Landing Page Success: Picking the Right Font For Maximum Impact
To your Average Joe, landing pages can seem like a pretty simple tool to use. You simply create a page that has all the most relevant information on it, direct loads of traffic to it and watch the sales/conversions roll through the door.
But if you have ever actually created a landing page and measured the results (betting is you have), then you will be well aware it isn’t just that simple. There are loads of elements that make up the page that contribute directly to its success in achieving your desired action. These elements include layout, copy and in a large part the font you use and how you use it.
In this guide, we take a look at why fonts matter when it comes to landing pages and give some tips on how to pick the best one for yours.
Why fonts matter
As a general rule, visitors to your landing page will make a decision on whether they want to stay there within three or four seconds. In this time, it is unlikely that they will get much of a feel for what is actually written but will primarily judge based on the look and feel of the page (yes, the true definition of judging a book by its cover).
Beside the physical design of the page the font you use makes a huge impact on the page and tells the visitor many things such as the type of message you are attempting to portray and how easy it is going to be to digest that information.
Ultimately, fonts alter perception and in the world of landing pages perception is everything.
The best performing fonts
When you look into the best performing fonts for conversions, there are a number of interesting findings that you can adopt for your own landing page.
The first and most notable is that even though it is one of the most commonly used fonts in the world, (almost) everyone on the internet hates comic sans. However, in a number of studies researchers have found much data that points towards serif fonts such as Baskerville as being more trustworthy and compelling when it comes to communicating marketing messages.
It is worth noting that much of the data and conclusions drawn from these sorts of findings are based on hunches and there is little scientific evidence that solidly concludes one font or type as font as the best.
Matching font to your message
Arguably more important than finding a font that is slightly more convincing than another is finding a font that matches your message. Take for example that you have created a landing page for a new kids educational program, then a font like (hate to say it) comic sans might be acceptable as a way to portray the young and fun nature of the message you are trying to communicate. On the other hand, if your message is more serious in its nature then a more linear and serious font will be suitable to give off the right vibe.
A study by Crazy Egg showed some interesting parallels between the type of font and the tone of voice that you are trying to get across. Taking these findings into consideration it is also worth noting that first and foremost your font must be easy to read and understand. Although Lavanderia might express the creativity of your message well, it is unlikely to be that easy to digest.
Does size matter?
When it comes to high performing font, size really does matter. The findings on this is more solid and conclusive than that of the type of font that is being used. These findings are apparent in academic studies such as one from Wichita State University which compared reading speeds in comparison to font size, giving an indicator of which sizes are easiest to read and are therefore more effective.
Findings show that as a general rule 12-point font is the best font to use when delivering the bulk of the information required. However, when communicating important messages, such as headlines, then using a bigger font is always better in helping people identify the key information. Interestingly, using slightly smaller font also works well when trying to get people to notice key information such as testimonials as they are forced to slow down and focus in.
Colour it in
You would be forgiven for thinking that black is the only way forward when it comes to picking font colour and for the most part you would be correct. In studies by Google they found that key information/links that was highlighted by colour was more likely to be clicked on. This is apparent if you use the search engine and see that all links are highlighted in blue.
There is lots of information out there on which colours should be used in order to make the most conversions on key links. However, what is most important is that that information and those links are indeed highlighted in some way, easy to identify and pop off the page.
Line spacing
Again, line spacing might seem like a small thing that is not going to make any difference to your landing page. But in those split seconds where the page visitor makes a decision on whether to engage or close the page it can make all the difference.
Crowded writing will certainly a put a lot of people off reading further. It is undeniable that humans are inherently lazy and as a result will shy away from any task that seem like it will take too much effort on their behalf. Using line spacing well to give your text ‘breathing space’ and make it immediately look a lot easier to digest, meaning visitors are more likely to stick around and engage.
Quick tips & summary
- Use a font that is easy to read and matches the message/tone you are trying to portray
- Basic and recognisable fonts work the best
- Try and use only one or two fonts on one page to stop the content looking messy
- Get your size, line spacing and colours correct to keep people engaged
Test your landing page and make tweaks to the font if necessary.
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