quickguide for choosing fonts (basics, tips, tools and process)

Learn the basics and get my simple process for choosing fonts.

Fonts are one of the core building blocks of a website.

But it’s a confusing world.

There are tons of fonts and I don’t want to spend a lot of time choosing the right one.

Knowing the basics and having a simple process is all you need to pick the right font.

4 types of fonts

Serif, Sans-Serif, Monospace, Display and Script.

1. Serif – Fonts with small “feet” or strokes at the ends of letters. These give traditional and formal vibes.

2. Sans-Serif – Clean fonts without extra strokes. It is ideal for modern, minimalist designs and is optimized for screens.

3. Script/handwriting – More artistic styles are good for special cases.

4. Display/Decorative – Unique and eye-catching fonts designed for headlines, not body text.

5. Monospace - Technical font where all characters have the same width.

how to optimize typography

1. Line Height: The vertical space between lines of text.
   Aim for 1.5x the font size for comfortable reading.

2. Font Weight: Refers to how bold or light a font is (e.g., 400 = Regular, 700 = Bold).
   Use heavier weights for headings and lighter ones for body text.

3. Letter Spacing: The space between letters. The bigger the text, the less space is needed.

   

   Letter Spacing best practices (credit: kevinpowell.co)

3 golden rules for picking website fonts

1. Readability is top priority: No matter how beautiful a font looks, it needs to be easy to read. Sans-Serif fonts are often best for this.

2. Align Fonts with Brand Personality: Is your brand modern, playful, elegant, or corporate?

And the most important rule:

3. Stick to 1–2 Fonts: Keep it simple. One font for headings and one for body text is usually enough.

quick process for picking the perfect font

1. Define Your Brand’s Personality:

• Modern? Choose a clean Sans-Serif.

• Classic or elegant? Opt for a Serif.

• Fun and playful? A bold Display font could work.

2. Start with the Body Font:

• Go to Google Fonts and pick a font that looks good to you.

• If you don’t know where to start, stick to web-optimized fonts like Inter, Roboto, or Open Sans.

3. Choose a Heading Font That Stands Out:

• Now find something bolder or more stylized to contrast your body font.

4. Test Fonts in Real Context

• Apply them in your website layout.

• Check how they look in headlines, buttons, and body text.

• Adjust line height, font size, and spacing for balance and clarity.

5. Check Accessibility & Responsiveness:

• Ensure the text is readable on all devices and meets accessibility standards (contrast ratios, font sizes).

6. Finalize & Stay Consistent:

• Once you’ve made your picks, define clear typography styles (for headings, subheadings, body text) and use them consistently.

best tools for choosing fonts

• 🎨 Google Fonts – Huge library of web-safe fonts with pairing suggestions.

• 🔍 WhatFont – Identify fonts on any website to build your inspiration board.

• 📏 Type Scale – Helps create a consistent font size hierarchy.

• 📂 Fonts In Use – See real-world examples of fonts in action across industries.

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Mastering fonts shouldn’t be hard.

• Learn the basics

• Choose 1-2 fonts for each website.

• Use tools and build an inspiration board.