Brand Fonts: 7 Tips on Choosing the Perfect Font for a Brand

When creating a brand for your new business, you’ve probably got a to-do list that’s a mile long.

Choosing brand fonts is not necessarily at the top of that list either. Because there are tens of thousands of fonts and typefaces to choose from, picking one may seem like a chore.

Your font choice is important, but it shouldn’t feel like a burden to your brand.

We’re going to take a look at some helpful tips for picking brand fonts that tell your audience exactly what your business is all about.

The Importance of Brand Fonts

Content is key.

No matter what your business, product, or service is, you need to make sure you’re providing the content and information people are searching for.

Knowing how to pick a font shouldn’t be overlooked, though.

Peter Frankfurt, the executive creative director of the beloved Netflix Original Stranger Things, explains how important fonts and typefaces are.

“There are so many different ways that type communicates to us,” said Frankfurt. The logo for the Netflix show, which has over 4 million viewers, chose a branding font that immediately spoke to its target market.

Even years later, long-time brands such as Southwest airlines have chosen to change not only their logo but the specific fonts they use.

It can’t be stressed enough how subtly typefaces speak specific messages to your audience.

Now, we’ll take a look at some specific tips you can use to find the right brand fonts.

1. The Big Question: Serif or Sans Serif?

An important first question to ask yourself is whether or not you want serif or sans-serif typeface.

Basically, serif typeface uses small lines attached to the ends of certain letters while sans-serif typefaces don’t.

Serif is an older style of font, and sans-serif fonts are relatively newer, beginning in the 19th century.

Serif is typically seen as older and was generally easier to read in print format.

With technology advancing and leading us to read on digital screens more and more, people have started adopting sans-serif typefaces much more.

This is why people often choose sans-serif options for websites or apps.

Serif fonts may be better suited to serious businesses that have strict standards for legibility or in academia. Conversely, sans-serif may be more appropriate for companies with a modern focus, such as technology brands.

2. Multiples are Fine But Less is More

If you’re wondering how to choose a font, don’t stress about only picking one.

It’s okay to choose more than one font, but remember that less is still more.

Having different fonts for different purposes can give your website or graphics more contrast and distinction, but use too many and it becomes a cluttered mess.

A good rule of thumb is to stick with three.

An example: one typeface for large headers, one typeface for the main content, and one typeface for specific calls to action that you need to stick out.

3. Speak To Your Audience

As with anything you do, you should have a strong handle on who your audience is.

After all, when choosing brand fonts, you’re trying to speak to them specifically, not just anyone.

Take for example heavy metal band typefaces. Some of them seem messy and are difficult even to make out.

You may be wondering what the point of a font is if you can barely even read the band name, but some people respond to the artistry of the typeface more than its readability.

On the other side of the coin, minimalism is more popular than ever. If your audience needs a softer and cleaner touch, then you may want to consider simpler fonts.

4. Novelty Fonts

Consider novelty for standing out with headers or your actual company name or tagline.

Maybe your company restores vintage safety razors or typewriters. You might want to consider an older, less-used typeface that conjures feelings of nostalgia.

In cases like this, script fonts could be a good choice, which use cursive-like properties to connect each letter.

These kinds of fonts can really make certain names, titles, or taglines pop, but they should be used sparingly.

You still want the body of your content to be something reliable and easy to read.

5. Be Consistent

No matter what kind of branding font you go with, make sure that you are consistent.

This is the voice of your brand, and if you waver on that voice, your audience will be less likely to trust you.

For example, if you’re using Century Gothic for your company tagline but then switch it to Futura elsewhere, it’s confusing.

6. Be Trendy But Not Short-Lived

Trends come and go. Hopping on a trend can take you somewhere, but maybe only so far.

Brand fonts are no exception to this. Sometimes, a certain typeface will become popular for specific uses.

This may look appealing in the meantime, but remember that you want your brand to last longer than a simple trend.

This is especially important when picking a font for your actual company name or logo. Ideally, you want your chosen font to last for years, rather than the 15 minutes of fame particular typefaces may receive.

7. Free vs. Paid

This may be a tough decision for some people to make.

There are a number of free options out there that may get the job done, but they may not necessarily convey the emotion you’re trying to share.

Also, if a paid option is exactly what you’re looking for, don’t go for the free version someone released that is vaguely similar. Not only may it not be legal, but it would seem cheap and reflect poorly on your company.

Brand Fonts Are the Voice of Your Company

Honing in on your company’s brand is essential but can be challenging to figure out. There are a lot of options out there from logo designs, styles, and typefaces.

Finding the right brand fonts will create a positive and lasting relationship with your audience. Picking one shouldn’t be a chore, though, and hopefully, these tips gave you some helpful points to consider.

If you’d like to learn more about how to craft the look of your company, check out some more of our helpful graphic design ideas!