Legible Text In Web Design

It is easy to overlook text legibility in web design. However, the Web is becoming the research tool of choice in making purchasing decisions. Visitors will be more likely to read your copy if it is legible and well aranged. Therefore, it is critical to your website's success that all text be clear and easy to read. Hear are a few overall tips that will insure that your website content will be well read:

• Use sans serif fonts rather than serif fonts in body text (ie: Arial is a sans serif font, Times Roman is a serif font). One exception to this rule is the font Georgia, a serif font made especially for online viewing.
  
• Avoid ornamental fonts in body text. Keeping it simple keeps it legible.
  
• Roman characters are more legible than italic on the Web. Therefore, avoid paragraphs of text set in an italic font.
  
• Medium-sized fonts, 9 to 11 points for sans serif fonts and 11 to 12 points for serif fonts often work well for body text.
  
• Avoid using all capital letters for sentences in paragraphs of text.
  
• Using generous margins (white space) around paragraphs of text contribute to legibility.
  
• High contrast between text and background colors increase legibility.

Here is a sample of our web design demonstrating the use of clean legible text. This website for a CHIROPRACTOR IN HOBOKEN NJ has plenty of text. However, using the principles shown above, we created an easy-to-read page.

By the wise use of text, you make your website more inviting, and easier to read. That can be a competitive advantage!

Donald Peterson