Does web typography matter?
Recently, the situation with the typographical design of sites is slowly beginning to improve, but the “average temperature in the hospital” is growing very uncertainly. And in conversations with different people, I have repeatedly heard the question: “Why bother with typography on the site at all?”
I will try to answer this question. If to summarize and be honest, then with typography you need to bother not always.
Let's try to look at the very root. Why do you need a website? You can correct me in the comments, but in my firm opinion the site is only a means of transmitting one or many messages from the creators or users to other visitors to the site. Corporate website or promotional site - means of transmitting marketing messages: image, services, products, positioning. A community site is a means of transmitting messages from users to users, and b) means of transmitting messages from creators: advertising, the very fact of having a community, and so on. Splog - a means of transmitting messages from the creators to search engines.
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Each message has its own purpose, and the main task of the creator of any site is to make the messages reach the recipient with maximum efficiency. It is the effectiveness of reporting messages is a key measure of the quality of the site, and not the quality of the design or structure of the site (which are only the consequences of solving the problem of efficiency). Moreover, messages can be broadcast not only through the site, but also through other channels: RSS, mailing lists, broadcast on Twitter and so on.
So, returning from the origins to typography, we see that attention should be paid to it in one single case: if typography contributes to the effectiveness of conveying messages through the site . And in this vein, quality typography works in two directions: increasing the effectiveness of text messages to living people (I will explain why below) and reporting the image message “We are so cool and professional that we pay attention to any trifles”.
The image message “We pay attention to trifles” is very important on corporate and promotional sites of large companies (as well as small companies that want to seem cool professionals), online stores of expensive goods and luxury goods, as well as portals and content projects designed for rich or discerning visitors. It is very likely that this image message is absolutely not a priority in the handicraft site of the community of butterfly-fanciers.
As for the effectiveness of delivering any text messages to people, the role of typography in this is quite obvious. Any text since Gutenberg’s time has three characteristics:
It is also worth noting that investing efforts in increasing the effectiveness of messages is only reasonable if these investments pay off: with money, resources, the same image. In some cases (for example, the internal site of a student study group or an online store with unique trade offers designed for a very narrow audience) these investments will be economically unjustified.
So, quality typography is just a tool, not an end in itself. And it is necessary to pay attention to it only in two cases (which, however, are extremely common):
So think for yourself, decide for yourself whether to typography or not. And do not forget that typography is not a sacred cow, not a panacea, but not useless snobish pribluda. Effective you sites!
I will try to answer this question. If to summarize and be honest, then with typography you need to bother not always.
Let's try to look at the very root. Why do you need a website? You can correct me in the comments, but in my firm opinion the site is only a means of transmitting one or many messages from the creators or users to other visitors to the site. Corporate website or promotional site - means of transmitting marketing messages: image, services, products, positioning. A community site is a means of transmitting messages from users to users, and b) means of transmitting messages from creators: advertising, the very fact of having a community, and so on. Splog - a means of transmitting messages from the creators to search engines.
')
Each message has its own purpose, and the main task of the creator of any site is to make the messages reach the recipient with maximum efficiency. It is the effectiveness of reporting messages is a key measure of the quality of the site, and not the quality of the design or structure of the site (which are only the consequences of solving the problem of efficiency). Moreover, messages can be broadcast not only through the site, but also through other channels: RSS, mailing lists, broadcast on Twitter and so on.
So, returning from the origins to typography, we see that attention should be paid to it in one single case: if typography contributes to the effectiveness of conveying messages through the site . And in this vein, quality typography works in two directions: increasing the effectiveness of text messages to living people (I will explain why below) and reporting the image message “We are so cool and professional that we pay attention to any trifles”.
The image message “We pay attention to trifles” is very important on corporate and promotional sites of large companies (as well as small companies that want to seem cool professionals), online stores of expensive goods and luxury goods, as well as portals and content projects designed for rich or discerning visitors. It is very likely that this image message is absolutely not a priority in the handicraft site of the community of butterfly-fanciers.
As for the effectiveness of delivering any text messages to people, the role of typography in this is quite obvious. Any text since Gutenberg’s time has three characteristics:
- Readability. High readability is important for long texts (from a paragraph) intended for continuous reading. The text should not be too small, should contrast with the background, the signs should not “stick together” or “run away”, the text column should not be too narrow and not too wide, the vertical gap between the lines should also not be too large and not too small.
- Distinctness. High visibility is important for headings, in the context of short time that the user spends on “scanning” the page. The inscription should be quite large and visible.
- Visibility. Important in the text, which should attract attention. For example, this is the text that carries the most important message. We first see this text, and then we read it.
It is also worth noting that investing efforts in increasing the effectiveness of messages is only reasonable if these investments pay off: with money, resources, the same image. In some cases (for example, the internal site of a student study group or an online store with unique trade offers designed for a very narrow audience) these investments will be economically unjustified.
Summary
So, quality typography is just a tool, not an end in itself. And it is necessary to pay attention to it only in two cases (which, however, are extremely common):
- The site should create an image of high professionalism of the owner, attentive to any trifles.
- The site should with maximum efficiency to broadcast messages to live visitors using text.
- no need to create an image
- the content is so unique that there is currently no talk about the effectiveness of messages,
- messages are delivered via media, not text, or
- resource transmits messages to robots
So think for yourself, decide for yourself whether to typography or not. And do not forget that typography is not a sacred cow, not a panacea, but not useless snobish pribluda. Effective you sites!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/61037/
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