It is often said that the web is 95% typography. From the moment a user lands on a page, they are consuming information primarily through text. While images and layout catch the eye, it is the type that delivers the message. In web design, typography is not just about choosing a “pretty font.” It is about ensuring readability, accessibility, and establishing a tone of voice. Good typography is invisible; it allows the reader to absorb the content without effort. Bad typography is an obstacle course for the eyes.
Serif vs. Sans Serif: Setting the Mood The most basic choice is between Serif and Sans Serif typefaces. Serif fonts have small decorative strokes (feet) at the ends of letters. They are traditionally associated with heritage, authority, and formality, often used by newspapers and luxury brands. Sans Serif fonts lack these strokes; they are clean, geometric, and modern. They have become the standard for digital interfaces because they tend to remain legible even at lower screen resolutions. However, modern high-definition screens have blurred this line, allowing designers to use elegant Serif fonts for headlines to add character and warmth to a digital design.
Hierarchy and Scale Typography is the primary tool for creating visual hierarchy. A user should be able to scan a page and instantly understand the structure of the information based on the size and weight of the text. The main headline (H1) must be the largest element, signaling the topic. Subheadings (H2, H3) should be progressively smaller, breaking the content into digestible sections. Body text must be sized for comfortable reading—typically larger on mobile screens to account for the viewing distance. This scaling creates a map for the reader, guiding them through the narrative.
Line Height and Spacing Perhaps the most common mistake in amateur web design is neglecting line height (leading). If lines of text are packed too closely together, the eye struggles to track from the end of one line to the beginning of the next. Generous line height improves reading speed and comprehension. Similarly, the line length (how many words are on one line) matters. If a line is too long, the reader fatigues; if it is too short, the eye must jump back and forth too often. A professional web designer meticulously calibrates these unseen metrics to create a reading experience that feels effortless.
The standards for web typography have evolved significantly, with the introduction of Variable Fonts technology allowing for a single font file to behave like multiple fonts, offering infinite flexibility in weight and width without slowing down the website.