Typography 101

Picture this: you’re working on your brand and it’s time to select a font (or two, or three!). This is when typography comes into play within the brand identity.

Typography is the use of fonts organized into a visual hierarchy that allows you to connect with your ideal customer in the best way.

Fonts are typically organized into Serif (think Times New Roman) and Sans Serif (think Arial). While most businesses make use of both within their brand, some may lean into other design options.

Why choose and stick to brand fonts to begin with?

✓ Having fonts makes the decision process much easier for you when it comes to design.

✓ Having fonts allows your customer to become familiar with your ✨aesthetic✨.

✓ Having fonts emphasizes your brand’s emotional message. (We’ll talk about this later, sign up for the newsletter!)

What is the importance of not straying from your brand fonts?

Ugh, we know the struggle of seeing a pretty font (especially on Canva!) and thinking, “I’ll use this one today!”

On social media, while we can clearly see WHO posted a piece of content, the issue then becomes HOW someone remembers the content.

We remember specific content because of HOW we perceive the brand or creator. Taking that into consideration, sure, in the moment someone will see that you posted with a pretty font, but they’ll struggle to remember YOU because the content was not aligned with your branding.

In this case, the font enforces the awareness and familiarity of your brand to your customer.

What is the visual hierarchy?

Using your fonts to help the viewer process the content you are sharing should be the goal of any design.

Usually, you can see a clear example of the hierarchy in a blog post (such as this one). Using our Serif font for headings and our Sans Serif font for the body text helps break up the content in a way that your brain can easily identify the flow.

Now, this can be applied vice versa OR you can play with the visuals by applying bold, italic, optional fonts, or larger text to ensure there is a differentiation that clearly guides the reader from the beginning of a content piece to the end.

And, that’s honestly it when it comes to typography.

Here are a few noteworthy tips to keep in mind when playing with fonts:

• Use legible fonts. If you want to use a script or handwritten font, make sure that the text can be read.

• The color contrast of your text above an image, gradient, or solid color is important as well!

• Stick to a maximum of 3 fonts for your brand. If you’re using more than 3, you’re not allowing people to truly remember your brand.

• Know what message comes up when seeing your fonts. A great case study reference is the the association between the use of chalk fonts or child’s handwriting fonts and school and education. Make sure your fonts support your brand’s purpose.

If you’re feeling stuck or struggling to create your visual font hierarchy, no worries! Schedule office hours with us, and we’ll lend you a hand. We can break down the best use of your fonts, outline your visual hierarchy, and give you personalized tips for when to use certain fonts in your marketing or designs!