The Ultimate Guide for Using Fonts in Decks & Presentations

The human eye can register up to 36K visual messages/hour. Impressive, right? Well, that explains why 90% of all the information that our brains receive is visual. Moreover, recent studies show that people can retain 42% more material if it is presented with memorable visuals included.

All that brings us to the art of creating impactful presentations. Aside from other visuals, each presentation relies heavily on fonts. It is easy to discard the component as not precisely a visual per se. However, when you choose the best fonts for presentations, you will be able to enhance the audience's attention. What is more, well-decided-on fonts, being aesthetically appealing, can also improve readability and user experience.

Considering the importance of the matter, today we will share with you a fair share of practical tips that the most successful presentation design services use. Are you ready to take your presentation impact from average to lasting and decision-driving?

Understanding Font Psychology

Font psychology is a real thing. Moreover, it is a study that allows us to understand how fonts affect information perception, which emotions they provoke, and how they convey different sorts of information. Reputable pitch deck creation services use font psychology to trigger desired user responses and shape preferable interactions.

For instance, let's take two font groups – Serif and Sans Serif – and put them under an imaginary psychological microscope. Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman or Garamond, are usually referred to as formal, aka reliable fonts. They are widely used in academic environments to promote authority and credibility.

At the same time, the Sans Serif family(Calibri, Arial, Helvetica) are more modern. These are the best fonts for presentations, various designs, and websites. They improve readability and project a vibe of simplicity and style.

Depending on the purpose of your presentation, you can use different fonts. For example:

• Sans Serif fonts are best for informative presentations.
• Serif fonts tend to carry a persuasive tone.
• Display or Script fonts will have the most positive effect on the creatively-thinking audience.

Font Readability and Accessibility

When you start to wonder how to create a slide deck that inspires and converts, you may want to consider the main principles of font readability and accessibility. The best font for presentation will contribute to inclusive and user-oriented aspects of the presentation.

Let's begin with some simple yet effective principles of readability. Clear fonts like Arial suit digital screens best, while classy fonts like Times New Roman look better on paper. If you prepare formal handouts for a presentation, Times New Roman will intensify the impact. On the other hand, this font may seem slightly less legible when used in digital copies.

Moving on to accessibility. First things first, you should consider the fact that there may be people with dyslexia or visual impairments in the audience. That is why you must choose a font that features distinct letter shapes. To take things even further, you can increase the spacing to make sure that every word is clear and visible. Don't forget that the font and the background should be contrasting enough to make the message accessible.

One more thing, according to the most common guidelines from ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), it is best to:

• Preserve a minimum contrast ratio, which is 4.5:1 for standard text and 3:1 for large text.
• Include text descriptions for non-textual information.
• Keep away from overly decorative fonts to increase text readability.

Pairing Fonts Effectively

Font hierarchy is how you combine different fonts in a presentation. While a strategic arrangement will help the audience differentiate between the title and the main body. It will also help the viewer distinguish between the critical points and additional text.

Speaking about the best presentation fonts, you must realize that not all of them interact with one another well. Some are better than others. For instance, if you use Serif Heading, let's say Playfair Display, and match it with a body written in Open Sans, you will bring a more elegant touch to a modern layout. The text will be readable but with a touch of sophistication to it.

Another example is the combo of Pacifico(Script) and Roboto(Sans Serif). If you style the Heading in the first and present the body in the second, you will keep the text clean and accessible but with a personal flair added.

We've briefly mentioned that not all the fonts go well with one another. These are the major dos and don'ts when you decide on font pairs for your presentation:

Dos

• Combine contrasting styles to make the text catchy and interesting
• Stick to the same hierarchy structure throughout the presentation
• Use two or three different fonts per deck

Don'ts

• Don't pair related typefaces. They may promote confusion and incorrect perception.
• Don't use overly decorative fonts that make the text illegible.

Best Practices for Font Consistency

Not many will argue that a presentation with multiple, inconsistent fonts looks chaotic and distractive. This means that a consistent font application will project an opposite impression. It will make your presentation look professional, convincing, and easy to understand.

To succeed with an orderly and polished font layout, you can tune each font manually, or you can allow assistive software like PowerPoint or Google Slides to do its work. All it takes is to:

• Launch the program.
• Click View.
• Go to Slide Master.
• Choose the Font menu.
• Pick the desired pair from the drop-down list, or go to the end and choose to customize your pairs.
• Close Master View and watch the changes apply to your presentation.

To stress the fact that font consistency isn't just a time-consuming task or whim, our experts point out that it boosts your brand identity as well. By choosing consistent fonts for presentations, you will create a professional layout and spread the aura of credibility that reinforces the central message of your presentation.

Creative Use of Fonts

You can kill two birds with one stone if you pick the best fonts for presentation. Along with the primarily informative role, fonts can serve to enhance the main message of the presentation. This is what we call a creative use of fonts.

To intensify the creative power of fonts, you should do the following:

• Use fonts that contain symbols or icons to stress the point you are making.
• Add subtle text to the background of your slides. The text will carry more of an emotional coloring to intensify the impact of the textual component of the slide.
• Play around with decorative titles to add a personal and unique flair to the presentation.
• Use bold or italics variations of the font(instead of using different font types) to draw the audience's attention to a point you deem important and worth memorizing.

The most common creative missteps to steer clear of would be the script fonts in the body – they make the text difficult to decipher – and sacrificing consistency for creativity or vice versa. It is best to balance these aspects.

Optimizing Fonts for Different Presentation Formats

There's one more critical point to consider when you look for the best font for presentation slides – presentation context. Presentations will differ in terms of format, room size, and devices used.

Let's say you are about to present in a large meeting room. This means that the font size should be larger compared to a presentation designed for an intimate setting in a small room. Sans Serif fonts are clear and suit large screens well.

Speaking about screens, you must consider the resolution since low-resolution screens won't display intricate fonts and small details well. The best way to avoid screen-resolution mistakes is to test your presentation on different devices and ensure that it is equally accessible.

Presenting online and in person has its intricacies, too. As you learn how to speak more eloquently, it is helpful to know that web-safe fonts have been designed to remain consistent, no matter the platform or device. Not to mention that in-person presentations are more flexible and allow it to play around with more fonts. 

Recommended Font Resources

These days, there are countless font resources to refer to when you need the best presentation font. Some of these are free, others are paid, or feature both free and pre-paid variants. Our professionals rounded up 5 trusted websites you should check out:

1. Google fonts – free
2. Adobe Fonts – free&paid
3. Envato Elements – paid
4. Font Squirrel – free
5. Fonts.com – paid

One more critical point you should count on is the legality of the fonts. Some fonts may be free if you plan on using them for personal purposes only and will require a purchased license for commercial use. Others require creator attribution or may contain certain restrictions. You must check these things out before adding the font to your presentation to avoid any legal issues.

Real-world Examples and Case Studies

Some of you may still doubt the power of well-chosen fonts, so we'll present a couple of real-life examples to prove their pivotal role.

Netflix

If you look at the early investor presentations from the brand, you will notice general font inconsistency, which may trigger audience confusion. These days, Netflix has switched to a custom-designed font that is recognizable, consistent, and professional.

This is what the brand design lead, Noah Nathan, has to say about it: "With the global nature of Netflix's business, font licensing can get quite expensive. Developing this typeface created an ownable and unique element for the brand's aesthetic."

Airbnb

Another global brand, Airbnb, started with presentations that featured mixes of fonts that were poorly aligned with one another. At times, the font choice didn't match the modernistic appeal of the brand and its innovative approach. So, the company has decided to stick to a Cereal font from now on. The clean and modern-looking font coincides with the brand, is visually appealing, and delivers the main message without any distractions.

Derek Chan, a Creative Lead, states: "As designers, we can choose when words serve the visual or when words are the visual. At Airbnb, we use type to both blend in and stand out—to keep the focus on the community and to make big statements."

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Common Font Mistakes to Avoid

Now, with the theory and practical examples at hand, you may want to rush and start seeking the best fonts for slideshows. However, some common mistakes can undermine your efforts in an instant. Whitepage experts will outline the pitfalls to watch out for on your road to a successful presentation:

• Illegible or overly decorative fonts. If you can't bear the urge to use them, apply them to titles and headings only so that they serve a styling role without compromising the main body.
• Background readability. Fonts will look different on various backgrounds. You may want to test those before you launch the presentation to ensure that everything is clear and accessible.
• Style inconsistency. Stick to a clear and orderly font hierarchy. Inconsistent fonts create chaos and undermine the credibility of the presentation, not to mention they serve as a significant distraction.
• Multiple fonts. Don't exceed 2-3 fonts per presentation, or you will create a cluttered layout that no one can make out.
• Adequate font size. Either giant fonts or fonts that are too small will decrease user engagement. Aim at unobstructed readability, considering the size of the presentation room.
• Proofreading. We are only humans, and typos, formatting issues, or inaccurate spacing are possible. That is why it is advised to proofread the presentation before you finalize the copy.

Conclusion

What is the best font for a presentation? There is no one-word answer to that. Yet, it does not mean that the font card should be underestimated. A proper font will not only enhance the readability of your presentation but also intensify the overall impact of the presentation and promote user engagement, making the venture twice as memorable. Keep your fonts clear, consistent, accessible, and creative, and you will notice the palpable bond forming between you and the audience!

Care to find more valuable tips? Read our recent articles on how to make an outline for a presentation and presentation end slides!

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