Typography often flies under the radar, but it plays a big role in how people see your brand. Fonts, sizes, spacing and style all carry meaning. Whether it’s a heading on your homepage or text on a business card, every detail adds up. The wrong typography choices can confuse your message, distract your audience or make it harder for people to engage with your content. That visual disconnect can lead to missed opportunities, especially for businesses trying to stand out.
For businesses in Brisbane, where competition is real and first impressions often happen online, getting the look and feel of your branding right matters. With so much visual content being shared, people are quick to judge. By keeping your type choices clean, effective and consistent, your brand has a better chance of being taken seriously and remembered.
Overcomplicating Typography
Using too many typefaces is a common trap. It might seem like a way to show creativity, but it tends to do the opposite. Instead of adding flair, it can clutter your design and confuse your readers. When a brand uses various fonts across different touchpoints, it ends up looking messy and inconsistent. That includes everything from your logo to your social media graphics.
Instead of trying to fit in as many font styles as possible, aim to simplify things. Here’s how:
1. Stick to two or three fonts: One for headings, one for body text and maybe one for accents.
2. Choose styles that complement each other: Contrast helps establish hierarchy, but all fonts should feel like they belong together.
3. Use font variations before adding more fonts: Bold, italic, all caps or different sizes can give enough variation without changing the typeface itself.
4. Keep readability in mind: Decorative or script fonts can be tempting but shouldn’t replace clear body text.
For example, if you’re running a design studio in Brisbane and use a clean sans serif font for your website, switching to a fancy cursive type for printed materials could create visual confusion. Keeping your style choices simple and cohesive makes your communications clearer and your brand appear more polished.
Ignoring Readability
Legibility should always come before visual flair. If people can’t easily read your content, they’ll leave or worse, they’ll stop trusting your brand. Small text, awkward formatting and overly light colours can make it hard for your audience to absorb what you're saying. Whether it’s a webpage, a flyer or an email, your words need to be easy on the eyes.
Readability can break down in a few ways:
- Fonts that are too small or thin
- Poor colour contrast against the background
- Line spacing that feels cramped
- Overuse of all caps or italic styling
The goal is to help people move through your text without struggling. Keep body text around 16px on digital platforms. Use strong contrast between text and background, like dark text on a light background or the reverse. Stick with clean, commonly used fonts for larger blocks of text and save the more decorative ones for headings or short phrases.
When your design respects the reader’s eye, your message comes across more clearly. It shows that you care about the experience. That connection between thoughtful design and trustworthy messaging is something your audience picks up on, even if they can’t explain why. They just feel it.
Inconsistent Typography Can Undermine Trust
Brand consistency helps people recognise and remember your business. When your typography looks different across materials, it gives the impression that your brand lacks structure. A flyer with one typeface, a website with another and a third being used on Instagram can create confusion and cause your brand to feel disconnected. That kind of mismatch makes it harder for people to take your business seriously.
Consistency in your font choices should match the tone and personality you want your brand to express. A playful business might use softer, rounded typefaces, while a professional service could go for more structured, cleaner fonts. Whatever you choose, stick with it across every platform. This simple change can have a strong impact on how your business is seen.
To keep things on track:
1. Set up a basic style guide with font names, sizes and usage rules
2. Agree on which fonts go where (headings, body, captions, etc.)
3. Share this guide with every designer or content creator you work with
4. Revisit the guide if your branding changes or expands
Brisbane businesses especially benefit from clarity like this. Whether you're working with local freelancers or building a team, having a shared typography direction avoids mixed signals and keeps the brand experience consistent.
Fixing Alignment And Spacing Mistakes
Once you've chosen your fonts and styles, the next trap many fall into is poor spacing. You can have the right typeface, but if the text is squished into tight corners, misaligned or unbalanced, it still ends up looking wrong. Good alignment and spacing make everything easier to read and give your brand a more refined polish.
These common spacing and alignment mistakes can derail your message:
- Dragging text boxes too close to the edge
- Uneven margins around headings or blocks of text
- Inconsistent line spacing that’s either too tight or too roomy
- Centre-aligning everything, which removes any visual anchor points
- Overloading a page with text and no breathing space
White space, which is the empty space around and between elements, is not wasted space. It gives room for your message to breathe, helps guide the reader through the layout and makes content feel more inviting. This is especially true on screens, where viewers scroll quickly. If your layouts look jam-packed or sloppy, people may move on before even reading the first line.
Start by aligning your text blocks either to the left or centred depending on the design, and then apply consistent margins or padding. Line spacing should feel comfortable, usually a bit more than the font size itself. When in doubt, pull back and see if your layout feels balanced. If your eye stumbles, so will your reader.
Choosing The Wrong Colours For Text
It’s easy to focus on the colours of your branding, like logos, icons or backgrounds, but skip over one of the most important parts: typography colour. If your text blends into the design or causes eye strain, your message gets lost. Brisbane brands often work with bold and bright colour schemes, which can look sharp, but might clash with readability if handled poorly.
Poor contrast is a major reason content becomes hard to read. Light grey on white. Neons on pale backgrounds. Weak pastels on photo overlays. These combinations might look trendy at first glance, but if your users can’t clearly read the words, that design fails.
Pick colours that offer clear separation between text and background. Here are a few ways to make sure your typography stays readable:
- Dark text on light backgrounds or the reverse is the easiest to read
- Avoid placing text directly on busy images unless the image is blurred or darkened
- Test your text colours across different devices and screens
- Don’t rely on colour alone to show links or emphasis—use bold or underline too
Colour supports the tone of your brand, but it should never compete with readability. If someone has to squint at your content or tilt their screen, they’re already on their way out. Use colour to support the message, not steal the focus.
Typography Speaks For Your Brand
Typography isn't just about what your words say, but how those words are presented. Every choice from font style to line spacing shapes how people read, connect with and remember your brand. When your typography is inconsistent, unreadable or poorly spaced, it weakens your message. Fixing small errors in font use, alignment and colour can make a big difference in how your brand is seen.
For businesses in Brisbane, where design plays such a big role in getting noticed, these details matter. Clear and consistent typography shows your brand is thoughtful and reliable. Taking time to get your fonts, readability and layout right can build trust, make your content easier to read and leave a stronger impression. Typography gives your brand a voice, and when that voice is steady and clear, people are far more likely to listen.
Typography is fundamental in establishing a brand's identity and making a lasting impression. If you're looking to refine your brand's visual impact and explore creative options in graphic design in Brisbane, see how Diverge Media can help your business stand out. We blend creativity and consistency to ensure your brand communicates effectively with your audience.
