Factors in Selecting Colors for Your Website

Whenever we think of a brand, it’s not always just the logo that comes to mind. Several impactful brands have also made certain colors their own – you have yellow for the McDonald’s ‘M;’ red for Coca-Cola; blue for Facebook, and so on. Even if a brand isn’t associated with a certain color, we can bet that they will have a proper color theme running through their website.

Color selection counts a lot when you’re designing a website. Even the colors of the buttons and links matter; one company named Beamax found that their red links were 53.1 percent more likely to get clicks than the blue ones.

Colors have a mental impact on people; they can boost brand recognition and even trigger the right kind of feelings. In a nutshell, choosing colors is an important part of website design.

Right Colors for Your Website

You may have just started in the world of business or are looking to upgrade your website design. Whatever the case is, it’s important to be aware of how colors impact your branding. Think about it; several fast-food chains make use of red and/or yellow in their website design, logos, and even their interiors.

When put together, red, and yellow usually foster hunger, friendliness, and more eating. Blue is more for professionalism and reliability, while black symbolizes luxury, elegance, and mystery. The most common website colors are the primary ones. So, make sure there's a good reason for changing things up – for instance, an orange theme for a brand associated with autumn colors.

What do we want our brand to signify? The answer to that will help you decide which colors to use on that website. Let’s now have a look at some tips on choosing the perfect color scheme to boost your website’s visibility:

1. Use Eye-Catching Shades Wisely

Eye-catching colors will draw attention to one point at the expense of others. So, use such shades sparingly. Reserve them for the call-to-action areas, such as a ‘Buy Now’ button. However, make sure they also go with the rest of the website’s theme – a mostly blue website might go with a white button that pops instead of a brilliant orange shade that just seems out of place.

Some people might even be turned off by a clashing color and not click on the link or button for fear of getting a computer virus.

2. Limit the Colors

Ideally, a website should have just two or three shades in its general layout. This doesn’t include infographics, photographs, etc.

Keeping it simple will ensure that potential customers don’t get overwhelmed or dizzy while navigating the site. Remember, internet users now spend most of their time on a mobile device when they’re online.

Every company should focus on what their website looks like on a mobile device’s screen, which is significantly smaller than that of a desktop. Too many colors will put unnecessary strain on the eyes and might make a visitor close the page right away.

3. Understand the Product or Service

The product or service you’re selling will directly influence the color theme within your website. If you’re going for a premium, upscale image, choosing royal colors such as purple might help. This color has a long-standing association with quality, intrigue, and royalty.

For a more down-to-earth color but one that still gives off a solid feel, blue is a more reassuring and gentle choice. This will probably be better for those targeting a larger audience. Financial services, healthcare, education; varying shades of blue will work for all of these.

4. Choose the Main Color

Think about what kind of vibe you want to give off about your product or services. Take a look at some of these famous examples to get started:

• Blue: Signifies reliability and practicality – examples include Facebook and Samsung
• Orange: Implies fun and friendliness – examples include Mirinda and Nickelodeon
• Yellow: Signifies happiness and optimism – examples include Nikon and Denny’s
• Green: Signifies freshness and nature – examples include Whole Foods and Animal Planet

If your logo already has a certain color, it’s logical to go with that as the primary color for the website. Many companies also use two primary colors – Subway, for instance, uses both yellow and green to signify freshness and a fun time.

5. Choosing Additional Colors

The next step is choosing the complementary colors for the primary shade. Pull up a color wheel and take a look; the colors on opposite sides will usually make each other pop.

For instance, if your main color is blue, orange is most likely to complement it. You can use this to highlight certain features, implement calls to action, and color buttons.

6. Choosing the Background Color

The background is usually the largest part of a website. However, only two options are acceptable here. For most brands, a simple off-white color would do; this allows everything to jump off the page easily. Whether it’s text, video, links, images, or buttons, users won’t have much trouble with an off-white background.

Other viable options may include a muted shade of the primary color. Some companies may want to go for an edgy black background. But that’s usually too hard on the eyes.

The Takeaway

Around 85 percent of internet users say that color can influence their purchases. Since the goal of most companies is to make as many sales as they can, choosing the right website colors is of the utmost importance. Even if you’re running a non-profit organization, having a proper color theme will make your website look composed, and thus, may attract more attention.

When designing a website, there’s little room for slip-ups. Combining and using colors doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Therefore, it’s wise to get some expert help. Fortunately, you now have the option of a free consultation with Emagine to jumpstart your web design process. With our guidance and experience, any company should be able to get the perfect color setting for their brand.