Get a Type Audit and strengthen your voice
Type is how we ‘hear’ what we read — it’s also the voice of your brand
All too often, brand voice gets diluted over time and across media and platforms with inconsistent use of typefaces and styles. Strong, consistent typography is the cornerstone of your brand and how it is perceived by your customers. It’s also the best way to ensure your message and content is accessible to the broadest possible audience.
What it is & why you need one
A Type Audit is just that: a comprehensive review of how your organization is using type across all media and platforms. It’s a good way to establish a baseline, identify opportunities to strengthen that voice, improve your customers’ experience, and make sure you’re delivering that experience the best (and fastest) way possible. Not only will it uncover ways you can improve, but also identify (and resolve) potential issues before they become bigger problems.
Tailored to suit
Audits can be scaled up or down based on an organization’s needs. They can focus solely on core brand fidelity, examination of website and app implementation, or they can expand to include review of internal and external communications, marketing materials, and even advertising campaigns.
Consistency of voice in communications builds trust in your brand. Using type equally well both in print and online will increase customer engagement. Implement fonts properly on the web and in your apps and dramatically improve performance, user experience, and accessibility. The Audit will provide insights into where your organization can improve through quick wins, strategic iteration, or more comprehensive efforts.
Here are some examples of what can be included.
Branding & Typographic Design
Review of existing brand standards and documentation, and comparison with current implementation. Inventory and assessment of marketing, communications, and advertising (both internal and external) to determine if internal teams and external partners are using typefaces consistently and in sync with brand guidelines.
Websites & Apps
Review font usage in relation to brand guidelines. Inspect web font implementation in all websites and apps, and report on consistency and performance. Are fonts consistent? Are they implemented for best performance, user experience, and accessibility? Is the typographic hierarchy clear and is the typography readable, scalable, and robust? Recommendations will include ones both design and technical in nature, and encompass scale, size units, font loading, fallback font setup, and more.
Accessibility
Primarily focused on digital platforms. Will review type size and color contrast (cross-media) and inspect implementation on the web to identify any significant issues in how type is being used and how content is structured. This includes anything that might impede access to content for viewers with cognitive or vision issues, or who use alternate browsing technologies like voice-over or screen readers.
Internal Usage
Brand voice and consistency is just as important internally as it is externally. In truth, the former often begets the latter: absent clear guidelines, documentation, and templates, employees are left to their own devices to create memos, slide decks, and customer correspondence. Lack of appropriate document templates and easily available resources will quickly lead to significant erosion and dilution of brand voice on a day-to-day basis. The Audit will report on status and availability of fonts and templates, how consistently they are used, and where opportunities exist to improve. It will also examine situations where brand typefaces cannot be made available, either due to licensing restrictions or platform limitations (such as commercial typefaces being unavailable on Google Apps).
Elements Audited
Brand
- Existing brand standards/style guide documentation
- Marketing assets
- Communications and publications
- Advertising (B2B, B2C)
Websites & Apps
- Design system
- Web properties (public)
- Internal site(s)
- Customer/Partner Portals
- Dashboards
- iOS/Android applications
Other
- Internal communications (slide deck, document templates)
Review of Typeface & Font Requirements
- Licensing needs (desktop/web/embedded apps)
- Language (character sets)
- Compatibility (OS, browsers)
- Current source, license, and family details (widths, weights, languages)
Inventory Deliverables
Catalog usage instances
- Internal
- Digital
Document fonts in use
- Families, styles
- Typographic system (where possible)
- Language settings/encoding (web)
Deliverable Format
- Slide deck with inventory, examples, and details
Pricing
Type Audit pricing will vary based on scope and scale of the organization, but is generally quoted on fixed basis with well-defined goals and deliverables. Subsequent work can be estimated and scheduled as needed.
Next step — get in touch!
If your organization wants to speak in a more unified voice, improve your customers’ experience, and increase your site’s performance, let’s talk. A Type Audit will provide a report on where things stand, and a number of recommendations on what should be addressed. Where possible, indicators of level of effort will be provided. Should your organization desire, I can work with your internal teams and partners to help address them.
Originally published at rwt.io.
