Custom Fonts and Colors: The Good and the Bad for University Websites

Using custom fonts and colors on a university website can make it look really nice and improve how users feel when they visit. But, there are some tricky parts to this process that can cause more problems than benefits. Let’s explore these challenges.

1. Compatibility Issues

One main challenge with custom fonts is making sure they work well on all devices and browsers. Not every font looks the same everywhere, which can make things confusing for users.

• Different Font Types: Regular fonts work great everywhere, but custom fonts need extra types (.woff, .ttf, .eot) to work on different platforms.
• Browser Problems: Some browsers may not support certain fonts, so they switch to basic fonts that don’t match the website's look.

Solution: Use web font services like Google Fonts. They package fonts in types that work with most devices. Also, add backup fonts to keep your text readable if the custom font doesn’t load.

2. Design Inconsistency

Creating a unique look is important for universities. But using too many custom colors and fonts can mess things up. When colors clash or fonts don’t match, the website can look unbalanced.

• Color Coordination: If the colors don’t go together, it can ruin the university's branding, making it seem messy instead of organized.
• Font Mixing Issues: It’s tempting to use many fonts, but if they clash, users might get confused and find it hard to read.

Solution: Make a style guide that includes a small set of colors and font pairs. Stick to a clear font system to keep everything looking good across all pages.

3. Performance Impact

Custom fonts and lots of colors can slow down the website, leading to longer loading times. Today’s users are impatient; even a little delay can make them leave.

• Slow Loading: Big font files use up bandwidth and can really slow down loading times, especially on mobile devices where the connection isn’t always strong.
• Rendering Problems: Using too many CSS styles for custom colors can also slow down how the website looks and feels.

Solution: Limit the number of custom fonts and styles you use. Try using "font-display: swap;" in your CSS to help with loading. Reduce your CSS files with tools like pre-processors or PostCSS to make things lighter.

4. Accessibility Concerns

Using custom fonts and colors can make it harder for users with visual impairments to use the website.

• Readability Issues: Some custom fonts may be hard to read clearly, making important information hard to get.
• Color Blindness: If the text and background colors don’t contrast well, people with color blindness might struggle to read.

Solution: Follow accessibility guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines suggest using colors that contrast well and making text easy to read. Also, test the site with tools to check if it's user-friendly for everyone.

Conclusion

While custom fonts and colors can really change the look of a university website for the better, there are many challenges to think about. From making sure everything works across different platforms and keeping a consistent design, to speeding up loading times and making it accessible, there are plenty of hurdles. However, with good planning and following best practices, these challenges can be managed. This way, universities can create a website that looks great and works well for all visitors.