Why REM is the Best Choice for Setting Text Size on Your Website

According to a recent study, users are more likely to leave a website if they find the text hard to read or if it is too small. By using REM to set your text size, you can ensure that your website is easily readable on any device, improving the user experience and helping to keep visitors on your site.

Why Font Size Matters: The Importance of Text Size in Web Design

• Readability:
  • The size of the text on a website can have a big impact on how easily users can read and comprehend the content. If the text is too small, it can be hard to read, especially for users with vision impairments or on smaller screens. On the other hand, if the text is too large, it can take up too much space and make the page feel cluttered and overwhelming.
• Accessibility:
  • Proper text sizing is important for accessibility, as it allows users to adjust the size of the text to meet their individual needs. This can be especially important for users with vision impairments, who may need to increase the text size in order to read the content more easily.
• User experience:
  • The size of the text on a website can also affect the overall user experience. If the text is too small or hard to read, users may become frustrated and leave the site. On the other hand, if the text is easy to read and well-formatted, it can improve the user experience and encourage users to stay on the site longer.

What is REM and how does it work?

REM (short for “root em”) is a unit of measurement used in web design to specify the size of text, margins, and other elements in a webpage.

It is based on the font size of the root element (html) in a document, and is expressed as a proportion of that size.

For example, if the font size of the root element is set to 16 pixels, then 1 REM is equal to 16 pixels. If the font size of the root element is changed, all other elements that are set in REM will also be resized proportionally.

Here’s how REM differs from other units of measurement commonly used in web design:

• Pixels (px):
  • Pixels are a fixed unit of measurement that correspond to the physical pixels on a device’s screen. They are often used to specify the size of text, images, and other elements on a webpage. However, pixels are not responsive, which means that the size of an element specified in pixels will not change when the viewport (the size of the device’s screen) changes.
• Points (pt):
  • Points are a traditional unit of measurement used in print design to specify the size of text and other elements. In web design, points are often converted to pixels when specifying font size. Like pixels, points are not responsive, which means that the size of an element specified in points will not change when the viewport changes.
• Ems (em):
  • Ems are similar to REMs in that they are based on the font size of the parent element. However, unlike REMs, which are based on the root element (html), ems are based on the font size of the element itself. This means that if you change the font size of the parent element, all child elements that are set in ems will also be resized proportionally.

In summary, REM is a responsive unit of measurement that is based on the font size of the root element (html) in a document. It is a useful tool for setting text size and other dimensions in web design because it allows the size of elements to adjust automatically based on the size of the viewport. This can help improve the readability and accessibility of a website, as well as its overall design consistency.

Why REM is the Key to Responsive Web Design

One of the main benefits of using REM for text size in web design is that it is responsive, which means that it allows the size of text and other elements to adjust automatically based on the size of the viewport (the size of the user’s device screen).

Here’s how it works: When you set the font size of the root element (html) in a document using REM, all other elements that are set in REM will be resized proportionally. For example, if the font size of the root element is set to 16 pixels and you set the font size of a heading element to 2 REM, the heading will be 32 pixels (2 x 16 pixels).

This responsive nature of REM can be especially useful when designing for multiple devices and screen sizes, as it allows you to create a consistent design that looks great on any screen. For example, if you set the font size of your headings to 2 REM and the font size of your body text to 1 REM, the headings will always be twice as large as the body text, regardless of the size of the viewport.

In addition, the responsive nature of REM can also help improve the usability and accessibility of a website, as it allows users to easily adjust the text size to meet their individual needs. This can be especially important for users with vision impairments, who may need to increase the text size in order to read the content more easily.

Overall, the responsive nature of REM is one of its key benefits in web design, as it allows text size and other dimensions to adjust automatically based on the size of the viewport, improving the design consistency and usability of a website.

Full Site Editing in WordPress: How to Use REM for Paragraph Font Sizing

Here are a few additional tips for using REM in your WordPress web design, specifically in the context of full site editing (FSE) and the block editor:

1. In the block editor, you can use the “Appearance” menu to access the “Styles” panel, where you can edit the styles for specific blocks. To set the font size of a paragraph block using REM, click on the block and then click on the “Styles” tab in the right-hand panel. From there, you can use the “Typography” settings to set the font size in REM.
2. In the “Styles” panel, you can also use the “Line Height” setting to specify the space between lines of text in ems. A line height of around 1.3 em can work well for most paragraphs.
3. Keep in mind that the font size you choose will depend on the design of your theme and the content of your site. A general rule of thumb is to use larger font sizes for headings and smaller font sizes for body text. You may want to experiment with different font sizes to find the best balance for your site.
4. Use the “Preview” button in the “Styles” panel to see how your changes will look on the front-end of your site. This can help you identify any issues with your font sizes and make any necessary adjustments.
5. Don’t forget to save your changes when you are finished editing the styles for your blocks. This will ensure that your changes are applied to your site.

By following these tips, you should be able to effectively use REM to set the font size of your paragraphs in your WordPress FSE site.