just download them on the net for their perusal. However, little do they know that what they do is not without copyright laws.
Many online fonts have license plans for personal, commercial, or academic uses. They have limits on how the typeface should be utilized and distributed to the public. Always read the license terms before you download a font.
Small or startup businesses should care about the fonts they used in their logos or marketing materials. It helps people what to feel when they interact with your brand.
PurpleCow Digital Marketing is a professional website design and digital marketing agency based in Scarborough on the beautiful Redcliffe Peninsula.
We specialize in website design and development, social media, SEO (search engine optimization) and overall digital marketing. We create amazing WordPress websites and have a driving passion to help both new and established small to medium businesses maximise their online impact.
