1.

Colour – Generally speaking, on web interfaces, websites, web pages, you can read text on a white or light-coloured background with a dark-coloured font (as is the case here on this page). Specifically, here I use the grey #0D1015.

2.

Size – An important aspect is the legibility of the texts. A font that is too small is always difficult to read. If you want to provide a great UI (user experience) for visitors to your website, you should always test that the size you choose doesn’t compromise readability. As you read above, different font sizes also vary.

3.

Hiearchy – A longer text is most accessible to the reader if it is presented in sections, each section with a title. There are fonts that are great for headings but unreadable as body text, and fonts that are great for body text but boring as titles.

4.

Background – I don’t know if you’ve ever come across a web interface where the text was either on an image or in front of a patterned background. This is a terribly bad solution! It detracts from the user experience, as such text is hard to read and strains the eyes.

5.

Alignment – For texts printed on paper (e.g. books, newspapers), alignment with line spacing gives the impression of organisation and elegance. On your website, it borders on chaos: it creates gaps in the text, making it look unnatural. That’s why texts on the web are always left-aligned! (Unless the design requires right alignment.)

6.

Mood– What will be the mood of the site? Serious or more playful? Formal or casual? Modern or traditional? Different moods call for different fonts.Of course, defining the purpose of your website and your target audience will help you decide this.

7.

One – two or three? – It is not recommended to use many fonts in your web design, because it makes your website opaque. It is generally accepted to use font pairs, i.e. two different fonts that complement each other well and match. It is also acceptable to use a third font, usually calligraphic or handwritten, if the design or illustration requires it.

8.

License – As with the photos, images and illustrations used, please always check the terms and conditions of the font license. Be careful and only use fonts that are licensed to you or that you have purchased.

9.

Sites for fonts – There are plenty of places online to find inspiration for your choice. My favourites are: FontsInUse, Typ.io, GoogleFonts, FontPair, Typewolf. Here is a pretty detailed Canva tutorial on font selection.