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WhatFontIs.com analysed over 40.000 websites – the biggest ones in the WorldWide Web by traffic – and found that the majority of them use the same font or a very small number of web fonts. Today, we take a closer look at them.
The 40,000 most visited websites out there pretty much use the same fonts, shows an extensive study conducted by WhatFontIs.com. We analysed them and tried to find patterns between their chosen typefaces, and the results didn’t disappoint. Turns out, the top ten fonts used for websites make up for over half of the pages.
The biggest part is covered by free fonts, with the top five free fonts for websites being used in over one fifth (21%) of the analysed websites.
‘Google Fonts was launched in 2011-2012. Before this, web fonts were rarely used. Google Fonts’ mission states: Making the web more beautiful, fast, and open through great typography. Did they succeed? That’s why we started this study’, explains Alexandru Cuibari, WhatFontIs founder and CEO.
‘If 62 percent of websites are now using web fonts, than Google did make the Internet more beautiful. And, just like in the search engine market, Google also holds a comfortable majority when it comes to web fonts. Over 55 percent of the analysed websites use Google Web Fonts’, adds Alexandru Cuibari.
Open Sans was designed by Steve Matteson and commissioned by Google, thus becoming one of the most used fonts out there. It was designed for any screen, and that was ensured do to its height and wide lettering.
Roboto, the second most used font for websites, is also tied to Google. Roboto was designed by Christian Roberston as an in-house typeface for Google.
The third most used font for websites, FontAwesome, is so popular due to its versability. You can customize just about everything with it – size, color, drop shadow.
The fourth font in the top compiled by WhatFontIs.com, Lato, was designed by the Polish graphic artist Lukasz Dziedzic. If it just makes you feel good without really knowing why, Lato means ‘summer’ in Polish.
The top five fonts for websites is topped off by Glyphicons, a mixture of essential icons and symbols that have become part of everyday life in the age of smartphones.
Passionate about fonts or just looking for a quick solution for your lettering woes? WhatFontIs.com provides a catalogue of over 550.000 fonts that you can browse until you find the one that fits you just right.
Also, make sure you check the Blog Section – you might get that cool idea that will help you better define you visual identity.
