Set Typography Guidelines that Create Your Visual Voice for Your Brand
- Christopher. H
- Sep 23
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 27
The Ultimate Brand Guide for Founders
Typography isn’t just about choosing a font. It’s about creating a visual voice that makes your brand recognisable, trustworthy, and consistent across every platform.
Most founders skip this step or choose fonts based on “what looks good.” The result? Inconsistent branding, poor readability, and a loss of credibility.
This guide will walk you through how to set typography guidelines that scale with your business and keep your message on brand — everywhere it shows up.
What Are Typography Guidelines and How They Matter
Typography guidelines define the fonts, sizes, line spacing, and styling rules for how your written content appears — from your website and emails to your social posts and internal documents.
They typically include:
Primary and secondary font families
Font sizes for headings, subheadings, and body copy
Weight, spacing, and line height rules
Usage examples across digital and print
Do’s and don’ts for styling (e.g. italics, caps, bolding)
In Australia, businesses are not legally required to have a typography guide — but for brand trust, design scalability, and accessibility (WCAG compliance), it's essential.
Why Typography Guidelines Matter for Founders
Instant brand recognition:
Fonts are visual anchors — consistent use helps people remember you.
Professional polish:
Clean, structured typography builds trust and improves user experience.
Better readability = better conversions:
Typography affects how long someone stays on your site and how well they absorb your message.
Team clarity:
Design handoffs, marketing assets, and internal docs become frictionless.
Mentor Tip: If you don’t define your typography, your team will do it for you. And that’s how brand chaos starts.
What You Need Before You Start
Your brand personality defined (tone, mood, values)
Logo and colour palette ready
Design or website platform (Canva, Webflow, Wix, etc.)
Awareness of where your typography will show up (website, app, print, etc.)
Mentor Tip: Avoid using the font in your logo as your main headline font. They serve different purposes.
How to Set Typography Guidelines in Australia:
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Choose a Primary Font Family
Choose one font family for headings and key messages
Make sure it’s legible, scalable, and matches your brand tone
Consider Google Fonts or licensed fonts for flexibility
San-serif fonts work well for digital brands; serif fonts often suit heritage or premium brands
This font becomes the foundation of your brand voice visually.
Step 2: Choose a Secondary Font (Optional but Smart)
Use for body text, captions, UI, or long-form content
Should pair well with your primary font (use contrast, not clash)
Make sure it’s readable at smaller sizes
Avoid overcomplicating — 2 fonts are enough
This gives you hierarchy and structure without overwhelming your audience.
Step 3: Define Your Font Sizes and Hierarchy
Set specific sizes for H1, H2, H3, body, captions
Create a rhythm with consistent line spacing and margins
Use pixel, REM, or percentage values depending on platform
Think mobile-first readability
This makes your site feel cohesive and your brand feel intentional.
Step 4: Set Styling Rules and Use Cases
Define when to use bold, caps, italics, etc.
Set rules for spacing (tracking, kerning)
Include accessibility guidelines (e.g. contrast ratios, font size min.)
Create “don’t do this” examples to avoid misuse
This ensures brand consistency even when others are creating content.
Step 5: Document and Share Your Guidelines
Create a 1–2 page PDF or digital brand guide
Add visuals for how fonts are used on site, social, print
Share with designers, developers, marketers, and VA's
Embed into your brand system or ProDesk templates
If your team can’t find your rules, they won’t follow them.
Cost of Developing Typography Guidelines
Tool or Service | Cost Range |
Google Fonts | Free |
Adobe Fonts | From $14.99/month |
Paid Font Licences (e.g. Fontspring, MyFonts) | $40 – $500 one-time |
Designer-created Style Guide | $250 – $1500 |
Brand System Templates (via ProDesk) | Free – $99 |
Money-Saving Tip: Start with free web-safe fonts or Google Fonts to stay lean. You can upgrade later as your brand matures.
Common Mistakes Founders Make
Avoiding these only will save you money, time and more money!
Using too many fonts
More than two fonts creates visual confusion and design chaos.
Choosing trendy fonts over timeless ones
Trends fade fast — your brand shouldn’t.
Ignoring mobile readability
If it’s hard to read on mobile, it won’t convert.
No line spacing or size strategy
Blocks of tight text are user experience killers.
Not documenting the rules
Without clear typography guidelines, design work becomes inconsistent and inefficient.
What to Do Right Now
✅ Book a design consult — we build a complete style guide across all media and print, that will scale with you [Noize.com.au]
✅ Want more support for your StartUp? Get the StartUpDeck.com. Business Mentoring in a box with over 200 strategies and plays designed for startups in their first 5 years.
COMING SHORTLY...
✅ Review your current website fonts — are they cohesive or messy? Use our free Typography Guide inside ProDesk.com
The Bottom Line
Typography is how your brand speaks before a single word is read. When your fonts, sizes, and spacing are intentional, people feel clarity and trust; when they’re not, everything feels noisy and forgettable.
Set two fonts, a simple hierarchy, and accessibility rules—and use them everywhere. That discipline turns scattered assets into a recognisable system your team can execute without you. Start now. It’s easier than fixing a mess later.
FAQs
We receive lots of questions about typography, so here is an extended set of FAQs.
What’s the best font for a modern startup?
Sans-serif fonts like Inter, Poppins, or Montserrat are clean, flexible, and free to use.
Can I use Canva fonts for my brand?
Yes — but double check licensing if you use them outside Canva.
Should I use the same fonts in email and web?
Ideally yes, but use system fonts like Arial or Verdana for emails to ensure compatibility.
How do I choose fonts that work together?
Use a font pairing tool or ask a designer. Contrast (serif vs sans-serif) often works best.
Can I change fonts later?
Yes, but do it intentionally and with clear documentation. Sudden changes can confuse loyal customers.
How many fonts should we use?
Two: one for headings, one for body/UI.
What size should body text be on web?
16–18px with line-height 1.5–1.7.
Can we use our logo font for headlines?
Usually no—logos and headings have different jobs.
How do we keep consistency on social?
Use Canva Brand Kit + branded text styles; duplicate approved templates.
What about accessibility?
Aim for AA contrast, minimum 16px body, avoid colour-only meaning.
Comments