The success of a website depends on many factors—visual design, usability, speed—but one often-overlooked detail can make or break the experience: readability.
While it’s easy to get caught up in bold graphics or vibrant color schemes, your content still needs to be accessible and inviting to read. Visitors don’t want to wade through dense blocks of text. If your site feels overwhelming, they’ll bounce—no matter how beautiful the design is.
Here are three simple ways to improve your website’s readability and keep users engaged longer.
1. Use Columns of Type
Take a cue from newspapers and editorial layouts. Reading long horizontal lines across a wide screen is visually exhausting. Columns help focus the eye and guide the reader through the content in a natural, digestible flow.
Breaking your content into structured, narrower columns can reduce cognitive strain and create a more welcoming reading experience—especially on desktop screens.
2. Use Larger, Legible Fonts
Too often, websites rely on fonts that are simply too small. Visitors appreciate when typography is thoughtfully chosen and comfortably sized. The ideal font size depends on your audience and design style, but a good rule of thumb is to prioritize legibility over aesthetics.
Find the “Goldilocks zone” of font sizing—not too big, not too small, just right. Combined with appropriate line height and spacing, it makes your site more approachable and professional.
3. Embrace White Space
White space is not empty space—it’s breathing room for your content. In today’s fast-paced digital environment, most users skim rather than read. To accommodate that behavior, structure your content with:
- Short paragraphs
- Bold headlines and subheads
- Bullet points or numbered lists
- Visual spacing between sections
This allows the eye to move comfortably and helps visitors scan quickly for key takeaways without feeling overwhelmed.
Final Thought
Readability is one of the most overlooked elements in web design, yet it directly impacts usability, engagement, and conversion. If you’re investing in content and storytelling, make sure your design supports it.
Not sure if your site passes the readability test? We can help evaluate your typography, layout, and user experience to ensure your content is working for—not against—you.