One of the most neglected things when it comes to designing a website is setting the font size. This is why some sites have font sizes too big that literally look like words are going to jump out of the screen or too small that you need binoculars to clearly see them.
The best approach is to find the right balance. Even if you have hired the most reputable web design agency in New York, you won’t be able to please your audience if you are neglecting typography, particularly font size.
Here’s all you need to know about this important yet neglected aspect of a website’s design:
The Impact on Font Size on User Engagement
Size matters! Particularly when it comes to the font on a website. It has been proven in studies as well. As per a study, people tend to skim content where font size is increased. They, however, slow down if the size is small. This impacts user engagement and navigation. For example, if a user doesn’t find the font size too convenient for them, they wouldn’t take long before abandoning a website. This will lead to a higher bounce rate, which no person who owns a website would want.
Reasons Websites Have Small Font Size
In some cases, websites have small font size due to the following reasons:
A Lot of Content
When there’s a lot of content, web designers usually tend to have a smaller font size. The reason is that they want the text to be perfectly aligned and do not consume a lot of space on the entire page. Their purpose is not to overwhelm the user with a huge chunk of content. However, this can cost you conversions, and subsequent, lead generations.
Experts advise having an adequate-sized font along with proper spacing so that the user could easily read and comprehend the text without skimming through it.
For Mobile Optimization
It’s not a secret anymore that the number of smartphone users has increased in recent years. Now, almost every individual owns a smartphone and uses it for various purposes, including education, recreation, extracting information, etc.
This is why most web designers now prefer optimizing their sites for mobile users. And while doing this, they tend to set bigger font sizes. This is done to increase readability. However, in some cases, this approach backfires since the font is set too large, which can actually put off users.
What’s the right way you’re asking? Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula when it comes to setting font sizes for mobile optimization. You need to consider various factors, most importantly, your website’s layout, while doing this.
Reasons to Have a Bigger Font Size on Your Website
Bigger is better, but not always. Still, you can consider a bigger font size for your website due to the following reasons:
Improved Readability
First of all, a bigger size improves readability. Users wouldn’t have to focus a lot on bringing their smartphone closer to their face, which can be a real nuisance to read the content. However, make sure that it’s not too big to scare them off or show that you’re shouting (usually, text written in capital depicts the same).
Improved Accessibility
A bigger font size makes it easy for the visually impaired to read the content of your website. It shows that you have taken them into consideration when designing the website. This will reflect well on your brand.
Better Chances of Scanning the Content
It’s a known fact that most users now scan texts instead of reading every word. The main idea behind this approach is to get a grasp of the content in a quick way.
But, if your website’s font is small, the user will find it difficult to scan the content, let alone reading it. The result? They will end up abandoning your content. To make sure this doesn’t happen, increase the size of the content but to an acceptable limit. As stated above, if it’s too big, it will impact the readability in a negative way.
The Ideal Size
What exactly the size of your content depends on various factors, including the page’s layout, the length of the content, images, and videos on the page, etc. So, take into account all these aspects and then define the font size. You can take the help of an experienced web designer in this regard. Also, analyze your competitors. This can help you in gaining some vital perspective.
Doing this is important as it will assist in improving the performance of your SEO services providers as well. Since your website will be in an optimal design condition, the user will have no reason for abandoning it.
