Short answer: choose a well-made, easy-to-read font and use no more than two different ones on the site. Set the body text to at least 16 pixels, give the lines plenty of air and make sure the contrast with the background is strong. Typography that is easy to read is automatically perceived as more credible.

Why does font affect trust?

When someone lands on your site, they form an opinion in a fraction of a second - long before they've read a single sentence. The font is a big part of the first impression. A cluttered or hard-to-read font makes the page feel amateurish, even if the content is top-notch. A clear font signals care and seriousness.

My name is Olivia and I work with the web every day. What I see over and over again is that companies spend months on their content but minutes on the typography – even though it's the typography the visitor actually encounters first.

What is the difference between serif and sans-serif?

The two major families of typefaces are called serif and sans-serif. The difference is simple:

  • Serifhave small "feet" or heels at the ends of the letters, as in Times New Roman or Georgia. They feel classic and trust-inspiring, and are often used by law firms, banks and newspapers.
  • Sans-seriflack these heels ("sans" means without in French), as in Arial, Helvetica or Inter. They feel modern, clean and are extra easy to read on screen.

There is no right or wrong – it's all about the feeling you want to convey. A tech agency often chooses sans-serif, a traditional consultant maybe a serif. For body text on the web, sans-serif is usually the safest choice because it stays sharp even on smaller screens.

How many fonts should I use?

One or two. No more. A common and effective approach is to use one font for headings and one for body text – it creates clear hierarchy without looking cluttered. If you want to keep it even simpler, a single font with different thicknesses (weight), for example thick for headings and normal for text, is sufficient.

Mixing three or four fonts is the fastest way to make a site look unstructured. Less is almost always more in typography.

What text size and line spacing should I have?

This is where most people go wrong, and it's easy to fix:

  • Body text at least 16 pixels.Preferably 17–18 pixels. Less than that and the visitor squints, especially on mobile.
  • Line spacing (line-height) around 1.5.This means that the distance between the lines is 1.5 times the height of the text. Space between the lines makes the text much easier to read.
  • Line length 50–75 characters.If the lines become too long, the eye loses sight of where the next line begins. Limit the text width so that the lines do not span the entire screen.

How important is contrast?

Very. Contrast is the difference in brightness between the text and the background. Light gray text on a white background may look elegant in a design sketch, but will be hard to read for many – especially older visitors and people with impaired vision. Use dark text on a light background, or vice versa. There are free tools (search for "contrast checker") where you paste in your two colors and find out if the contrast is sufficient according to the accessibility standard WCAG.

Does the font affect site speed?

Yes, a little. Each font you upload is a file to download. If you load five different fonts in ten different thicknesses, it will be heavy. Stick to the weights you actually use, and choose fonts available from services like Google Fonts, and loading will be smooth. A good system font (those already on the visitor's device) also loads immediately without waiting.

My simple checklist

  1. Choose one or two fonts - no more.
  2. Sans-serif for body text if unsure.
  3. Body text at least 16 pixels, line spacing around 1.5.
  4. Limit line length to 50-75 characters.
  5. Check the contrast with a free tool.
  6. Load only the font weights you use.

Do you want a site that feels professional right away?

Typography is one of the details that determines whether a visitor trusts you or clicks away. At ZORC, we build websites where the typography is thought through from the ground up - readable, accessible and adapted to the tone of your business. Do you want help making your site feel as well thought out as your offer?Get in touch with ZORC, and we'll look at your typography together.