Digital technology has made people more aware of the importance of typography, or fonts. Whether it is an ad on a computer or images on a smartphone, people notice fonts more than ever. And this is what a new infographic from MDG Advertising is looking to do. Increase your awareness by teaching you the basics of fonts and how they affect your marketing.

The good news for small businesses is fonts for marketing are readily available as part of office productivity and design software. The key is to become aware of the fonts you have at your disposal and learning how to use them.

Titled “Fonts 101: What Marketers Need to Know” the data comes from MDG Advertising. This is an agency with two decades of experience, so it has great insight into how the right font can make all the difference in the world.

Anthony Del Gigante who wrote the report says, “…font choice impacts how audiences process and perceive messaging. Understanding the basics of font design and positioning can be hugely beneficial for brands of all types.”

He goes on to say, “Ultimately, brands should think situationally when it comes to choosing fonts.” This means don’t use a universal font for all your content. Find a font for each use case so it can address the context of what you are trying to say. And this will allow you to target each audience with a font which appeals to them.

So, What is a Font?

A font describes a collection of characters with a combination of typeface and other qualities. This includes size, pitch, and spacing.

According to MDG, the term font is a carryover from the days of the “movable type” system. While the typeface describes the overall design of the characters, the font describes specific attributes.

Ther are many different elements on a font. Designers use elements such as stroke, counter, bar/crossbar, and ligature to create unique fonts. Even within a family of fonts, characteristics such as weight (Thin/Normal/Bold) and style (Upright/Italics) can add differentiating features.

The major font categories are Serif Fonts, Sans-Serif Fonts, and Decorative.

The Importance of Fonts

Fonts are especially important in today’s digital ecosystem because consumers are interacting with brands at all times.

A data point which drives this fact home is 75% of consumers say they judge a business by its website design. Another 72% say packaging design influences their purchasing decisions.

As a brand, you have to use fonts which are easy to read, communicate your message, and fit well with the overall design.

According to MDG, you should ask if the font matches your goals, as well as:

Do I want to come across as traditional or modern? (Serif vs. sans-serif)

Does standing out or readability matter more? (Decorative vs. non-decorative)

Will this font appear widely and be read in large blocks? (Size, weight, style, etc.)

Finding the Right Fonts for Marketing

Graphic design looks simple at first glance. You only begin to appreciate the work which has gone into a particular image after you attempt to do it. This, of course, includes finding the right font.

If your talents lie in other aspects of running your small business, you can hire an agency for the design work. Depending on the size of your business it may not be possible to hire an agency, but freelancers are now readily available.

Whether you go the DIY, agency or freelancer route, today’s digital technology gives you multiple options.

Take a look at the MDG Advertising infographic below.

Infographic by MDG Advertising