With the huge number of different fonts available these days, you might think you can use just about anything out there on your Web site. This isn't necessarily the case. In fact, there are only a few fonts that will give your users optimal viewing.
For Web pages, text is displayed using the fonts available on the viewer's computer. So, if you choose an obscure font, one that you found through an Internet search or pulled from a 1001 Fonts CD, the majority of your site visitors are unlikely to have that font installed on their systems, and the page and its text won't appear correctly to them. It's usually better to choose common fonts that nearly all users have installed, such as Arial and Times New Roman for PC users, and Helvetica and Times for Macs.
Another way to ensure your site will correctly display text is to choose a particular style of font and let the user's browser choose the best match. There are three types that work for Web pages: Serif, Sans-serif, and monospace. A Serif font has "feet" or extra strokes on the ends of some lines. Times New Roman is a serif font. These types of fonts are commonly used in print - books, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Sans-serif fonts have smooth ending lines, or are "without serifs." Arial is an example. These fonts are easy to read on a computer screen and are good choices for body text in a Web page.
Monospace fonts are those like Courier, where each letter takes up exactly the same amount of space as the others.
When you want a browser to display a specific font, but yet adequately compensate when that font is not available on a user's computer, you can include several fonts in your CSS code. For example, you can write "font-family: helvetica, verdana, sans-serif" which would first try to display helvetica, then verdana, and then any sans-serif font available.
Of course, most Web pages would be quite boring with only one font displayed throughout. The best way to add variety to your site, and make it more visually appealing, is to use graphics that feature other fonts. If you want your Web site header to include your business name in a cursive font, you would create a jpeg or gif image using the font you like then place that image in the appropriate spot. This allows you to be creative while still maintaining the ability of all users to read and enjoy your site.
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