Font Size Too Small, Especially on Mobile
The minimum readable font size for body text is 16 pixels on desktop and on mobile. Many older websites use 12 or 14 pixel body text, which requires visitors to pinch and zoom on mobile. This is one of the most common accessibility failures on small business websites.
- Set body font size to at least 16px
- Headings should be 24px or larger
- Line height (space between lines) should be 1.5 to 1.7 for comfortable reading
Poor Color Contrast
Light gray text on a white background is nearly invisible to many readers, especially older users and anyone reading in sunlight. The WCAG accessibility standard requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal body text. A simple contrast checker (free at webaim.org) will tell you if your text passes.
- Dark text on light background: aim for near-black on white or light gray
- Avoid light gray on white for any text smaller than 18px
- Check your contrast ratio at webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker
Too Much Text Without Visual Breaks
Walls of text are one of the fastest ways to lose a web visitor. People scan websites. They do not read them. If a visitor lands on a page and sees a 500-word paragraph with no headings, no bullet points, and no images, they will leave immediately.
- Break text into sections with clear H2 subheadings
- Use bullet points for lists of 3 or more items
- Keep paragraphs to 3 to 4 sentences maximum
- Add images, icons, or callout boxes every 150 to 200 words
Wrong Font Choice
Decorative script fonts, all-caps body text, and novelty typefaces all reduce readability. For a professional small business website, use one clean sans-serif font for all body text. Inter, Roboto, Open Sans, and Lato are all free, readable, and professional.
- One font for headings, one for body text
- Avoid script, decorative, or novelty fonts for any body text
- Use font weight (bold, regular, light) for hierarchy, not different font families
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the text on my website hard to read?
Most common causes: font size under 16px, insufficient contrast between text and background, paragraphs that are too long and dense, or decorative fonts that are hard to scan. Each reduces time visitors spend on your page.
What is the best font for a small business website?
Clean sans-serif fonts: Inter, Roboto, Open Sans, Lato. These are free via Google Fonts, load fast, render well at all sizes, and work across all devices.
Does text readability affect SEO?
Yes, indirectly. Google measures time-on-page and bounce rate, both of which are hurt by hard-to-read text. Readability also affects how well AI engines can extract and cite your content for AEO.
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