People – your prospective buyers – react to colours, so choosing the wrong ones for your website can have a negative effect, while getting them right will produce a positive impact and increased response to your message.
Colour affects how we feel and can even influence what we think! As a general rule, bright and bold colours energize us, while softer, pastel tones soothe, so bear this in mind when considering your audience. If your product is aimed at women, for example, it might be safer to opt for softer colours.
It’s best to avoid using too many colours – stick to 2 or 3 and ensure they do not clash with each other. Keep your text easy to read, avoid having too much reversed out blocks (white text on a black background), and use colours that suit the subject of your site. Blue for an aquarium, for example.
There’s no better guidance than that offered by CANVA, so if you want to get serious about colour usage, you can find out – lots! – more at https://www.canva.com/colors/
It’s a real challenge getting things right, but there are some guidelines we can and should follow:
- Red: a real action/power/energy colour! It’s warm and masculine (but also symbolizes romance), action, energy, strength, passion, fire, heat, power, attention-getting. Can also mean love and romance. Shades of red produce different emotions … think pink, for example.
- Blue: associated with tranquility, yet also with wealth and power. It is considered a calming colour, implying dependability and patience. Other associations are: travel, truth, confidence, freedom. Not to be used for foods, as it is considered an appetite suppressant.
- Green: symbolizes renewal. Other associations are: money, health, nature, hope, growth, freshness.
- Orange: vibrant, warm and earthy. Also associated with health, warmth, courage, youthfulness, excitement. A cheerful colour.
- Yellow is the colour of happiness and purity – represents sunshine, which is associated with warmth, light and energy. Yelllow is also linked to intelligence and understanding.
- Purple: a dignified and sophisticated colour associated with creativity and mystery. The deeper shades are associated with royalty.
- Brown implies comfort and strength. It is warm and associated with the earth, the home, and stability. colour.
- Other colours: White stands for peace, purity, cleanliness. Gold stands for prestige, luxury and elitism. Silver stands for prestige, scientific and coldness. Pink stands for nurture, sweet, soft, and security.
The thing is to be careful of choosing colours you like – always consider your target audience and what they will respond to. Before designing an advertisement, the targeted customers should be recognized. Messages aimed at children, for example, should use bright and vibrant colors such as yellow, red, blue and green. These colors represent warmth, sweetness, trust, reliability, playfulness and security.