In the fast-paced world of the internet and emails, the initial visual impact plays a crucial role in capturing attention. When you open an email, what catches your eye first? Is it the headlines, images, or ads? The common denominator here is fonts and colors. While colors convey emotions and brand identity, fonts play a crucial role in communicating your brand’s essence to subscribers. In this context, it’s important to delve into the psychology of fonts and understand their impact on readability, user experience, and brand perception.
Legibility vs. Readability:
Contrary to common belief, legibility and readability are not interchangeable terms. Legibility pertains to the clarity of individual characters, while readability involves the ease of reading entire blocks of text. A font’s primary purpose is to facilitate readability, ensuring that your audience can effortlessly consume the content. Think of it as the bold typeface that quickly caught your attention in this paragraph.
Understanding Skimming and Scanning:
Skimming and scanning are two prevalent reading methods. Skimming involves quickly scanning text for keywords, while scanning entails a meticulous examination of each word. A well-chosen font can significantly influence these cognitive processes and enhance the willingness to engage with the email content.
Simple Fonts vs. Fancy Fonts:
Studies indicate that readers take approximately 86% longer to read content in fancy fonts like Brush Script compared to simpler fonts like Arial. While fancy fonts may be perceived as harder to read, they can add a touch of sophistication when used selectively, such as in headlines. Striking a balance between simple and fancy fonts is crucial for maintaining readability and engagement.
Font Compatibility Across Email Clients:
When choosing fonts for emails, it’s essential to consider compatibility across various email clients. Email clients will display fonts that are already installed on recipients’ devices. System-wide fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, or Trebuchet are safer choices, as they are widely supported. Web fonts from sources like Google Web Fonts provide more options but require a fallback system for compatibility.
Interactive Emails in SFMC:
Certain email clients, particularly Outlook, may have fallback bugs that affect font display. Using CSS classes in your email code can mitigate this issue. Alternatively, fonts can be incorporated as images to ensure consistent rendering, though image blocking by default is a challenge.
Strategies for Optimal Email Typography:
Choose a proper font combination.
Determine the tone you want to convey.
Select an anchor font for experimentation.
Conduct an Il1 test to ensure character differentiation.
Opt for a font size larger than 12pts for digital screens.
Provide appropriate line spacing, approximately 1 1/2 times the font size.
Set a line length between 50-75 characters for easy readability.
Key Takeaways:
Prioritize readability for effective communication.
Strike a balance between simple and fancy fonts.
Ensure font compatibility across various email clients.
Leverage interactive elements judiciously.
Conduct thorough testing to guarantee optimal rendering.
Pay attention to font size, line spacing, and line length for an ideal reading experience.
