Choosing the Right Body Font for Your Website

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Jul 2, 2025 04:07 PM

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Web Design

Choosing the Right Body Font for Your Website

TL;DR: Key Points

Pick a simple, clear body font that works well across all devices

Test your font on different screen sizes to check it stays readable

Keep line lengths reasonable and use good contrast between text and background

Don't overdo the styling - simple usually works best

The right body font makes your whole site easier to use

Why Your Body Font Matters

Your body font does the heavy lifting on your website. It's what people actually read, so if it's hard to read, you've lost them before they've even started. A good body font should be invisible - people shouldn't notice it, they should just find your content easy to consume.

Testing Your Font Choices

Before you commit to a font, check it works everywhere your visitors might be. Pull up your site on your phone, tablet, and computer. Ask a friend to check it on their devices too. What looks crisp on your desktop might turn into a blurry mess on someone's phone.

Pay attention to how the font renders at different sizes. Some fonts that look great at 16px fall apart when they're smaller or larger.

Getting Line Length and Contrast Right

If your lines of text stretch across the full width of someone's screen, they'll lose their place constantly. Aim for about 50-75 characters per line - roughly 8-12 words. Any longer and people's eyes struggle to track from the end of one line to the start of the next.

Contrast is non-negotiable. Light grey text on a white background might look sophisticated, but if people can't read it comfortably, it's pointless. Black on white works. Dark grey on white works. Be careful with coloured text - test it properly.

Keep Styling Simple

I see this mistake constantly - someone picks a lovely, clean font then drowns it in bold, italics, and different weights. Your body text should be consistent. Save the styling for headings and emphasis where it actually serves a purpose.

If you're using different font weights, stick to regular and maybe bold. Using light, regular, medium, semi-bold, and bold in your body text just creates visual chaos.

Pixelhaze Tip: When you're unsure about a font choice, go simpler. A straightforward font always beats a fancy one that's hard to read.

Common Questions About Body Fonts

How do I know if my font is readable enough? Ask people. Show your site to friends, family, colleagues - especially anyone who wears glasses or is over 40. If they squint or hold their device closer to their face, your font isn't working.

Should my body font match my brand? Your brand matters, but readability comes first. You can reflect your brand personality in your headings, navigation, and other design elements. Your body font's job is to be readable.

Can I use Google Fonts for my body text? Yes, Google Fonts work well for body text. Popular choices like Open Sans, Lato, and Source Sans Pro exist because they're genuinely good at their job. Don't feel you need something unique - clarity beats creativity for body text.

Quick Definitions

Readability: How easy your text is to read and understand Legibility: How easy it is to tell one letter from another Line Length: How many characters fit on one line - affects how easily people can read Contrast: The difference between your text colour and background colour

The Bottom Line

Your body font isn't where you show off your design skills - it's where you make your content accessible. Pick something clean and simple, test it properly, and don't overthink it. Your visitors will thank you by actually reading what you've written.