Text Rules for Web Design
Here are some text rules to follow when designing your site:
1. Use only sans-serif fonts.
A serif is an additional feature found at the end of strokes. A serif font contains these extra features and look more decorative. Times New Roman has serifs. Verdana does not. Sans-serif means without serifs, and you should be using sans-serif fonts on your website. Why? Because the extra decorative features found on serif fonts are quite frankly hard to read on the computer screen. That is why you don't see serif fonts often on websites. On the other hand, serif fonts are easier to read in actual print, which is why you will find that many newspapers and books use serif fonts. But we're not dealing with print here, and sans-serif is the way to go for websites.
2. Arrange text in reasonable columns.
A lot of sites have text that runs from one end of the screen to the other. By the time a reader is done reading a line, their eye has to zoom all the way back to the beginning of the next line, which can seem like miles. If you pick up any newspaper, you will see that the stories are arranged in tight, narrow columns. Why do they do this? To make the page easier to read, of course. Websites should do the same thing. I'm not saying you need to create 3 columns for a webpage, but you definitely do not want to be mindful of how long your rows of text are. Avoid expandable, percentage-based tables. Instead, define the length of your tables in pixels, and make them around 750 pixels or less, with ample cell padding. This will ensure that the lines of text never get too long and will remain easy to read.
3. Use dark text on a white background, or light text on a dark background.
This may seem obvious, but believe me, I still run into tons of sites that don't follow this rule. Too many times, a web designer (usually a beginning one) tries to be cute, and includes background images and writes text over them, or combines a horrible background color with text that is hard to read. The rule to follow here is basically a simple one: Pays attention to contrast. If you are using a dark background, always use a very light text color, and vice versa. When in doubt, just use black text on a white background. Almost all corporate websites are done this way, so if you follow this rule you'll be in good company.
4. Use whitespace.
Don't cram as much text as possible into a page. You must divide the text into sections, use bullet points, and insert tables or images to break up the monotony. Most people do not read the Web like they read a book, so you need to provide many bits of broken-up information in bite-size chunks.
Follow these rules and your site will not only look a lot cleaner, it will be much easier to read as well.
Related Tags: web design, text, font, web page, legibility
Tom Oki is the author of 30 Minute Sites, a course of instant Web design that teaches people how to design professional websites in 30 minutes, regardless of their experience.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Things To Know About Getting Visitors To Your Website
You Must Get Targeted Traffic To Your Business Website, Paid or Free.Let's face it! Without traffic - Website Designing :better Buck Up For Better Conversion
Slow and steady wins the race. Is it? It may not be true for the realms of offshore web designing. W - Know Basics Of Websites Before Designing Website For Your Specific Needs
Present is the age of internet and without having an online identity no organization or firm is comp - Web Design Methodology
Since the budding of the internet the use of web has been increased by leaps and bounds due to boomi - Indian Php Developers Is Cost-effective Web Development Solutions
PHP is an open source programming language which is used to create customized web development soluti - Why A Logo
Pictures are a powerful medium of communication; they tend to stick with us. You could forget a line - 8 Common Web Development Mistakes To Avoid
When you are ready to start with your online business the first thing which comes in front of you is - Web Design- The Window To A World Of Success
It can take your business to the international level in a quick and easy way. Your website can take - Only Basements - Perfect Basement Design Ideas In Ottawa And Montreal
An idea can change our lives. Any idea which is constructive offers great benefits. It can be anythi - A Premium Website Helps In Creating Charisma In The Web World
Websites play a very important role in the advancement of a company. It is your website that forms a
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Why Custom Logo Design Matters-Are You Satisfied
Why custom logo design matters With so many companies competing for the same clients, it's becoming - Internet Web Page Design
Internet web page design is something we must master if we are to build a successful internet busine - Is your website innovative? Increase Your Business Over Night!
While studying online for IT investment opportunities, I found that one main factor was constant. Al - How to Get Profits from Your 404 Page not Found file.
"'Page Not Found' on this Server. Check the URL and try again. Or Refresh the page..."This - The Psychology of Web Surfers
Here are some things you should know about web surfers: They are busy They - Advantages of an Online Site Builder
There are numerous choices when it comes to building web sites. One of the first choices you will ha - How To Create Clear Web Site Graphics (Part 2 of 2)
Web site graphics can spice up your web sites and increase stickability if used correctly.In this ar - The Title An Accurate And Descriptive Summary
It's the little things that count. The obvious and most times overlooked are usually the most import - How To Create Clear Web Site Graphics (Part 1 of 2)
Clear web site graphics can spice up your web sites and increase stickability if appropriately used. - Building Community Websites Equals Success Online
In this article I will discuss how important is it to build community websites rather than straight