Compared to other elements like color palettes, themes, images, backgrounds, and the design of your WordPress blog, choosing fonts may seem insignificant.
In fact, every website owner should focus on WordPress fonts because they play a vital role in their site’s design and readability.
Furthermore, choosing the right font can help you stand out from the competition, increase brand awareness, and boost conversions.
All of this is only possible if you do it right. In this guide, we’ll help you choose the perfect font for your website and detail the specifications of each one.
What are the most common font styles?
The fonts on your website say a lot about your brand. Even a small change can alter visitors’ perception of your business.
Below are some of the most popular font styles:
Script
The appeal of cursive fonts lies in their elegant, cursive design, which mimics handwriting. They fall into two main categories: casual and formal. Informal fonts look more like modern calligraphy and are timeless. They are primarily used to create logos with larger font sizes, as they can be difficult to read in large quantities.
Formal fonts are very sophisticated and luxurious. They illustrate in detail the work of 17th and 18th-century master script writers. Notably, they feature extravagant curls and flourishes that extend beyond each character.
Display
Display fonts are every creative’s dream: fun, quirky, and original. Each one has its own personality that immediately captures the attention.
They became popular in the 19th century on posters, billboards, or vintage brochures. You may notice that many display fonts, like Rockwell, for example, have swooshes that extend after each character and look thick and massive.
These types of fonts do not have good legibility online, so they are used for advertisements or important headlines.
Modern
A typical quality of modern fonts is their structure. Their design is very professional and can sometimes evoke a more professional style. Many of them have long, thin serifs that extend beyond the end of the characters.
Additionally, since modern fonts favor verticality, they are not slanted. You’ll also notice that their thickness can vary from letter to letter, which adds a touch of elegance and style without disrupting the design.
They are ideal for large text or headings.
Serif
Known for being the most traditional, serif fonts feature simple marks, called serifs, that extend beyond the end of each character. This is the most conservative font style, making it a reliable choice.
The most common serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, are primarily used in print materials. Although many people choose this font style for their website, we don’t recommend it as it can be very difficult to read, especially with a lot of text. It can be very useful for large titles or logos, for example. Sans Serif
This type of font is primarily available online. Modern and original, they lack serifs that extend beyond the end of each character. The absence of serifs is precisely the reason this style is so popular online: it’s pleasing to the eye.
This font style was especially popular in the 1930s, very elegant and eye-catching. Many even believe it should only be used in advertising, as it’s unsuitable for other media.
Today, however, serif fonts like Helvetica are ubiquitous.
Why is font choice important?
The ideal typography is essential and of great importance. Elements like the grid, visual hierarchy, and white space are all important. If your font isn’t right for your website, nothing else matters.
- Font choice plays a vital role in the user experience and design of your website.
- It strengthens your brand awareness and allows you to showcase your personal touch.
- It ensures the visibility and readability of your content.
- Establishes a content hierarchy, especially for blog posts.
- It strengthens your brand image.
- It easily guides your visitors through your content.
As you can see, font style is more important than aesthetics. It can have a huge impact on your online presence and shape the perception of your brand.
The Most Popular Fonts for WordPress
Noto Sans
If you have a multilingual site, this is a great option to keep the same font across all versions. This font supports no fewer than 30 scripts, and you can also add Unicode to the list.
You can choose between Regular, Bold, Italic, and a combination of styles.
Roboto
If you appreciate modern styles, this font is for you. It’s primarily based on original curves and geometric shapes and fits perfectly in both headings and body text. Therefore, it’s versatile and adaptable to different scenarios.
You can also combine it with other fonts. There’s a condensed version, called Roboto Condensed, which has gained popularity among WordPress users.
Mina
According to official data, Mina is currently used by around 1,000 websites. According to the Google API, this font has been displayed no fewer than 180,000 times in recent weeks, demonstrating user satisfaction with its readability.
Open Sans
If you’re a fan of sans serif fonts, Open Sans will fit your style perfectly. Even the giant Google uses it on some of its websites, and you can even find it in printed documents.
It’s one of the simplest and cleanest fonts on the market and can be used for multiple purposes: mobile interfaces, websites, printed materials, and much more.
Playfair Display
Despite its release in 2013, this font is still as popular as ever. If you need an extra-large font, this one will do the job perfectly.
Its design is entirely inspired by 18th-century printing technology. It’s very similar to Shakespeare and Baskerville fonts. For maximum impact, use it only for titles and headings.
Banco Nueve
This is the best option if you have a blog with a more vintage look. It borrows design tricks from vernacular woodcuts and ink blots. It’s primarily a combination of Stephenson Blake fonts and fonts with more rounded corners. Slabo
If you’re interested in trying a WordPress font designed for a specific size, this is the perfect opportunity. It’s ideal for headings and content, depending on your needs.
Lato
This font is a huge hit in the United States: no less than 8 billion visits according to the Google API. Lato, which means “summer” in Polish, is a sans-serif font developed in 2010. Its elegance and simplicity make it a very popular choice, ideal for all types of websites.
Oswald
In a world where we spend most of our time in front of a device, Oswald updates the writing style of historians. Note that in terms of letter spacing, this font is smaller.
Lora
Lora is one of the best WordPress fonts for modern websites. Inspired by the curves of calligraphy, this font is ideal for body copy, but can also be used in combination for headings.
Lora is a memorable font that would look great on artistic storytelling websites.
Montserrat
You’ve probably already seen Montserrat, a popular and versatile font. It’s ideal for professional websites that want a clean, simple design that’s still easy to read. It’s currently used by around 5 billion websites worldwide.
For a more attractive look, you can combine it with Lato or Open Sans.
Sans Pro Font
It is one of the best WordPress fonts developed by Adobe and good for all user interfaces. Since its release, it has been used on over 4 billion sites in France and the United States. Many users prefer to combine it with Oswald or Roboto.
Conclusion
Choosing the right font for your WordPress site is just the first step. You need to learn how to use it so it matches your style and brand and achieves the desired effect. The fonts you choose will convey a specific message to your visitors and ultimately encourage them to stay and read your content.
What are your favorite font styles and combinations? Share with us in the comments below.
