If you’re reading this you probably already know I am a little “fonting mad.” Yes, that wasn’t an error, that was my terrible attempt at a joke. From Serif fonts to Script fonts I love them all.
My madness, love and lack of a sense of humour don’t take away from how important fonts are. People will judge your business on what they see before they even walk through your doors. Yes, the look of your packaging, websites and social media does matter. Fonts matter.
We all remember the font comic sans – BUT that doesn’t mean you should use it. It’s a great example of why the right font matters. Comic Sans is not ironic, it’s not funny. It just makes me think you are living in the 90s and you just discovered Microsoft word. Don’t use comic sans. Ever.
Types of fonts & their personalities
We now know what font not to use but what font is what. I’m going to walk you through the 5 major types.
Serif Fonts
These are old-school fonts, but not in a bad way. They are great for adding a bit of heritage and class to your brand.
As a bonus, they add an element of trust to your brand.
Brands that use these are:
Botswana Business Gems
Vogue
Rolex
Tiffany & Co
Sans Serif Fonts
Unlike Serif fonts, San Serif fonts have smooth edges. This gives you a modern and sleek look. They demonstrate a straightforward attitude. They’re also current, stable and clean.
Brands that use these are:
Botswana Digital Gems
Amanda Workman Consulting
LinkedIn
Google
Microsoft
Slab Serif Fonts
These bad boys are a subset of serif fonts but with unique slab features. These fonts are large and bold, making them look like slabs. Because they are so bold it conveys confidence, creativity and dependability. They make for great logo font or headers but for general writing give these fonts a skip.
Brands that use these are:
Honda
Volvo
Sony
Script Fonts
These are your ‘handwritten’ fonts. They look more natural and cursive. Generally, these are thought of as feminine. They also give an idea of creativity and elegance. You’d struggle to find a wedding website that doesn’t have a script font. Be warned though these aren’t seen as professional fonts, so unless you want to show your artistic side maybe give them a skip.
Brands that use these are:
Botswana Family Gems (In the logo & social media)
Coca-cola
Instagram
Cadbury
Decorative Fonts
These decorative fonts are unique typefaces. These are highly creative ways to use typography to build a brand name. I always try to like the decorative fonts, but in truth, I think of them as tricky and not as versatile as the others above. However many companies use them to great advantage. They can be brilliant in logos as they are so distinctive.
Brands that use these are:
LEGO
Fanta
Disney
McDonald’s
Brand Front Best Practices
- Choose fonts with many weight options
Font weights are how thin or thick a font is. Having a font with options like light, regular, semi-bold and bold makes it easier to have a text hierarchy. It gives you options.
- Make sure you can read the font
You might fall in love with a font but if you can’t read it easily don’t pick it. You want to be able to read something at a glance.
- Create contrast between fonts
Contrast is a great way to make your copy more engaging. We use contrast in Business Gems. Our one font is a Serif font and the other is a sans serif. However, you can use one font and still get great contrast. In Digital Gems we use one font but different weights.
- Choose 1-3 fonts.
If you’d like your brand to be recognizable no matter if it’s on a flyer, a business card, your website or social media please stick to 1-3 fonts only.
Where to Look for Fonts
There are millions of fonts out there. Some paid, some unpaid.
3 places you can find fonts are:
Font Fabric (Paid fonts)
CreativeMarket (Paid fonts)
Font Squirrel (Free fonts)
Stick to Those Fonts
Pick a font with plenty of options that feel right for you and your company. I love playing around on Canva and seeing what works best. Making some mock-ups and then sharing them with friends and seeing what they think. Enjoy the creative process.
Once you decide please stick to those fonts. Put them on everything you print, make or publish. Stick them on your social media – want to know how to get the most out of your social media have a look at the article below and use your fonts to their best advantage.
Please let me know if your company has already got their fonts. I’d love to hear from you.
