In today’s highly visual digital world, choosing the right font is no longer just about style—it’s a crucial part of effective communication and graphic design. Fonts have the power to set the tone, deliver messages, and even shape how audiences perceive your brand or content. Unfortunately, font selection is often overlooked or rushed, leading to common mistakes that can ruin an otherwise great design. From hard-to-read text to unprofessional branding, these errors can seriously impact your message. In this article, we’ll walk through the most frequent font selection mistakes and how to avoid them, so you can create designs that are not only beautiful but also functional and impactful.
1. Ignoring Legibility and Readability
This is one of the most basic but most frequent mistakes.
Legibility refers to how easily individual letters can be distinguished, while readability is about how comfortably someone can read a block of text.
The Mistake: Using overly decorative or complex fonts for body text. Script or display fonts might look gorgeous for titles or logos, but they’re a nightmare for paragraphs. Also, using fonts that are too small or have tight line spacing makes reading a chore.
The Fix: Prioritize legibility for long-form content. Choose clean serif or sans-serif fonts like Kondenton, Soleram, Majored, Ragelo, Basthan and Thopcer. Use a minimum font size of 14–16px for web, and line spacing of 1.4–1.6x the font size. Always test fonts at different sizes before finalizing.
2. Using Too Many Fonts
Trying to be creative often leads to font overload.
The Mistake: Mixing three or more font types in a single design causes visual clutter, poor hierarchy, and an unprofessional look. It confuses the audience and weakens the overall message.
The Fix: Stick to a maximum of 2–3 fonts. One for body text, one for headings, and an optional accent font. Good font pairing is key—combine fonts with contrast but harmony (e.g., serif + sans-serif). Consistency is everything.
Read How to Pair Font Like A Pro for more details.
3. Not Considering Context and Audience
Every font has its own “personality.” Choosing one without thinking about the context or audience can backfire.
The Mistake: Using decorative fonts for legal documents, or a formal font for a child’s birthday invitation. The wrong font sends the wrong message and feels off-putting.
The Fix: Consider the tone and purpose of your design. Who is it for? Is it formal or fun? Make sure your font choice reflects your brand identity and resonates with your target audience. Do a little research on how different fonts are perceived.
Check out How to Choose The Right Font For Your Brand Identity for additional reference.
4. Ignoring Font Licensing
Not all free fonts are free for commercial use.
The Mistake: Downloading fonts from random sources and using them for business projects (logos, websites, ads) without checking the license can lead to legal trouble.
The Fix: Always read the font’s license before using it. Know the difference between personal-use and commercial-use licenses. Stick to trusted sources like Google Fonts or licensed font marketplaces. Don’t skip the EULA—it matters.
We've talked about Understanding Font Licenses at Burntilldead Studio before. Please read that article to understand the different kinds of licenses better.
5. Skipping Visual Hierarchy
Typography is not just about picking fonts—it’s also about guiding the reader’s eye.
The Mistake: Using the same style for all text levels, or inconsistently applying weights and styles, makes it hard to scan and understand content.
The Fix: Use different sizes, weights (light, bold, black), and styles (italic, caps) to build clear hierarchy. Headings should stand out, subheadings should support them, and body text should be easy to follow. Maintain strong contrast to make important elements pop.
6. Choosing Fonts Just Because They're Trendy
Trends are fun—but not always sustainable.
The Mistake: Changing a brand’s main font just because a new trendy typeface is in, without thinking about long-term consistency.
The Fix: Choose fonts with lasting appeal that align with your brand. Will it still look good in five years? Trendy fonts can be risky—stick with timeless, functional fonts for branding.
7. Not Testing Fonts Thoroughly
What looks great on your screen might not work elsewhere.
The Mistake: Finalizing a design without testing how the font looks across different devices, browsers, or print formats. Some fonts render poorly at small sizes or look weird when printed.
The Fix: Test your font choices in real scenarios. View them on mobile, tablet, and desktop. Print samples if needed. Make sure all characters and symbols are working properly. Ask for feedback—fresh eyes catch what you might miss.
Choosing the right font is both an art and a science. Avoiding these common font mistakes—like ignoring readability, overusing fonts, neglecting audience context, skipping licensing, and failing to test—can dramatically improve your typography. With thoughtful choices and attention to detail, your fonts can help tell your story, enhance user experience, and build a strong, professional identity. Keep these font tips in mind for your next design project—and see the difference for yourself.