How to Choose Brand Colours That Match Your Vibe

Choosing the right colours for your brand isn’t just about what looks pretty. Your colour palette plays a big role in how people feel about your brand and can even influence whether they trust or engage with your business. It’s one of the first things people notice, so getting it right is crucial!

Here’s a quick guide to help you pick colours that align with your brand’s vibe and personality.

Understanding Colour Psychology

Colours have the power to evoke different emotions and moods. This idea, known as colour psychology, is used by brands to shape how they’re perceived. Here’s a quick rundown of some common colours and the emotions they inspire:

• Red: Bold, exciting, and attention-grabbing. It’s perfect for brands that want to create a sense of urgency or passion.
• Blue: Trustworthy and calming. A go-to for industries like finance, healthcare, and tech because it communicates stability.
• Green: Fresh, healthy, and eco-friendly. Ideal for brands focused on wellness or sustainability.
• Yellow: Cheerful and optimistic, but best used sparingly — it can be overwhelming in large amounts.
• Purple: Creative, luxurious, and a bit mysterious. Great for brands in beauty or luxury spaces.
• Black: Sophisticated and powerful. Often used by high-end brands to create a sleek, modern look.
• White: Clean, simple, and fresh. Perfect for minimalist brands or those wanting to convey purity.

Matching Colours to Your Brand Identity

Your brand’s colours should tell your story. Are you playful, bold, and fun? Then bright, vibrant colours might be your best bet. If your brand is more professional or trustworthy, cooler, more subdued tones like blues or greys will help convey that feeling. The key is to match your brand’s personality with the right visual vibe.

It’s also worth considering what works well in your industry. For example, financial services and tech companies often stick to blue because it symbolises trust and reliability. Green is popular with brands that focus on wellness or sustainability. But don’t feel too restricted by this — sometimes standing out from the crowd with unexpected colours can be a great way to get noticed, as long as it still aligns with your message.

You should also think about how your colours will be perceived by your audience. Younger, energetic consumers might love bright, bold colours, while a more mature, professional audience could lean towards softer, neutral tones. Consider what your audience will respond to, and choose colours that speak directly to them.

Building a Cohesive Palette

Once you’ve got a sense of your brand’s personality and how colours can represent it, you’ll want to build a cohesive palette. A strong brand identity usually relies on a few key elements:

• Primary Colour: This is the hero of your brand’s look. It’s the colour that will be most visible in your branding, from your logo to your website and marketing materials. Think of it as the colour people will immediately associate with your business.
• Secondary Colours: These are complementary colours that support your primary colour. They add depth and variety to your design and are used to keep your visuals from feeling too one-note. Choose a few that work well with your primary colour without clashing.
• Accent Colours: These are used more sparingly to highlight important elements, like buttons on your website or calls to action in your marketing materials. Accent colours are great for drawing attention to key areas of your design, so pick something that contrasts with your primary colours for maximum impact.
• Neutral Colours: Don’t forget about neutrals like white, grey, or black. These help balance out your more striking colours, giving your design space to breathe and ensuring it doesn’t overwhelm your audience. It’s important to note not to use white or black in their purest form either – this often creates too stark a contrast with the rest of your palette, and can be visually .

When putting these together, make sure there’s harmony between the colours. You want them to work together seamlessly across all mediums, from your website and social channels to your print materials. A strong palette creates visual consistency, which helps make your brand more recognisable and professional.

Test and Tweak

Don’t forget to test your colours. How do they look across different mediums—on screens and in print, on social media and in ads? Colours can shift slightly depending on how and where they’re displayed, so make sure your palette looks good everywhere. And while it’s important to stay consistent, don’t be afraid to tweak things over time if you feel a colour isn’t working as well as you’d hoped.

Quick Recap

Choosing your brand colours is more than just picking what looks nice—it’s about finding the colours that really capture your brand’s personality. Different colours create different emotions, so think about the mood you want to set. Whether you’re going for bold and energetic or calm and trustworthy, make sure your palette reflects the vibe you want your brand to give off.

Don’t forget to build a well-rounded palette with a mix of primary, secondary, accent, and neutral colours to keep things looking polished and professional. And finally, test your colours across different platforms to make sure they shine everywhere—both online and in print.

Your colours are one of the first things people notice, so make sure they’re working hard for you!

In today’s digital landscape, consumers are constantly bombarded with advertisements across every platform—social media feeds, websites, email inboxes, and streaming services. With so much content competing for attention, how can your brand stand out? How can you create digital advertising that cuts through the noise and captures the audience’s attention? The key lies in crafting ads that are not only eye-catching but also meaningful, relevant, and engaging. Here’s how:

1. Know Your Audience Inside Out

The first step in creating standout digital advertising is understanding your audience. Go beyond demographics and focus on psychographics: what are their interests, values, pain points, and online behaviour? Utilise tools like Google Analytics, social media insights, and customer surveys to gather data on your target market. Create detailed buyer personas that guide your creative decisions. When you know who you’re talking to, you can tailor your message in a way that resonates with them, increasing the chances of your ad cutting through the noise.

2. Focus on a Single, Clear Message

The most effective digital ads communicate a single, clear message. In a world where the average attention span is shrinking, less is often more. Instead of cramming your ad with multiple messages or calls to action, focus on one key takeaway. Is it to inform, inspire, or drive immediate action? Make sure your headline, visuals, and copy all support that singular message. Simplicity not only helps in capturing attention quickly but also ensures your audience understands what you want them to do next.

3. Use Compelling Visuals

Visuals are a critical component of any digital ad. In an environment where people scroll quickly, a strong image or video can stop them in their tracks. Choose visuals that are not only high quality but also relevant and emotive. Think about using bold colours, striking contrasts, or unexpected imagery that aligns with your brand voice. For video content, the first few seconds are crucial—capture the audience’s attention immediately with compelling footage or animations. Incorporating motion graphics, GIFs, or interactive elements can also enhance engagement, making your ad memorable.

4. Leverage Emotional Appeal

Emotion is a powerful driver of decision-making. Ads that evoke strong emotions—be it joy, surprise, nostalgia, or empathy—are more likely to be remembered and shared. Use storytelling techniques to connect with your audience on an emotional level. Whether through a heartfelt narrative or humour, emotional ads resonate more deeply. Consider how your product or service can solve a problem, fulfil a desire, or create a meaningful experience, and build your ad around that core emotional appeal.

5. Personalise Your Ads

Personalisation is key to standing out in the crowded digital space. People are more likely to engage with ads that feel tailored to them. Use dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) technology to create ads that adapt to the viewer’s preferences, location, behaviour, and past interactions with your brand. Personalised messages, such as addressing the audience by name or showing products they’ve previously browsed, can significantly increase click-through rates and conversions. The more relevant your ad feels, the more it cuts through the noise.

6. Optimise for Each Platform

Different platforms have different user behaviors and best practices. What works on Instagram may not work on LinkedIn or YouTube. Customise your ad content to suit the platform it’s being used on. For instance, short, visually engaging videos work well on Instagram and TikTok, while more informative and professional content may be better suited for LinkedIn. Understanding the nuances of each platform, including preferred formats, sizes, and ad types, will ensure your ad is optimised for maximum impact.

7. Use Strong Calls to Action (CTAs)

A strong call to action (CTA) is essential in digital advertising. Your CTA should be clear, concise, and compelling, telling the audience exactly what you want them to do next—whether it’s “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Subscribe Today.” Use action-oriented language that creates urgency or excitement. Experiment with different CTAs to see which ones resonate best with your audience. A well-crafted CTA not only boosts engagement but also guides your audience toward the desired action, making your ad more effective.

8. Test and Optimise Continuously

Creating a successful digital ad is rarely a one-time effort. Continuous testing and optimisation are critical to improving your ad performance. Use A/B testing to experiment with different headlines, visuals, CTAs, and formats. Analyze the results to see which elements drive the most engagement and conversions. Digital platforms provide a wealth of data that you can use to refine your ads. Regularly review your metrics—click-through rates, conversion rates, bounce rates, and more—to understand what’s working and what’s not, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

9. Harness the Power of User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a highly effective way to build trust and authenticity. Ads featuring real customers using or endorsing your products often perform better than traditional advertising. Encourage your customers to share their experiences on social media and use that content in your ads. UGC not only adds credibility to your brand but also fosters a sense of community and engagement, helping your ad stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

10. Embrace Innovation and Experimentation

Lastly, don’t be afraid to push boundaries and experiment with new formats and technologies. Explore augmented reality (AR) ads, interactive quizzes, or gamified experiences. Innovate with voice search ads or shoppable videos. Digital marketing is constantly evolving, and the brands that stand out are often those willing to take risks and try something new. Stay informed about the latest trends and technologies, and be open to creative experimentation.

In a noisy digital world, creating standout advertising requires a strategic approach that combines deep audience understanding, clear messaging, compelling visuals, personalization, and continuous optimization. By leveraging emotional appeal, optimizing for platforms, and embracing innovation, you can craft ads that not only capture attention but also drive meaningful engagement and results. Remember, in digital marketing, creativity is your most powerful tool—use it wisely to cut through the noise and make your brand unforgettable.

In today’s digital landscape, where attention spans are fleeting and competition for engagement is fierce, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for brands to connect with their audience, convey messages, and drive meaningful interactions.

However, designing effective social media graphics requires more than just aesthetic appeal—it demands a strategic approach that considers audience preferences, platform requirements, and design best practices.

In this quick guide, we’ll delve into the dos and don’ts of designing social media graphics to help you maximise your brand’s impact and drive engagement across various social platforms.

The Dos:

• Understand Your Audience: Effective social media graphics start with a deep understanding of your target audience. Take the time to research and analyse your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviours on social media platforms. Use this insight to tailor your graphics to resonate with your audience and align with their preferences. 
• Maintain Consistency Across Platforms: Consistency is key to building brand recognition and trust on social media. Establish a cohesive visual identity by using consistent brand colours, fonts, and design elements across all your social media graphics. This ensures that your audience can easily identify your brand and distinguish it from competitors while scrolling.
• Optimise for Each Platform: Each social media platform has its own set of image size requirements and display formats. To ensure that your graphics look their best on each platform, customise them to fit the dimensions and specifications of each platform. This may involve creating multiple versions of the same graphic optimised for different platforms.
• Use High-Quality Images: High-quality images are essential for creating visually appealing social media posts. Invest in high-resolution photos or use free stock image websites such as UnSplash to ensure that your graphics are clear, crisp, and professional-looking. Avoid using low-quality or pixelated images, as they can detract from the overall quality of your graphics and appear untrustworthy.
• Keep it Simple and Scannable: Social media users are often scrolling through their feeds quickly, so it’s important to make your graphics easy to understand at a glance. Keep your messaging concise and to the point, and use clear visuals and minimal text to convey your message quickly and effectively. Break up text into smaller chunks, use type hierarchy and bullet points or numbered lists to make your content more scannable.
• Incorporate Brand Elements: Infuse your brand’s logo, colours, and visual identity into your graphics to reinforce brand recognition and strengthen your brand’s presence across platforms. Make sure that your brand elements are prominently featured in your graphics without overwhelming the overall design.
• Add a Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage user engagement and interaction by including a clear and compelling call-to-actions. Whether it’s inviting users to like, share, comment, or click through to your website, a well-crafted CTA can prompt desired actions from your audience and drive engagement.
• Test and Iterate: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different design elements, formats, and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience. Monitor the performance of your social media graphics using analytics tools, and use the insights you gather to refine your approach and optimise your graphics for maximum impact.

The Don’ts:

• Overcrowd with Text: Avoid overwhelming your social media graphics with excessive text, as this can make them difficult to read and understand. Keep your messaging concise and focused, and use visuals to convey your message whenever possible. Aim for a good balance of text and visuals to ensure that your graphics are easy to digest at a glance.
• Ignore Brand Guidelines: Straying away from your brand’s established guidelines can dilute brand identity and confuse your audience. Adhere to your brand guidelines in terms of colours, fonts, and design elements to maintain consistency and coherence across all your social posts.
• Use Low-Quality Graphics: Low-quality or pixelated images can detract from the overall quality of your posts and reflect negatively on your brand’s professionalism. Invest in high-quality graphics to enhance the visual appeal and legitimacy of your content, and avoid using images that are blurry or poorly cropped.
• Forget About Mobile Optimization: With the majority of social media users accessing platforms via mobile devices, it’s essential to optimise your graphics for mobile viewing. Make sure that your graphics are mobile-friendly and display properly on smaller screens to ensure a seamless user experience for mobile users.
• Overlook Accessibility: Accessibility is an important consideration when designing anything to go online, as it ensures inclusivity for all users, including those with visual impairments. Use descriptive alt text for images and ensure sufficient colour contrast for text readability to make your graphics accessible to everyone. There are various tools available online to help you be sure your designs are accessible.
• Neglect Testing and Analysis: Don’t skip the testing and analysis phase of your social media graphics. Regularly evaluate the performance of your graphics using analytics tools, and use the insights you gather to refine your design strategies and optimise your graphics for better engagement and results. Don’t want to bother with tools? Ask a friend or colleague for honest feedback.

By following these dos and don’ts, you can create compelling visuals that capture attention, engage your audience, and drive meaningful interactions with your brand.

Remember to stay true to your brand identity, prioritise simplicity and clarity in your designs, and continuously iterate and optimise your approach to stay ahead in the competitive world of social media marketing.

With the right strategy and execution, your social media graphics can become powerful tools for building brand awareness, fostering engagement, and driving success on social media platforms.

As a designer, navigating the vast landscape of typefaces can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. However, amidst the sea of options, one typeface stands out as a beacon of elegance and versatility: Hurme or to give it its full title Hurme Geometric Sans. For me, Hurme isn’t just a typeface; it’s a design companion that effortlessly elevates every project it touches.

What draws me to Hurme is its seamless blend of simplicity and sophistication. Designed in Helsinki by Finnish typographer Toni Hurme, this contemporary sans-serif typeface exudes a sense of modernity while retaining timeless appeal. Its clean lines and balanced proportions lend a sense of harmony to any composition, making it a go-to choice for a wide range of design applications.

I’ve lost count of the number of projects, here at Brand Ambition, that have started or finished with this typeface. I will often change the font in a project as it progresses but Hurme always gives me a great starting point. 

For the purposes of type classification, sans-serif designs can be divided into four major groups: Grotesque (eg Akzidenz, Franklin Gothic etc) Transitional (eg Helvetica, Univers etc) Humanist (eg Calibri, Gill sans, Frutiger etc) and Geometric (eg Futura, Gotham etc). 

Hurme is is a Geometric sans serif font. As their name suggests, Geometric sans-serif typefaces are based on geometric shapes, like near-perfect circles and squares. Note the optically circular letter “O” and the simple construction of the lowercase letter “a”. Geometric sans-serif fonts have a very modern look and feel. 

One of the most remarkable qualities of Hurme is its versatility. Whether I’m working on editorial layouts, branding projects, or digital media, Hurme adapts effortlessly to the task at hand. Its extensive character set includes various weights and styles, from sleek and minimalist to bold and authoritative, allowing me to achieve the perfect balance of form and function in my designs.

Hurme Geometric Sans includes seven weights with true SmallCaps and obliques. Alternate characters and other Opentype features make for a versatile family that can be adjusted for specific needs.

But Hurme isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also about functionality. Its open counters and generous spacing ensure excellent readability, even at small sizes, while its modern aesthetic adds a touch of sophistication to every project. Whether I’m setting body text or crafting eye-catching headlines, Hurme never lets me down.

Beyond its visual appeal and technical prowess, Hurme is my “go to” typeface because of the sense of confidence it instills in me as a designer. 

Hurme isn’t just a typeface; it’s a design philosophy. Its timeless elegance, versatility, and functionality make it the perfect choice for designers who strive to create impactful and memorable work. For me, Hurme isn’t just my favourite typeface; it’s an essential tool in my creative arsenal.

Fonts. There are so many in every style imaginable, and they can leave a strong impression on people.

Typography (the art of arranging letters and text in a way that makes the copy legible, clear, and visually appealing to the reader) is more than an accompaniment to your brand.

It can be your brand.

But there are thousands of fonts available online, and many have pre-conceived connotations attached to them.

So, how do you choose the right one for your brand? 

When building a brand identity, your logo design, brand messaging, brand colours, and brand fonts all have to come together to tell the story of your brand.

Fonts come in to play when creating your logo, but also on your website and across all of your physical assets, including your business cards.

This is why it’s so important to make sure you choose the right font for your brand.

The first step in the process is to understand the different personality traits of each font category. We will look at logos that use each font type to gain a general idea of what fonts other successful brands are using.

We’ve separated the font families into the 4 most commonly used styles; serif fonts, sans-serif fonts, script fonts, and display fonts.

So let’s learn a little about the different types of fonts…

1. Serif Fonts

Serif fonts are classic, traditional, and trustworthy.

Serif fonts originated in the 15th century, and they were named after the small feet (serifs) seen at the tops and bottoms of each letter. 

Because serif typefaces were the original font style, we generally associate them with classic, traditional, and trustworthy brands, as seen in the logo designs below.

A few popular serif fonts include:

• Didot  (https://fonts.google.com/specimen/GFS+Didot)
• Garamond (https://fonts.google.com/specimen/EB+Garamond)
• Baskerville (https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Baskerville)
• Courier New (https://www.myfonts.com/collections/courier-new-font-monotype-imaging)

They’re favoured by companies that want to communicate a sense of respectability and tradition, like Tiffany & Co, Vogue, or Time Magazine.

2. Sans Serif Fonts

Sans-serif fonts are modern, clean, and help create a minimal design.

These typefaces didn’t emerge until the late 19th century, which was later than the traditional serif typefaces. So we often think of sans-serif typefaces as being more modern. 

Sans-serif fonts are also much simpler in form than serif fonts, so they often create a sense of cleanliness and aid in providing you a minimalist design, as seen in the logo designs below.

The most common sans-serif fonts include:

• Helvetica (https://www.myfonts.com/collections/helvetica-font-linotype)
• Arial (https://www.myfonts.com/collections/arial-font-monotype-imaging)
• Futura (https://www.fonts.com/font/linotype/futura)
• Gill Sans (https://www.myfonts.com/collections/gill-sans-font-monotype-imaging)

Bold sans-serif fonts have become popular among tech giants, including Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. This is largely because sans-serif fonts are much easier to read on mobile devices and are easily scalable in size.

3. Script Fonts 

Script fonts are elegant, friendly and unique.

Script fonts are font types that resemble cursive handwriting or calligraphy. They have a feeling of femininity and elegance due to their hand-written element. They’re fun and romantic, mimicking forms of handwriting and doodling.

Formal scripts like Hummingbird, Kuenstler, or Malbec evoke a classical or contemporary feel. Casual script fonts like Kaufmann, Vladimir, or Brush Script are more playful and stylised than formal script fonts. 

Script fonts are quite complicated in form, yet due to their handwritten style, they often create a sense of friendliness whilst still remaining formal, as seen in the logo designs below.

Nowadays, script fonts are quite rarely seen in big name brands logos.

This is largely because sans-serif fonts are much easier to read on mobile devices and are easily scalable in size, whereas script fonts are hard to read on a small scale.

Logo simplification is more common than ever with brands wanting to appear modern and fresh, so you might notice that some of the above logos have been simplified and since turned into sans serif fonts.

Some popular script fonts include:

• Hummingbird (https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/hummingbird)
• Malbeck (https://fontsgeek.com/fonts/Malbeck-Regular)
• Kaufmann (https://www.myfonts.com/collections/kaufmann-font-bitstream)
• Brush Script (https://fontmeme.com/fonts/brush-script-font/)

Script fonts are now most commonly used on logos for artisans and small businesses.

4. Display Fonts

Display fonts are bold, quirky, and confident.

Display fonts are the broadest and largest types of fonts, and can range from retro fonts, to handwritten fonts, to futuristic fonts, to gothic fonts, and all the way to illegible symbol fonts.

These are the highly stylised fonts that evoke very particular feelings in a reader. You should always be careful when using decorative, or display, fonts.

Why? Because lots of them are very, very bad (we all know how the internet feels about Comic Sans).

But they shouldn’t be completely avoided as there are also some really great ones, as used by the following brands…

Keep in mind that they are never a good choice for secondary fonts or for body text fonts.

Think of them like fireworks: whilst they can be lots of fun, they’re best when left to trained professionals.

Some popular decorative fonts (that should stand the test of time) include:

• Crayonette (https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/crayonette-djr)
• Hobeux (https://ohnotype.co/fonts/hobeaux)
• Blazeface (https://ohnotype.co/fonts/blazeface)
• Manicotti (https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/manicotti)

Whichever font you choose, be wary of using types that are too “trendy.”

Whilst every designer will have their own opinions on which fonts fall into this category, the decisions you make for your brand need stay consistent over a range of years.

You don’t want your fonts to look dated too quickly.

Here’s a recap:

To summarise, here’s our round up of the personality traits of the 4 top font categories:

• Serif fonts are classic, traditional, and trustworthy.
• Sans-serif fonts are modern, clean, and help create minimal designs.
• Script fonts are elegant and unique.
• Display fonts are bold, quirky, and confident.

We would recommend using these traits to identify the best font category for your company, for example;  If you are branding an elegant wedding dress shop – you are most likely to choose an elegant script font for your brand.

The Five Forbidden Fonts

Everyone has fonts that they don’t like, but these next fonts have developed a bad reputation.

Although there are many other choices that have been included on lists of terrible fonts, the following have shown up time and time again.

Unprofessional and widely viewed as just plain terrible, they are not recommended for use in branding or business materials.

1. Comic Sans

Deserving of the number one spot, it’s the infamous Comic Sans.

With an unprofessional and childish appearance, this font should not be used in company branding.

Comic Sans should only ever be used ironically to make fun of people who actually use Comic Sans!

2. Papyrus

Viewed by some to be the second worst font available, and most infamously known for its use in James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’, where it received massive negative backlash.

Papyrus may only be appropriate at a child’s Egyptian (or Avatar) themed birthday party.

3. Hobo

Much like comic sans, Hobo has a childish appearance.

Many companies use this to invoke a fun feeling to relate to children or as a retro 1960s font, but there are better options to choose from.

Remember, you never have to sacrifice professionalism, even if your business is a nursery.

4. Times New Roman

Although less offensive than some of the other fonts on this list, Times New Roman (and Times) makes the list for a different reason.

It’s just plain boring.

5. Calibri

Much like Times New Roman, Calibri is too plain for professional branding.

In a world of thousands of sans serif fonts, it’s easy to choose a better alternative, such as Helvetica.

How to Choose a Font for Your Brand

When it comes to choosing the right typeface for your brand or design project, there are a number of different factors to consider.

1. Understand your brand identity

Understand your brand personality before you choose a font, which will non-verbally communicate your company’s tone.

Start off by brainstorming a few words to describe your brand identity. If your business is “professional” or “luxury,” you may want to choose a transitional serif typeface.

If you’re “quirky” or “whimsical,” a script font might be for you. If you’re “innovative” and “modern,” consider choosing a sans-serif font.

2. Take note of the brand fonts you admire

Look up brands you admire and take note of their typeface branding. Notice the impression that different lettering styles can have on a viewer.

You may want to pair the quirkiness of one brand’s typeface with the modernism of another brand’s typeface.

3. Research typography

Study the anatomy of letterforms, how to distinguish between different fonts, and how different lettering shapes or styles can evoke particular feelings.

All of this information will help you make your final choice.

4. Make sure that the font is versatile

The font you choose should be consistent across your branding, from out-of-home advertisements to desktop web design, to mobile interfaces.

If your logo design contains a phrase, choose something that is highly legible.

If it’s something meant to go on billboards or signage, you’ll want something that is bold but legible at larger sizes.

5. Choose a few fonts to start

Narrow your choices down to three different fonts for your brand and compare how your brand text looks in each.

Look at them alone, and also side by side.

6. Consider the typographic hierarchy

A typographic visual hierarchy refers to how letterforms are displayed and where they can draw the viewer’s eye in the most effective way.

If you’re selecting a few fonts for your brand, make sure to consider how they look together. You want the typeface for your headers to complement your sub-headers, and vice versa.

Configure your font pairings like which lettering should be the display font style and which should be the body text. Swap your styles around to see what has the best structural layout.

7. Ask for feedback

Show family, friends and employees some mock-ups of your prospective brand fonts and ask for honest feedback.

Since your branding is meant to target an audience, ask people you trust to be a reliable sounding board for your ideas.

Free Fonts vs. Paid Fonts?

Free Fonts

If you’re a business owner and you have a tight budget for branding, free fonts can be a great choice. They will not cost you a single thing and come with free licenses.

Thanks to the availability of these fonts on various websites such as Google Fonts, Behance, Dribble, Dafont and many others. Also, there are lots of free fonts in your computer’s system.

But whilst free fonts might seem like the best option for all businesses, there are also various potential downsides you should be aware of. Some of them are:

• They don’t always come in all weights (e.g. from extra light to extra bold).
• Most of them don’t offer multi-language support.
• They often lack a wide range of glyphs (i.e. #@&%!) *No, that wasn’t me swearing.
• Good free fonts are common and can be overused and recognisable.
• They might have poor kerning (The distance between letters isn’t consistent).

With the endless options for free fonts, you will still have the quality and diversity in your texts.

Paid Fonts

Professionally created paid fonts are always superior to free fonts if cost is not your main concern.

They are always high in quality compared to the free ones as typographers spend a lot of time developing them.

Here are some of the benefits of using paid fonts:

• They usually come in various font weights.
• They often have a wide range of glyphs.
• They’re higher in quality than free fonts.
• There’s no copyright issue if you pay for them (make sure you get the correct licence!)

Paid fonts will help you build a unique visual identity. They might be expensive, but you get what you pay for.

You can find paid fonts from sources like Adobe Fonts, Linotype, Fonts.com or on the type foundries own websites.

Our Top Ten Tips to remember when choosing a brand font

1. Pick a set of brand fonts that match your brand personality.
2. Connect with your target audience, which font would your customers like?
3. Don’t use messy or hard to read fonts – prioritise legibility over style!
4. Don’t use too many font styles across your brand – we’d recommend a maximum of 3.
5. Use web safe fonts so they can still be accessed on a browser.
6. When using two fonts, make sure there is a contrast between the two.
7. Don’t rely on colour. Your font and logo should also look great in black and white.
8. Start with your main logo font first before choosing complementary secondary fonts.
9. Avoid ‘trendy’ fonts as these can go out of fashion quickly and can seem dated.
10. For some brands, the font must be accessible to certain audiences. Keep this in mind if this is required by your target market.

Remember that this isn’t the be all and end all; You can update your font and logo further down the line if you change your mind!

But…make sure your brand font meets the following criteria:

• Brand fonts must be flexible and scalable.
• Brand fonts should have multiple font weights.
• Brand fonts must be legible and accessible.

Conclusion

1. Much like any other brand design challenge, picking your brand typography is all about finding fonts that match your brand personality and fit your target audience (and making sure they’ll work with anything you throw at them).

   But, by using the above as a guide, you’re well on your way to choosing a font that works for YOU.

   And, if you still need more help…

    

   Team Up With a Brand Marketing Agency!

1. We’re a family-run digital marketing agency based in Leeds and Belfast, and we can offer full branding packages at affordable rates.

   In short, we get big agency results at freelance prices.

   We don’t really like to talk about exactly how much we charge people in public. With the exception of one of our services, but we are often about 30% to 50% cheaper than our “Big Agency” competitors.

   In fact, one client recently compared us against some freelancers and said we came out cheaper.

   Why, and How?

   Well, lets just say we know something they don’t.

   Like how to be affordable for SME’s, how to cut “bloat” from the budget and also our MD’s background is literally in optimisation.

   We’ve taken that approach and built up a set of super affordable services that means we still get awesome results, but you walk away feeling better about your marketing budget.

   Just don’t take the mick. We’re affordable, not free.