Feb 27 2009
The Effective Use of Fonts for Web 2.0
Fonts, incredible as they seem, can make a huge impact on the image and feel of a write-up or a website. Choosing the right font is as much an art as it is a science and the wrong choice can often end up preventing you from making the most out of a design or an article, especially when you’re dealing with Web 2.0. So what, exactly, is a Web 2.0 font? How can the choice of a font make a difference in this environment? And is there an official standard for the use of fonts in a Web 2.0 site?
Identifying the Web 2.0 fonts
It can be incredibly difficult to nail down the exact standards for a font that can be classified as reflective
of the Web 2.0 environment. However, there are certain characteristics.
First, websites using Web 2.0 font tend to lean towards the modern and the innovative, preferring a cleaner, more streamlined look for their sites. The loud, bright colors and texts used in some sites are often chosen mainly for effect or as a means to grab attention but not intended as a main defining characteristic. Fonts used in a Web 2.0 site look open and inviting, encouraging people to join in, stick around and if necessary, collaborate.
Size matters as well. Big fonts had a field day in the past but these days, they look quaint and in some
instances, too attention-grabbing. Fonts are usually one of the top design issues considered by users and the most oft-complained about – too frozen, too small, too low of a contrast between the background and the text itself.
In a Web 2.0 environment, the two major font considerations include regular or small font size and readability. Still the most popular size is 14 to 16 point, given a resolution of about 1024 by 768. Larger
fonts just make a site more readable.
Some of the types of fonts used in Web 2.0 sites include certain distinct qualities. Some of these fonts you
might want to use are:
Rounded typefaces
There has been a recent trend in using fonts that have rounded ends, such as Arial Rounded, FF Cocon and
Helvetica Rounded. These fonts appear softer and are easy on the eyes. They provide a modern look and feel to a title or an article.
Classic typefaces
There are fonts that continue to be quite useful and popular in the Web 2.0 environment. Classics are
instantly recognizable and are quite comfortable to work with. The most popularly used include Helvetica
(found on most websites), News Gothic, FF Meta (standard or bold), Avenir and Interstate.
Futuristic typefaces
There are also Web 2.0 sites that put an emphasis on innovation and futuristic looks. This is in response to
the new advances in technology. These fonts are often labeled as ‘techno’ and are characterized by simplicity, with edges that are hard and solid. Some of these fonts include: Digital Sans, ITC Bauhaus, Agency, Handel Gothic and FF Dot Matrix.
Serif fonts
Serif fonts are still popular but they have evolved over the years, with newer typefaces emerging. Courier, for
example, may still be popular but is quite limited. A better choice is probably American Typewriter, which is
a more stylized version. Another serifed font that works well is Clarendon and ITC Officina, which is semi-serifed.
Sans serif fonts
Sans serif typefaces are excellent for use for Web 2.0. These fonts are clean and streamlined and work well in
most websites. Some of these fonts include Frutiger and Helvetica.
Here is where this lesson ends for today. We really hope you enjoyed this lesson too.
You will receive the next lesson in 7 days. Next week’s lesson will have the following title:
“Simple and Easy Steps in Creating Web 2.0 Buttons”
Copyright(C) 2009 by John Delavera & Reimund Lube
