Type is such a powerful way to tell your brand’s story and inspire connection with your ideal clients. For as seemingly simple as fonts or custom typefaces may feel, there is so much thought that goes into choosing the right one for your unique brand! Hand lettering offers a romantic, feel aesthetic, while strong serifs lend an editorial, often high-end feel to a brand. So how do you figure out which type of type (see what I did there?! ????) is right for your brand? If we’re being honest, fonts in and of themselves can inspire specific emotions, give off a certain vibe, and create a visual presence that resonates with the core of our work authentically. The shapes of specific letters, the sizing, spacing and even pairing of different fonts can affect the overall look and feel of your visuals. It may seem like a small detail of your visual branding, but it’s more important than you might think. So today, let’s explore the best way to choose the right fonts to tell your brand story well!

One of the most common issues with choosing the right fonts to represent your brand is that we forget to consider what our font pairings say about our brand in the first place. We want to utilize fonts that reinforce the message, experience and aesthetic we want to share. But how many fonts do you actually need for your visual branding? I got you, boss lady! Let’s break it down into the specific font pairings that you will use for your brand:

First up, we want to identify a logo font. This is going to be the primary font that really reflects the mood or feel of your brand. I would suggest that unless you have a clear understanding of typographic hierarchy, your logo font is the only place on your website or print collateral that specific font should appear. We want it to be a primary focal point, and to be special, so we don’t want to dilute its power by using it for every header or list of bullet points.

Next, we want to choose a secondary font. This is going to be the font style you incorporate in places like your header titles, your website menu, etc. This secondary font should have less flash and less personality than your logo font in order to balance things out. We want these two fonts to complement each other and pair well as a team. So, we don’t want to choose two calligraphy-inspired fonts that create one overly ornate and slightly confusing visual presence.

Lastly, we want to choose a body font. This is going to be main font that you use on blog posts, and within the main text of print collateral. This font should be easy to read so your ideal clients can easily glean the information that you’re sharing in the first place. And on top of that, your body font should complement the secondary and logo fonts you’ve chosen. We want all of this to look good together, after all!

Now that you know what kinds of fonts you should be selecting for your brand, it’s time to figure out which typeface style represents your brand well. Should you highlight a modern, crisp san serif or is a romantic, feminine calligraphy-inspired font a better choice? Below, I’m breaking down some of the most popular font styles I see in visual branding, along with how they’re perceived!

What font style is the best fit for your visual brand, friend? Sound off in the comments below!