Improvements in web browser standards and support for the CSS @font-face rule has ushered in a new era of web
page design and typography. The limitations imposed by “web-safe” fonts (such as Arial and Verdana) have finally been
removed and you can now use practically any font within the text of your web pages to create great typography while
ensuring that key search terms and words are indexed for maximum SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
But it is not all plain sailing. Web font use has become very complex and there are many considerations to take into
account before making font and licensing choices.
CPS can help: we have comprehensive knowledge and experience covering all aspects of web font practices and
licensing terms and conditions. We can advise upon and recommend the most suitable products and the most affordable
license solutions to suit most requirements. We are a font publisher and an authorised reseller of all leading, branded
font products with access to thousands of web fonts.
For further information about webfonts, please email info@cpsnet.co.uk or call us on ++44 (0)1242 285100.
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Flexible Web Font license solutions:
Self Host Licenses
Annual Renewable Licenses
Fixed Term: 3, 5, 10 year periods
Perpetual Licensing (One-Off Fee)
Single or Multiple Domains
Multiple Customer Solutions
Solutions for Hosters & Agencies
Screen Enhancement (Hinting)
Subsetting (to reduce font file sizes)
Custom Requirements
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| KEY CONSIDERATIONS AND HOW WE CAN HELP |
We provide web font licenses for our own fonts and from most other foundries. We can build flexible web font packages
to suit nearly all requirements at sensible prices for straight forward self hosting:
SELF HOST LICENSES
ANNUAL, FIXED TERM OR PERPETUAL LICENSE PERIODS
SINGLE OR MULTIPLE WEBSITE DOMAINS
MULTIPLE CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS FOR HOSTERS & AGENCIES
SCREEN ENHANCEMENT (HINTING)
SUBSETTING (REDUCED CHARACTER SETS) FOR STREAMLINING FONT FILE SIZES
CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR ANY REQUIREMENT
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Web Font Licensing Models
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Licensing models for web font embedding seem endless: cloud hosting, self hosting, monthly subscription, traffic
based charging (page views, unique visitors), renewable annual, renewable fixed term or more rarely a perpetual one
time fee. To get the low down on current web font rules, regulations and options available, contact CPS by email at
info@cpsnet.co.uk or call ++44 (0) 1242 285100 for expert, no obligation advice |
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TIP – Make sure you check web font availability and
licensing conditions before choosing fonts for your
website.
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Screen Optimisation (Hinting)
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Most font providers offer the option to ‘hint’ their fonts prior to making web font format versions. This process involves
manually adjusting pixel representations at different point sizes to optimise and improve screen clarity. Some web
fonts might already include varying levels of hinting but it is worth checking if you want your web fonts to look clear
and sharp. We can provide screen optimisation services to maximise the clarity of your web fonts, contact CPS by
email at info@cpsnet.co.uk or call ++44 (0) 1242 285100 for further advice. |
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TIP – Have you considered screen enhancement for
your webfonts to improve legibility and clarity at smaller
sizes on screen?
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Subsetting (Optmising File Sizes)
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Opentype fonts with large character sets and fonts with bulky hinting data can easily become so bloated that they
impair web page load speed, particularly if you want to create and use media rich pages. It is therefore possible to
create web fonts with reduced character sets (a sub-set) so that all unwanted characters are removed. This helps to
streamline the size of the web font file for optimum load times. Please email info@cpsnet.co.uk or call us on
++44 (0) 1242 285100 to see if subsetting makes sense for you. |
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TIP – Have you considered using an optimised
character set with your webfonts to improve page load
speeds?
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Web Font Formats
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You’ve probably heard about different web font formats such as WOFF (Web Open Font Format), EOT and EOT Lite
(Embedded OpenType), TrueType, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), sIFR (Scalable Inman Flash Replacement) and
Cufon or Cufón. As web browser technology is so diverse, web font format support can vary from browser to browser
with some web font formats working better than others. A range of formats are therefore required to cover these
variables but not all formats are supported by all font suppliers. We can provide comprehensive web font kits
to support all current browser requirements and advise which formats each font manufacturer supplies.
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TIP – Don’t assume that all fonts are available in every
web font format or that font replacement is permissible.
Some font manufacturers don’t offer or support any web
font solution.
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| FREQUENTLY ASKED WEB FONT QUESTIONS |
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| Doesn’t my standard End User License Agreement (EULA) cover web use? |
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The simple answer is – no. Most EULAs permit fonts to be installed on a minimum number of computers (usually up
to 5). Font software in this environment can be viewed on screen and used for any form of printed output. This type
of license is often referred to as a ‘desktop’ license. As part of their desktop license, some foundries include
additional permissions that allow you to convert desktop fonts into images for web page embedding, these would be
file types such as .png, .jpeg and .gif. Some EULAs don’t permit such embedding so it is always best to check first.
To use Web Fonts and have them embedded in your web pages requires the purchase of an additional license. |
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| What is Cloud, Remote Hosting? |
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Cloud hosting is where web fonts are not physically embedded into your web site pages, instead you add some lines
of code that links your site to a web font hosting service and the web fonts are then ‘served’ by the hoster on a
perpetual basis. Cloud hosting can be a good solution but it is not right for everyone: you introduce a secondary host
service (on top of your website host provider) that charges additional monthly fees, your font choice is limited to that
provided by the hoster, your site is permanently linked to the web font host provider (and reliant upon the stability of
their systems) and your site will only have access to the web fonts you license while you pay subscription fees.
Having web fonts embedded permanently into your site and self hosting (or having a single website host provider) is
regarded as being a more desirable solution. A self host web font solution keeps you in total control of your sites
security and performance and offers the widest font choice |
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| What is Traffic Based Charging? |
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Traffic based charging is where monthly, annual, fixed term or one-off fees are set against the traffic level that your
site expects to receive. This is usually based upon average page views or unique visitors that your site receives over
the course of a month. The greater the traffic level is, the higher the cost.
Web traffic is not consistent, so there are a few flaws in this model. If your traffic level rises you exceed your licensed
traffic cap and you will be using your web fonts illegally, if it falls you are paying for a traffic level you are not using. If
you want to stay compliant, this means checking traffic levels against license limits every month and upgrading your
license if necessary.
To compound this problem, a large proportion of page views and unique visitor traffic is generated by search engine
robot visits and single page bounces (visitors who land on your site and then immediately leave to go somewhere
else). This traffic is not viewing or appreciating the web fonts you have paid to embed and there is no commercial
benefit for you, but you have to pay for it anyway. |
There are lots of views about how web font licensing should work and it is constantly evolving, but we think the best
approach at the moment has to be the easiest to understand with the least amount of risk and admin for the end user.
Self host with the choice of an annual, fixed term or perpetual license fee looks like the best option.
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NOTE – Licensing schemes, charging rates, format
availability and web font availability all vary massively
from one font supplier to another, always check the
score first before starting your web design project.
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If you would like further information about any Web Font topic or issue, please call us on ++44 (0)1242 285100 or email
sales@cpsnet.co.uk.
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