Making effective use of webfonts for a site


Posted September 12, 2014 by tomjones

While this cannot be denied that preferences for visual appearances vary greatly, legibility is one of the foremost factors that must not be forsaken.
 
While this cannot be denied that preferences for visual appearances vary greatly, legibility is one of the foremost factors that must not be forsaken. As far as web pages are concerned, webmasters select a plethora of webfonts for their utility. However, they exercise caution when selecting such fonts as not all are supported by every form of browser. At the same time, using the wrong font can spoil the look and objective of the site. For all these and more, resorting to safe and free web fonts available online can prove to be effective.

Basically, writing for websites differs markedly from offline writing. The fonts that are used in print media bear no resemblance to the webfonts. Also, it is important to note here that reading text on a computer screen is difficult as visitors tend to scan web pages than read them word for word. So when it comes to deciding on the perfect font, the character of the site must be taken into consideration in addition to the choices of fonts that are available; most of them accommodating different screens and operating systems.

The following points are valid ones when deciding on the proper font:

Analyzing the web site character
Few web sites entail the use of a fancy font for the header in order to capture the attention of visitors. This can be accompanied with the use of smaller fonts for the body text. However, at the time of using a font, it is essential to note that availability of it must be present in all the major systems so that visitors get access to them.

Search engine compatibility
There are quite a few webfonts that are used in the images and can be seen on all computers. Sadly, they cannot be read by the search engines. These ones are only capable of ‘reading’ the text. At the time of designing images, the ‘alt’ tag can be used to convey what the image is all about. Better still if the appropriate keywords are used in the web site copy. The latter only helps in search engines indexing the site.

Safer fonts are the best
Two types of fonts are widely used:

-Serif fonts: Used for print media mostly, these include Times Roman and Georgia. However, these are not the apt ones for difficulty arises in reading them on screen.
-Sans Serif fonts: These do not have serifs and the best ones to use for the web are Verdana, Arial and so on.

Using the correct size
With alternative font sizes, character and flavor is infused into the website. Say for example, if the text to be viewed is meant for both PC and MAC users, using pixels and not points is a better idea. Also, it is recommended that a large font size is used for the header text and a smaller one for the subheadings. The body text can have something moderate.

As long as these points are followed, sites can flaunt their look. One can find sites having free web fonts and thereby choose a proper one.

Are you on the lookout for the perfect webfonts http://fontsforweb.com ? We are known for supplying attractive and functional free web fonts http://fontsforweb.com to those who wish to make use of the fonts in their websites.
-- END ---
Share Facebook Twitter
Print Friendly and PDF DisclaimerReport Abuse
Contact Email [email protected]
Issued By tomjones
Country China
Categories Business
Last Updated September 12, 2014