Why the Right Choice of Typography Is Integral to Your Business Share: Keen Ltd. Date Published 5 January 2018 Categories Blog Reading Time 4-Minute Read When a business wishes to portray its brand image effectively, general design and marketing is not always enough. Typography speaks just as loudly as bold visual elements and color choices, but is often overlooked when developing a brand’s imagery. In the history of marketing, typography has often remained a neglected tool. The choice of fonts seems harmless but, the typeface and the images along with the catchy phrases do majorly impact our perception. So, think again, typography is very important both for your content and for your brand positioning. Effective typography will reinforce your company’s identity and make it distinctive. You may be surprised by the semiotic effectiveness of such a discrete message dimension! Actually, the typography harbours a semantic potential, meaning it is even more effective as it is unsuspected, almost subliminal. Behind the innocuous appearance, typefaces carry three dimensions of the message: VISIBILITY – The greater the form and thickness of the letters, the more straightforward the visual receptivity, but let’s leave some room for creativity, art and the exceptional. TONE OF MESSAGE – Emphasis or discretion, official or intimacy are suggested by size, shape and thickness of the letters – the choice between Roman or italic, capitals or lower case is often easier said than done as it considers a rather complex evaluation of the overall compounds. And indirectly, the tone evokes values that accentuate or change the overall message. BRAND IDENTITY – Typography “speaks” of the issuer. Does it convey a posture of authority, a popular or a solemn one, or simply an informal stance? Is it anchored in tradition, or affirming modernity? The choice of typography with or without serifs and the anchoring of the text in its environment are decisive. Well-orchestrated, they lead the way to brand identity. 1. Content is king and typography is its crown Typography is really essential to Content Marketing. Even if often underestimated, there is no doubt it plays a role in strengthening your brand, creating interest in your products, and highlighting your core message. An evocative research has been done to reveal the importance of typography and the effect that it can have on the reader. Errol Morris performed an experiment on readers of The New York Times and published that typefaces can sway beliefs and influence the way people perceive information. His research indicated that the audience found a statement written in Baskerville more credible than presented in a font such as Helvetica, Trebuchet, or Comic Sans. When creating content for a website or any other marketing post, thinking about the typography is as equally as important as what the content is saying. As a content marketer, you should spend time considering how you’ll arrange text on the page if you want to be credible and read. 2. Fundamentals of Typography applied to your Business Now, why is it important to have basic understanding about fonts for running a business? The answer is simple – Typography is a vector of meaning. If you’re thinking about re-branding your company, choosing one or two (never more!) fonts is an elementary starting point. The look and feel of the typeface that you will choose for your logo, your website and complementing marketing material, irrelevant if on- or offline, will convey the very first idea on your company image. Its choice must not be trivial, or “wanton” just because you like it, but it must be carefully thought out. Obviously, the graphic designers, as specialists in typography, are there to help and advise you in selecting the font which will suit perfectly to your needs, values and business objectives. But in order to create a coherent, complete and distinctive identity, you must first look for the «magic word» that will federate your brand. For example, if your company’s keyword is “innovation”, then you may need to look into a rather contemporary typography. On the contrary, if your brand has a “traditional” side, then you will head towards typography with serif*. Having these typography fundamentals in your toolbox empowers you to take responsible and meaningful decisions when it comes to your marketing efforts. If you like to bounce of an idea for your company re-branding, a font application or aim to understand the need of web fonts – We’ll be glad to share a cup of coffee!