Can We Talk About The Importance of Color Psychology in Web Design?
The Power of Colour
I’ll let you in on a secret:
You’re (probably) underestimating the power of colour.
And it’s affecting your web traffic.
In art and design, colour theory is the study of how colours interact and influence one another.
Knowing the basics of colour theory is useful for artists, designer, and all forms of visual communication.
At its core is the colour wheel, which organises colours into:
primary (red, blue, yellow),
secondary (green, orange, purple),
tertiary groups - Tertiary colours are created by mixing a primary colour (red, blue, or yellow) with a neighboring secondary colour (green, orange, or purple) on the colour wheel. They are the in-between hues that add complexity and variety to the colour spectrum.
Examples of Tertiary Colours:
Red-orange
Yellow-orange
Yellow-green
Blue-green
Blue-purple
Red-purple
Tertiary colours are often more subtle, and less intense than primary or secondary colours.
This makes tertiary colours ideal for creating more sophisticated palettes.
““Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.””
Within each colour, there are key properties.
These include things like hue (colour type), saturation (intensity), and value (lightness or darkness).
Take a different view, and colours can also categorised as warm (reds, yellows, oranges, evoking energy) or cool (blues, greens, purples, creating calm).
So, it’s easy to see why colour theory is essential in:
Design: Creating balance and appeal.
Marketing: Influencing emotions and behavior.
Storytelling: Setting tone and mood.
Fixing your web design and marketing colour choices can make all the difference when it comes to developing your brand voice.
Here are 5 strategies to fix it.
We humans love colours.
We can see around 1 million different hues… and we’ve been trying to make images of what we see for a long time.
Painting in colour has been around since we lived in caves.
Websites are, in some ways, an updated super-version of the stone walls our ancestors loved to decorate.
Did you know it takes just 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion about your website?
That's faster than the blink of an eye!
And believe it or not, on an unconscious level, colour has a lot to do with shaping that lightning-fast impression.
Welcome to the world of colour psychology in web design.
It’s more than just fun for designers to play around with.
Colour Theory in Design
In essence, understanding a bit about colour theory helps designers and web owners know how:
colour influences how users perceive your website - this is a big part of the user experience UX
consumer behaviour is linked to colour - people buy more if the colour palette works
marketing and colour have always been linked - your customer relationships will be better if the colours work with your brand voice.
If you’re looking to transform your website from good to unforgettable - the secret may lie in the colours you use.
Here are 5 strategies you can easily use to make the most of colour on your site:
Strategy 1: Understanding Colour Psychology
Colour psychology is about measuring the way colours affect human behaviour and thinking.
The world of colour is a language. A silent language. One with a direct line to the individual’s subconscious mind.
Many people associate different colours with specific emotional responses. Some see these associations as rules - but they are just guidelines:
- Red: Excitement, urgency, passion
- Blue: Trust, calmness, stability
- Green: Growth, nature, harmony
- Yellow: Optimism, clarity, warmth
But here's where it gets interesting – these associations aren't universal.
For a start, every individual person has a lifetime of memories and history related to each colour they can see.
Globally, about 1 in 12 men (8%), and 1 in 200 women (4.5%) are colour blind.
Red-green colorblindness is the most common type.
It means the 2 colours are seen as the same.
Less common is blue-yellow colorblindness.
So, you can only have a general understanding of not only how people might interpret your colour choice, but also as to whether they can see it at all.
Cultural backgrounds can play a part in how colours are perceived as well.
White often symbolises calmness in many Western cultures. But it's associated with death and mourning in some Eastern cultures.
The more you understand about how and why colour might affect individuals and cultures, the better informed your colour choices can be.
STRATEGY OUTLINE:
Plan your colour choices care. Take into account any psychological aspects that might be at play.
Make sure you don’t overuse the ‘rules’ of colour psychology.
Strategy 2: Maximise the Role of Colour in Web Design
First impressions matter.
Remember that 50-millisecond window we mentioned earlier?
That's where your colour choices really shine (or fall flat).
You could say that the colours you choose for your website is a greeting.
Is your colour palette meant to be a firm, professional handshake? A warm smile?
Or have you ended up with a damp wave and a confusing grimace.
Consistent use of colour
The same colour references on every page of your site - works to reinforce your brand identity.
Think about how quickly you recognise Facebook's blue or Red Bull’s red/blue/silver combo.
Never underestimate the power of colour in branding.
By carefully selecting and consistently using colours - you're not just designing a website – you're creating brand familiarity in your audience’s mind.
And colours don't just sit there looking pretty – they're hard at work guiding your visitor.
Maps are colour-coded for a reason.
Want to draw attention to that "Sign Up" button?
Use an accent colour that pops against your background.
Need your visitors to associate your brand with trust and reliability?
A predominantly blue scheme might be your best bet.
Strategy 3: Putting Colour Psychology into Practice
Now that we’ve looked at the theory, and understood the basics, here’s some practical ways to harness the power of colour in web design:
Create A Visual Hierarchy
Use colour as a navigation tool.
It can guide your users' attention to what's most important.
A strategically placed splash of colour can make key information - including headlines for offers, services, etc. - stand out from the rest.
Improve Readability and Accessibility
It's not all about aesthetics. I wish it was…
However, the reader needs to more than the pleasure of a beautifully balanced palette.
Good colour choices can make the difference between readable content and difficult to read stuff.
Use a few simple concepts to improve the accessibility of your site to all users, including those with visual impairments.
For example, a high contrast between text colour and background colours is massively important to many who don’t have perfect eyesight.
Strategy 4: Colour & The User Experience
Good UX is the key to your website’s success.
This means that the right colour scheme can make navigating your site a joy.
Example:
For a fitness website, energetic colours such as red or orange could motivate users.
On the other hand, meditation or wellness sites might think about using calming, subdued tones. A mix of neutral tones with splashes of green, purple, or blue (calm) might set the tone.
And a designer jewellery business can suggest sophistication and high-end products with liberal usage of white space, with hints of golden yellow.
Finding the Perfect Palette
When it comes to colour schemes, you’ve got several tried-and-true options:
Accent Colours
Use a pop of colour to draw attention to important elements like calls-to-action.
Complementary Colours
Opposites on the colour wheel - such as purple-yellow, red-green, and blue-orange create visual interest and balance.
Monochrome Schemes:
Various shades of a single colour can create a sleek, elegant look, suggesting a sleek, high-end brand.
Each approach has its strengths, and the best choice depends on your brand identity and website goals.
Strategy 5: Mapping the Challenges of Colour Selection
Choosing the right colours isn't always a walk in the park.
Here are some challenges to keep in mind:
Balancing Aesthetics with Functionality:
Your colour scheme should be visually appealing without compromising usability.
If you want everything to be in dark mode - that’s great.
But it might be overwhelming for some visitors.
Worse still, it could make it hard to navigate your site if everything looks too samey.
Testing and Iteration:
Don't be afraid to experiment with colour.
A/B testing different colour schemes will give you valuable insights into what resonates with your audience.
Ensuring Accessibility:
We’ve already looked at how important it is to think about users with colour vision deficiencies.
I found this great vision impairment simulator tool on Venngage. It lets you see exactly how your website looks to those with differences in vision.
The Colorful Future of Web Design
As we've seen, colour psychology is far more than just picking pretty hues.
The more awareness you have about human perception of colours – the more you can design with colour to improve the success of your website.
By understanding the general theory of the emotional impact of colours - as well as individual, and cultural differences, you can make better choices when applying colour strategically.
In the end, your website is your best marketing tool.
And you want to create web experiences that look great AND resonates with your visitors.
So, the next time you're designing or revamping a website, take a moment to think about the silent messages your colours are sending. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are they aligned with your brand?
Go back and look at colour psychology to see if your colours are speaking the right language to your ideal customers.
Do they guide users effectively?
Check that your colours make it easy to flow through the page structure and onto the page where visitors can buy, book or subscribe.
Are they accessible to all?
Think about those who have eyesight issues and act accordingly.
By asking these questions and applying the principles we've discussed, you'll be well on your way to creating more effective, engaging, and memorable web experiences through the visual design element of colour.
Remember, when you’re designing a website, the right colours don't just catch the eye – they have a many-layered and profound effect on your visitor.
After all, the earliest artist’s ‘paintbox’ ever discovered - in the Blombos Cave in South Africa - were a group of abalone shells full of ground ochre and charcoal.
And they’re said to be about 100,000 years old.
Colour really is amazing.
And if you’d like to discuss a website update in terms of colour changes, get in touch .
