You're a savvy real estate agent.

You sell for a living. Your personality and skills speak for themselves when you meet members of your community in real life. And your real estate website represents you to the multitudes of online home buyers and sellers searching the web every day.

You've got a charismatic headshot, catchy slogan and the best domain name. You have great listings and tons of helpful resources that will help prospects grow to know, like and trust you before they even meet you.

But here's the thing: your choice of font could be turning potential clients away from your website before they even have a chance to see how amazing you are.

What?

It's true. If a font is legible and easy on the eyes, web visitors are more likely to stay on the page. If, however, a font is unpleasant to read – owing to size and/or style –that person is more likely to leave the site for good.

FONT DO's

Do select a font that complements your professional image. It is always safe to use a classic font, like Baskerville, Caslon or Georgia. You don't want to choose anything to trendy that will make your site look outdated quickly.

Do choose a font size that is legible for your intended audience. Most web designers agree that you should choose a size at least of at least 12 px or larger. If you work with a lot of senior clients, you might want to use an even larger size. Some researchers have found that increasing font size can decrease your bounce rate.

Do keep your font usage consistent across your marketing materials, both on and offline. This will help build your brand visually, even if you don't have a logo.

FONT DON'Ts

Don't choose a font that is hard for people to read. This will make them to think that other things on your website are also hard to do and unenjoyable, which is the exact opposite of experience you want them to have. Hard-to-read fonts includes styles that look like handwriting. Here is a funny list of 20 fonts to avoid by a very picky web designer.

Don't use too many fonts. Think of fonts like perfume. Just because you love them all, doesn't mean you need to use them all at once. Multiple fonts create an overwhelming experience in which the style overpowers the content. And since the content is what sells your services, you certainly don't want to camouflage it. A good rule of thumb is to use three font styles on your website at maximum: one for your headers, one for your body and one for your logo.

What about...?

Serifs – Serifs are those little 'feet' or strokes at the end of letters. Fonts with serifs have a traditional look and can help guide the reader's eye across large fields of copy. Sans serif fonts don't have feet. They are clean and clear and great for headers.

Helvetica – If you've ever seen the documentary about Helvetica, you'll know that this is one of the most popular fonts in the world because it is so easy to read (and looks good with a variety of design elements). Times New Roman is another universally popular font. While both have wide appeal, you may want to choose a similar font instead for a more special feeling.

What is your favorite (or least favorite) font?

To view the original article, visit the Point2 Agent blog.