Justifying text isn't a matter of taste or preferences ... here are the graphic design guidelines we follow and why.
Justifying text means making both the left and right edges of a paragraph align perfectly. This creates a clean, symmetrical look that can be useful in certain contexts.
The Only Time We Use Justified Text
As a general rule, justification of text is for when you have a lot of text to condense into close columns. When you have a lot of text on a page that requires display in columns, and those columns are close, justification can help create an imaginary boundary between the columns – a blank gutter – that helps with readability.
Why We Avoid Justified Text Most of the Time
But that's not to say that if you have columns you should always justify text! Note that up above we referred to "close columns." If you have room for more space between columns, skip the justification and go with left aligned text, which is much easier on the eye.
It's fairly common for clients to ask us to justify all text, on every type of document. But that's not the best experience for your readers. Sure, it looks clean and neat. But your job isn't to show the verbal equivalent of a bed with such tight hospital corners you can bounce a quarter on it! Your goal is to have people read and comprehend what you write, and justified text is not the best way to achieve that.
Why? Because justification is achieved by creating unnatural gaps between words, sometimes tightening the spaces between words, and sometimes widening them, all to ensure that everything lines up as tightly on the right side as it does on the left. Since readability is one of the most important jobs of a graphic designer, we tend to avoid justification unless it's absolutely necessary.
Why We Avoid Justifying Text on Websites ... At All
Even if you are using columns in your website, we don't recommend using justified text anywhere on a website. There are a few good reasons for this.
- We Can Control Column Width: Unlike printing a newspaper or a magazine, where more pages equal higher print costs, we can use as much space as we want on websites and we can control the gutter space between columns. So it's always an option to use the easier-to-read left-aligned text and make our readers happier (and more informed).
- Accessibility issues: The inconsistent spacing caused by justification can be particularly challenging for people with dyslexia or other reading difficulties.
- Responsiveness challenges: Websites need to adapt to different screen sizes. Justified text can be difficult to control in responsive layouts, leading to awkward spacing on smaller screens.
- Modern design trends: Most websites today favor left-aligned text because it looks cleaner, more natural, and is easier to read on screens.
So there you have it. While justified text appeals to the order-loving among us, it's never the best choice for readability. Stick with left-aligned text for readability and responsiveness, and leave the justification to those those times when you have to cram 2,000 words onto a page of newsprint. Your readers will thank you.