The Importance of Fonts in Your Company’s Branding

Do you understand the importance of choosing the correct font choice for your brand? There's more to fonts than meets the eye. In this blog post, we discuss the best ways to portray your brand through fonts!

We've all seen company logos, billboards, posters, and graphics that have made us cringe before - whether you realize it or not. How many times have you seen a brand name and immediately knew you wouldn't like the company, without knowing what they are even trying to sell you, simply based on the fact that the look of the logo doesn't sit well with you? Chances are fonts played a role in your distaste for specific companies. Were there too many to pay attention to the overall message? Did they use generic ones that you've seen time and time again? Did they use one that looks ridiculous for the type of company the logo is representing?

They have personalities, you can understand the message or branding before you've even comprehended the words- they set the stage for the words the reader is about to process. Fonts are the first impression for your possible future clients, so finding fonts that portray the company's brand is important.

So… What is it about fonts that make us understand the purpose of the text and relate to it much easier?

We can stare at a company name written in Comic Sans, and immediately understand that the company is fun, whimsical and young. We can read a paragraph in Times New Roman and know that what we're reading is serious or classic. Our moods can change along with the fonts, too. Reading a paragraph in a crazy font can make it more difficult to read, and therefore ruin our mood. On the other hand, reading a paragraph in a modern or classical font that is easy to read can give us a sense of calm and lead to a better mood.

When building your brand, there are so many things you need to think about. Creating a brand from the ground up is detailed, and each detail is heavily important for your brand's identity. Overlooking font choice could be the difference between your possible future client choosing you or some other company for their business. While your company may already have the perfect logo, and though you can't change fonts for your social media captions, the fonts in the graphics you make and share on social media and the fonts you use across your website are just as important as the logo.

There are four major font groups: Serif, Sans-Serif, Handwritten, and Decorative. These font groups can be divided into many sub-categories, but today we are going to focus on the general four font groups and the personalities behind each one in order to understand how and why they should be used.

Let's dive into the four major categories of fonts, and the personalities they represent!

Font Group 1: Serif.

Classic, timeless, sophisticated. These are a few words to describe Serif fonts. Serifs are defined by Merriam-Webster as "any of the short lines stemming from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the strokes of a letter." You will often see Serif fonts in large pieces of text because it is very readable and will prevent the reader from becoming frustrated or giving up due to the readability of the text. You may recognize the Serif font category as the fonts you often see on term papers, sophisticated companies, and anyone else trying to bring an elegant and serious tone to the writing. Companies such as Tiffany & Co. and Vogue use this style to project a sense of sophistication and timelessness that is lost on other font categories.

Here are a few examples of Serif fonts:

Font Group 2: Sans-Serif.

Though this may seem self-explanatory, sans-serif means "without serifs," therefore Sans-Serif fonts are very similar to Serif fonts, except for the fact that they don't have small lines protruding off the ends of the letters. This small change in font makes a world of difference regarding the personality it exudes. Sans-Serif fonts are seen as modern, clean and more approachable. They are also the most readable of all of the font groups. You will often find this font in large sections of text, specifically online. Blogs like this one use the font to make the reader feel welcome and to help reduce the risk of getting tired and giving up halfway through reading a post. Since this font is more informal and a little more easy-going than Serif fonts, you'll find them in the logos of more interactive and approachable companies such as Pinterest and Target.

Here are a few examples of Sans-Serif fonts:

Font Group 3: Handwritten.

Handwritten fonts look like they were written by hand. Since this is a large group of fonts, they have varying meanings. Script-like fonts that are in cursive with detailed loops and lines, create a sense of elegance, while scrawled-out fonts are more quirky. Handwritten fonts have grown in popularity because they are approachable while also feeling unique and personal. Even though you know the text in front of you wasn't truly written by hand, the handwritten feel makes the text feel more personal and unique. Companies such as John Hancock and Disney are perfect examples of handwritten fonts - these companies are very different, but both fall under the same category. John Hancock's logo uses the handwritten font to portray refinement and elegance, while Disney's logo uses the same font family to create a sense of whimsy and youthfulness.

Here are a few examples of Handwritten fonts:

Font Group 4: Decorative.

The broadest and perhaps most iconic font category is the Decorative fonts. Decorative fonts are unique and typically created specifically for the brand it represents. Think of companies with logos that you'd recognize in a heartbeat - Coca-Cola, Baby Bottle Pop, Subway, Fanta, Ford, and Lego are just a few of the companies that have Decorative fonts. These fonts, while all looking completely different from one another, link together through the personality they portray: fun, flamboyant, and intriguing. Looking at these logos makes you want to understand what the company is. Though Decorative fonts are fun to use, make sure that they represent your brand. The thought of using a Decorative font to create a unique logo makes sense, but sometimes this font family simply doesn't match a company's brand. Make sure that the font you're using represents the personality of your company, and doesn't misrepresent your brand.

Here are a few examples of Decorative fonts:

Outside of deciding on font groups in order to strategically represent your brand's personality, there are some font rules of thumb you should keep in mind when creating your logos and graphics:

#1 The 2 Font Rule

Never use more than two fonts in a single graphic. Including three or more fonts in a single logo, poster, billboard, or social media post will make your work look too busy and often lose the reader's attention, not to mention that it simply looks unpleasant. Sticking to one or two fonts keeps your graphics looking clean and doesn't detract from the overall goal of the graphic, which is to represent your brand and attract more potential clients.

#2 Consistency is Key

Sticking to the same fonts throughout multiple graphics creates consistency and ties the posts together. When someone scrolls through your social media feeds, they'll notice patterns. Colors, images, logos, etc. If you stay consistent throughout your posts, the uniformity will be apparent and much more visually pleasing than if you had a wide range of fonts throughout your feed. Your posts shouldn't be exactly alike to the point where your feed becomes boring, so tying your posts together through consistency of colors and fonts will create a stable brand and help your viewers recognize your brand.

#3 First Impressions Are Hard To Change

If your first conversation with someone is boring, you're going to remember it. It takes a while, and a lot of personality, for that person to make up for their first impressions. This is the same with brands. If your graphics are boring or busy, it will take more effort to get a potential client to contact you. In a world where it's easy to swipe from one brand to the next, using the right fonts is important. Turning clients away through your choice of boring fonts for your graphics could cost you a lot.

Whether you're just starting your company or trying to tweak your brand, these tips will help you along the way. Your readers want to see what your brand represents. Fonts are the best way to introduce them to your company's personality! But remember, fonts will open the door of opportunity, but it's up to you to keep the client happy!

Fonts are just a small, but important, step in building your brand - especially when it comes to social media. Your company's identity is huge. Portraying this through your social media posts is vital in order to attract potential clients and create a successful business. Are your social media posts accurately representing your brand? Contact us at tryhyperchat.com to discuss the best social media strategies for your brand!