Typography has found a natural home on the internet. The limitations of paper, like its size, how ink interacts with the page and the costs, are practically non-existent online. For that reason, website typography has become more experimental and incredibly creative.

Like free form poetry, typography without predetermined limits needs to demonstrate such a mastery of the rules of design that the rules can be broken to a thrilling effect. Generally, the best typographical designs keep the number of elements involved to a minimum: using only one or two typefaces or a single colour will keep the design unified. Emphasis can be added by changing the size of the text or by bolding or italicising the font.

Great typography looks closely at two areas: microtypography and macrotypography. Microtypography is concerned with legibility and is essentially the design of the letters and words. Macrotypography, by contrast, is concerned with readability and is the overall look of the paragraph, block of text or page. These are especially important when using typography in website design, as readability and legibility are closely aligned with a great user experience, the main aim of good web design.

Moreover, great typography can influence a user’s emotional and physical responses to a website. By allowing the content of the text to directly shape the typographical design, the designer can create a text-based image that literally draws a picture that sticks in the user’s mind. This can increase the number of people who remember – and return – to a site.

The examples below beautifully illustrate how the best typography can create a lasting impact on the viewer.

Earth Hour

Amazee Labs

Team Fanny Pack

Hull Digital Live

Miiks

Ryan Kieser

Polar Gold

Tic Talk

Josh Hemsley

XIXI No Banho

Find Me By IP

DIBI Conference

Nike Jumpman

Lyudmil Shoshorov

Berger & Fohr

Planet Propoganda

Analog

Kidd81

Indubitablee

Bellstrike

Am I Missing Anything?

It is not possible to find out the best websites with great typography from the millions out there. If you have seen any such great website do let us know in the comments section. We would try and include them in the above list.