Website Text: Does Size Really Matter?

by: Chris Sheehy | Sidewalk Branding Company

I have to admit, until now – I have only considered website text as a component of design; with pixel count almost always being relegated as merely a matter-of-fact element instead of being part of any deliberate selection process.   

My thoughts on age, website text size, and readability really changed after reading this article.

I am now thinking differently about whom my website readers are; and how a simple text change could enhance their website experience – maybe even extend their dwell by making it easy to stay on-site a bit longer. Of the interesting points made in that article, the notion that only 50% of light hits the retina at age 40 as it did at age 20 and how at age 60 it’s a scant 20% really stuck with me.  That’s the average age of MY readers! For as long as I have known, the standard size for website text has been a 12-point, which is 12/72 of an inch. Lately the size has creeped up to 14, but in considering now how eyesight degrades with age – could 12 or even 14 point still be too small?

The stats and theoretical insight confirms what I thought – SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER.

So with this renewed focus; I have decided to make sweeping changes to my website over the next few days by super-sizing my website text to a easy-on-the-eyes 16-pt in hopes the extra few 72′s of an inch brings my writings more in-focus with my readers.
Tagged: Rhode Island inbound marketing, Rhode Island local marketing, Rhode Island search engine optimization, Rhode Island seo, rhode island website optimization