How to Create a Clear Typographic Hierarchy: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Typographic Hierarchy Can Make or Break Your Design

Typography is more than just choosing a font that looks good — it’s about guiding the reader’s eye. A design without clear hierarchy feels flat, confusing, and hard to navigate. On the other hand, when hierarchy is strong, text feels effortless to read. The reader knows what’s important, where to look first, and how to move through the content.

The challenge? Many designers fall into the trap of using too many styles, inconsistent spacing, or fonts that clash. The result is chaos instead of clarity.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to create a clear typographic hierarchy step by step. You’ll learn how to set levels of importance, pair fonts effectively, use size and spacing with intention, and check your work so your designs communicate smoothly. Whether you’re working on a website, poster, or app, these principles will help your typography work harder for you.

Step 1: Start with a Visual Roadmap

Before touching a font menu, think about the structure of your content. Ask yourself:

• What’s the most important message (headline)?
• What’s the supporting message (subheadings)?
• What’s secondary information (body text, captions)?

A simple way to frame this is to create three levels of hierarchy:

1. Primary (biggest, boldest – headlines or key calls to action)
2. Secondary (medium size – subheadings, section dividers)
3. Tertiary (smallest – body copy, footnotes, labels)

Think of it like building a street map: highways (headlines) stand out first, side roads (subheads) guide you, and smaller paths (body text) fill in the detail. Without this roadmap, your typography will feel like a maze.

Real-World Example: Website Landing Pages

On a landing page, the headline might be the product promise (“Save Time With Smart Automation”). The subhead expands on it (“Our AI-driven platform simplifies daily tasks so you can focus on what matters”). The body supports with details, feature lists, or testimonials. Without these levels, the pitch blurs into one unreadable wall of text.

Additional Tip: Sketch Before You Design

Many professionals sketch a content hierarchy tree before moving to software. A simple diagram with boxes sized by importance can save hours of back-and-forth when building layouts.

Step 2: Use Size and Scale to Guide Attention

The most powerful way to establish hierarchy is through scale. A common mistake is keeping text sizes too close together, which makes it hard to tell what’s most important.

Here’s a simple ratio you can use:

• Headlines: 2–3× larger than body text
• Subheadings: 1.5× larger than body text
• Body text: Standard size (commonly 14–16px on web, 10–12pt in print)

Example:

• Bad hierarchy: Headline 18px, Subheading 16px, Body 14px → everything blends.
• Good hierarchy: Headline 32px, Subheading 20px, Body 16px → clear separation.

Pro tip: Don’t overdo it. If your headline is 80px and your body is 14px, the gap is too extreme and looks unbalanced. Aim for contrast that feels intentional but not jarring.

Real-World Example: Mobile Design

On small screens, hierarchy is crucial. A 32px headline paired with 16px body text may feel natural on desktop, but on mobile, it can overwhelm the screen. In mobile design, designers often scale down headlines to about 24px to maintain readability without losing hierarchy.

Extra Insight: Use Modular Scales

Many designers rely on modular scales (mathematical ratios like 1.25, 1.33, 1.5) to build consistent sizing systems. For instance, if your body text is 16px, a 1.5 ratio gives you a subhead of 24px and a headline of 36px — instantly balanced and scalable.

Step 3: Pair Fonts Without Clashing

Choosing fonts is where many designers overcomplicate things. The goal is contrast with harmony.

Here are some pairing rules:

1. Limit yourself to two fonts. Use one for headings and one for body text. Any more and hierarchy becomes muddy.
2. Mix categories. Serif + Sans Serif is a reliable combo (e.g., Playfair Display for headings, Roboto for body).
3. Stay consistent. Don’t switch fonts mid-project unless you have a strong reason.

Example:

• Bad pairing: Comic Sans headline + Times New Roman body → mismatch in tone.
• Good pairing: Montserrat headline + Lora body → modern headline with readable body text.

If in doubt, pick different weights from the same font family (e.g., Open Sans Bold for headings, Open Sans Regular for body). This guarantees visual harmony.

Real-World Example: Print Materials

Magazines often combine a serif headline (to bring elegance and authority) with a sans serif body (for modern readability). For instance, Vogue uses bold Didone-style serifs for headlines paired with clean sans serif body copy.

Advanced Tip: Consider Brand Personality

Fonts carry personality. A law firm’s typography will differ from a skateboard brand’s. When pairing fonts, make sure the tone matches the audience. Sleek sans serifs convey modernity, while handwritten scripts suggest creativity or playfulness.

Step 4: Use Weight, Color, and Spacing Strategically

Typography isn’t just about size and font choice. Small adjustments in weight, color, and spacing can make hierarchy sharper.

• Weight: Use bold for emphasis, but sparingly. Too much bold text loses impact.
• Color: Headlines can use darker shades, accents, or brand colors. Keep body text in high-contrast neutral tones for readability.
• Spacing: Add extra margin above headings and tighter line spacing for captions. White space is a hierarchy tool — it shows relationships between elements.

Example:

Bad use: Subheading is bold red, underlined, and italicized → visual overload.
Good use: Subheading is medium gray, slightly larger than body text, with generous spacing → clear but subtle.

Real-World Example: Mobile Apps

Apps like Spotify and Airbnb use color and spacing to emphasize hierarchy. Headings are slightly larger and darker, while subtext uses lighter shades of gray. Spacing between sections makes scanning effortless.

Extra Technique: Line Length and Leading

Even line length contributes to hierarchy. Keep body text between 50–75 characters per line. For leading (line spacing), aim for 120–150% of font size. Too tight feels cramped, too loose feels disconnected.

Step 5: Test Readability at a Glance

A strong typographic hierarchy should work instantly. Here’s a quick test:

1. Step back from your design (or zoom out to 25%).
2. See if your eyes are drawn to the headline first, then subheads, then body text.
3. Ask: “If I only scan this, do I still understand the main points?”

If the hierarchy works even when skimmed, you’ve nailed it. If everything blends together, go back and adjust size, weight, or spacing.

Real-World Example: Posters and Flyers

Event posters should grab attention in seconds. The event name should pop at a distance, followed by the date/location, and finally details like pricing. If someone can’t understand the key info at a glance, the hierarchy has failed.

Additional Method: Accessibility Testing

Don’t just test hierarchy visually. Run it through accessibility checks. Ensure contrast ratios meet WCAG guidelines and that font sizes remain readable for users with impaired vision. Great hierarchy should work for everyone.

Step 6: Apply Hierarchy Across Different Mediums

Hierarchy doesn’t look the same in every format. Designers must adapt depending on the medium:

• Websites: Use responsive typography. Headings may shrink slightly on mobile but keep their relative size difference.
• Print: Ensure text is legible when viewed at actual print size. A 10pt font may work in books but not on posters.
• Presentations: Use fewer levels of hierarchy to avoid clutter. Headings and body text are often enough.
• Apps: Prioritize touch-friendly design. Larger headlines and buttons improve usability.

Example: Email Design

In email newsletters, hierarchy directs attention. The headline pulls the reader in, the subhead summarizes value, and body copy drives the click. Without hierarchy, emails look like text dumps — easy to skip.

Actionable Takeaways for Better Typography

Here are five practical rules you can apply right now:

1. Think in three levels: Headline, subhead, body.
2. Use size ratios: Headlines ~2–3× bigger than body text.
3. Limit font choices: Two fonts max, or one family with multiple weights.
4. Leverage spacing: Let white space define relationships between text blocks.
5. Test at a glance: Zoom out to check if hierarchy guides the eye.
6. Adapt per medium: Don’t copy-paste styles — adjust hierarchy for web, print, or mobile.

Clear Hierarchy Equals Clear Communication

Typography isn’t decoration — it’s communication. By setting a strong hierarchy, you’re not just making text “look good,” you’re making sure your message lands. The better your hierarchy, the faster readers can understand what’s important and engage with your design.

The more you practice these steps, the more natural they’ll become. Soon you’ll be able to spot weak hierarchy instantly and fix it on the fly. Mastering this skill doesn’t just sharpen your layouts — it builds trust with your audience. After all, clear design shows clear thinking.