In design, text hierarchy is the key to guiding the viewer’s eye and ensuring clear communication. Whether designing for web, print, or digital media, an effective hierarchy creates a natural flow, helping readers prioritize information at a glance.
By adjusting factors like size, weight, color, spacing, and alignment, you can emphasize the most important elements while maintaining balance and readability.
This guide breaks down a simple yet powerful formula for structuring text hierarchy, ensuring your designs are both visually appealing and easy to navigate.
💡 (Size + Weight) → (Color + Spacing) → (Alignment + Style)
- Primary Text (H1) → Biggest, Boldest, Most Important
- Size: 2–4× body text (e.g., 32–48px on web, 24–36pt in print).
- Weight: Bold or Extra Bold.
- Contrast: Darkest color (or most visible if using light-on-dark).
- Spacing: More margin/padding around it for emphasis.
- Secondary Text (H2, H3) → Subheads, Less Prominent but Important
- Size: 1.5× body text (e.g., 20–28px on web, 18–24pt in print).
- Weight: Medium or Semi-Bold.
- Color: Slightly lighter or a different accent color.
- Spacing: Less than H1, but still distinct.
- Body Text (Paragraphs) → Main Content, Readable & Balanced
- Size: 16–18px on web, 10–12pt in print.
- Weight: Regular or Medium (avoid bold unless necessary).
- Line Spacing: 1.4–1.6× font size for easy reading.
- Tertiary Text (Captions, Labels, Footnotes) → Smallest, Least Emphasis
- Size: 12–14px on web, 8–10pt in print.
- Weight: Light or Regular.
- Color: Muted, grayish, or secondary color.
2️⃣ Advanced Hierarchy Tips
🔹 Font Pairing: Combine a bold headline font with a simple body font (e.g., Sans-serif headline + Serif body).
🔹 Use of All Caps: Great for small headings, but avoid in large paragraphs.
🔹 Whitespace (Margins & Padding): Helps separate text blocks visually.
🔹 Alignment: Left-aligned is best for readability; centered works for short text.
🔹 Contrast in Color: Dark on light, light on dark, or accent colors for emphasis.