Does the font selection in your digital or traditional ads or newsletters make a difference for your results?
Whether you are running digital ads on Facebook or creating a blog or newsletter, your font and typeset decisions can greatly affect your marketing results. According to the Neilsen Norman Group who has been studying consumer behavior for decades, font really does matter. Their recommendations are clear on the variables you need to consider when it comes to type and font as well as general preferences for consumers.
- Serif (font with tails, like the word MATTERS above) and Sans Serif fonts (without tails like the word FONT above) both perform well in general if the font size is the same size on the comparison. However Serif font is considered more traditional (and that will be attached to your brand) while San Serif fonts tend to generate a feeling of a more modern or casual company. In a smaller font, Sans Serif will perform better on readability if the font is compact (letters closer together)or small.
- The size of your font makes a big difference based on the age of the recipient. While it may look hip to have more white space by using a smaller font, 20-20 vision is a small percentage of the market out there. So it’s important to understand that making your font smaller can leave some of your target market unable to read the message you are trying to convey. Also remember that on a mobile phone, your art will be reduced to fit on the screen and that means that often, your font will go from 18 points to 9-point font (which is a lot harder to read for many consumers). Your font will be reduced less if you have a mobile responsive template, but you still need to mind the point size based on the target market you want to read your message.
- We have about 8 seconds to get our messages to consumers using digital advertising before they move on to the next ad or content. That means that the reading speed of your message is critical to your success. So, make it easy to differentiate your letters with more spacing between them and more contrast with the image behind the words. While it may look better to overlay your message on a photo, the contrast between the photo and the font makes a big difference on reading speed and readability, particularly when a customer is reading your ad on a mobile phone which is going to reduce the type in order to fit the image it on a 3” screen.
- Colors and brightness make a difference based on the age of your target market. A 40-year old’s retina receives 50% of the light that is received by the retina of a 20-year-old. This means that you are limiting your reach to younger people if you decide to use a lower contrast font color (like gray) over a color that offers less contrast (blue instead of yellow). If your target market is younger, it may be a good look, however if your market is older, they will not be able to process your message as quickly or read it easily.
- Readability is increased when you add a space between your lines of type. It helps consumers read faster and separate the message more easily from the background. The faster your readers process your message the more time you have with them to get your point across.
- Consumers find fonts that emulate handwriting or Gothic Fonts to be harder to read, particularly in a smaller font size. Avoid them unless they are critical to your branding and if so, make sure the font size is large enough and that the letting (space between letters) is enough to differentiate the letters in a quick read.
For more help navigating your email and digital marketing or social media marketing efforts, contact us for a private review of your strategy or call 310-791-6300.
Liz Harsch is a media planner and trainer for small business owners with Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce since 2008. She owns Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, California and provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. She can be reached at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also view her workshop schedule here.
