Typeface psychology: how to use it to create persuasive designs

You’ve probably heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.” If this is true, then it is also a font.

Font choice can have a huge impact on what you say through design and how easy it is to read, as well as the emotion and human psychology involved. Even through words that are meant to be read, they are also looked at and a visual connection is established.

What is font psychology?

This infographic of the CrazyEgg blog is still one of the best complete examples of the psychology of fonts.

There are some pairing guidelines to start with for different typography styles.

• Serif: Timelessness, formality
• Modern serif: Glamour, high fashion
• Page serif: importance, attention
• Sans serif: Neutral, easy
• Ultrathin or condensed: Authoritative, busy
• Italic (serif or sans serif): Movement, distinction
• Black or bold (serif or sans serif): Importance, stop
• Thesis: Elegance, personal
• Novelty: casual, light-hearted
• Geometric: Retro, childish
• Monospacing: Code-based, technical
• Bubbly or rounded: Friendly, jovial
• Vintage: Fashionable, cool
• Grunge: Rough, mysterious

As you scroll through some of the examples throughout this article, think about how the fonts impact how you feel about or your confidence in the design and what it’s trying to say. What do you trust? What gives you pause?

What is persuasive design?

Persuasive design is almost any type of graphic element intended to help someone make a choice.

The Interaction Design Foundation explains it this way: “...