Colors are one of the visual cues that are the fastest in sending a message. Or setting an unintentional first impression. That is why you should pay special attention to color in web design.
To help you set the hue of your website and influence people psychologically when it comes to buying decisions, we prepared this color guide.
Let’s dive in!
What is the Psychology of Color in Web Design?
Designers of all mediums know that color is an important aspect of their work. They know their design can drive emotional responses just through color alone.
Color psychology has been used in different ways, both positive and negative. Colors can calm you down, ignite excitement, drive you to action, and much more.
That is why color in web design is a secret weapon for driving up sales, earning clicks, scoring leads, and more.
In the psychology of color, you have not only emotions but psychological reactions linked to specific colors. Let’s check them out.
Color psychology in web design: practical uses
Here’s a look at some persuasive colors and what kind of message they send in web design.
Red
Red is the color of passion. In both negative and positive ways, it evokes confidence, authority, and raw power. It can make the user feel both big and small, depending on other elements on a website.
In marketing, we often see red used to advertise discounts and different promotions. Just recently, the luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo debuted a new name – “Ferragamo”. But more pointedly, the brand opted for a striking red background for the signature. And when we take a look at some brand giants like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, we see a bright red that’s hard to miss.
It’s no wonder people call it the Call-to-Action color.
Blue
Fun fact – did you know that even at the beginning of the 20th-century pink was referred to as a color for boys, while blue was deemed girly? Trends tend to change, so keep that in mind while reading the article.
But as of now, blue is linked to masculinity and competence. Moreover, it’s used to evoke a zen feeling, wisdom, loyalty, and security. It’s no wonder it does so since research found that looking at the sea or other big areas of water elicits feelings of calmness and strength.
The popularity of the blue color in web design also comes from its versatility – bright blue also evokes energy and freshness.
Yellow
This color immediately puts your mind into a happy stance. It evokes optimism, cheerfulness, and youth. You can soften it by using brighter hues to avoid looking spammy when using yellow on large areas of the website.
On the other hand, a stark yellow color is a godsend for bringing attention to CTA (Call-to-Action) buttons. Again, be careful when using it. Apart from feeling too spammy at times, it can remind people of cheapness and cowardice.
Green
Green has richness to it. It reminds us of nature, life in all its glory, balance, and growth. So it’s no wonder that rich deeper green shades are often seen on brands selling hiking equipment, for example. Other brands that can rely on the green are organic food businesses, too.
To simplify, green calls back to wellness and health. And in the hectic environment of today, consumers are eating it up, because they do want something to calm them down and make them feel as if they’re relaxed and saving the planet.
Another benefit to using the green color in web design? It moves visitors to action. It evokes decisiveness, so you’ll see lots of green CTA buttons on websites, too.
White
The history of the color blue is a perfect example of how culture and history periods impact the way we see color. The same goes for the color white. In Western culture, it evokes purity, birth, and innocence.
Apart from that, you will often see it used in the healthcare industry, for it seems clean. Media companies also love it because it gives websites a crisp feeling and a callback to printed newspapers.
But if you overdo it, you may end up seeming stark, boring, and too stiff.
Black
Black is a statement color. It’s a bold color that you should use in subtlety without going heavy on it.
People often see black as a sleek and elegant color, so high fashion often uses it, along with other luxury industries. High-end consultation also resonates greatly with potential clients.
But if you overdo it you may seem too dark, evoking horror and gothic themes.
Final Word
Color psychology should be used by web designers to boost conversion rates. By giving the visitors a satisfying and memorable experience, they can enhance conversions.
Keep in mind that color psychology is crucial to any website design because it has an impact on the site’s success. So if you want your website to be successful, get familiar with color psychology!