Web design has come a long way. Two decades ago, websites catered mostly to computers, and they took advantage of the screen estate and the input devices that help navigate them. There was no problem with putting links anywhere on the screen. Fast forward to now, where the internet can be accessed on multiple devices. If you are a website optimization company, you would design your pages with PCs, tablets, and smartphones in mind. Not only do you have to design websites with a keyboard and mouse in mind, but you also have to cater to devices that have a touch screen interface.
Another thing that has to be considered is typography. It is more than a set of fonts that you have on the screen. Readability is an important factor in how engaging a website can be and more so in a mobile device. Here are some ways it contributes to browsing the world wide web on a variety of screens.
Eye-friendly
Mobile phone and computer screens are screens that you treat differently. When you are working and seated at your desk, you are free to move your head near the panel so you can read or see things in more detail. Phones are with you most of the time, so you tend to just glance over it every now and then. You do not really want to hold it in front of your face and read for several minutes at a time as holding it that long can strain your forearm.
Typography can make text eye-friendly. This is a trait that allows you to enjoy reading without having to shift your body or eyes too much. It lets you enjoy reading while you comfortably lean on your chair or glancing on your phone while holding it at arm’s length.
Intuitive
Don’t you hate it when you are looking at a page that only looks like a wall of text? It shows a lack of creativity on the page creators, and this will not favor them in the long run. People’s attention spans are not that long, so you need to grab them at first sight. With typography, you can design something where it would feel like you are directing the reader’s eyes to where you want them to look. This is achieved with the use of different fonts, sizes, and variations.
A headline in standard lettering would not be as striking as one that is emphasized with bold letters. This is a technique you can use if you want to draw attention to specific parts of your page or if you want your reader to follow a reading sequence.
Stylish
There might not be much you can do with a set of letters except make written articles, but a real typography artist knows how to capture the imagination and set the mood of the reader. They do this using their impeccable taste in design. They know the right set of fonts that will catch people’s eyes and fit the theme or tone of the website.
Building a website isn’t just about slapping together various elements like texts and images. It is a mixture of art and method. Typography helps make the text as interesting as the other elements displayed on the website.
