Typography in Web Design: A Complete Guide
Key Takeaways
- 95% of web design is typography—it's that important
- Limit fonts to 2-3 maximum for cohesive design
- Body text should be minimum 16px for readability
- Line height of 1.5-1.7 improves reading comfort
- Establish clear hierarchy with consistent sizing scale
Choosing the Right Fonts
Serif vs Sans-Serif
Sans-serif fonts (Inter, Open Sans, Roboto) work well for digital screens and convey modernity. Serif fonts (Georgia, Merriweather) add sophistication and work well for long-form content.
Font Pairing
Combine one font for headings and another for body text. Pair fonts with contrasting characteristics—a bold display font with a simple body font creates visual interest without chaos.
Typography Hierarchy
Establish clear visual hierarchy using size, weight, and spacing:
- H1: 32-48px for main page titles
- H2: 24-32px for section headers
- H3: 18-24px for subsections
- Body: 16-18px for readable text
- Small: 12-14px for captions and metadata
Readability Best Practices
- Line length: 50-75 characters per line
- Line height: 1.5-1.7 for body text
- Paragraph spacing: Match line height
- Contrast: Dark text on light background (or vice versa)
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