More thought goes into choosing colors for a website than you may think. Colors not only give visual appeal, they can also create a feeling. While a light pink website with some white mixed in can make you feel cheery and happy, a black colored website can leave you feeling quite different.
Each website on the internet has a different feel to it and it is all due to color, layout and wording. Let’s say, for example, there is a website that is advertising a paradise vacation; the colors you would most want to use are neutral and “happy colors” such as light blues (that
may resemble the color of relaxing ocean waves.) Maybe incorporate a tan color that can be compared to the color a sandy beach. Throw in a little bit of yellow that can represent the color of a hot days sun and you got yourself the most ideal colors for a paradise vacation website! When you’re selling a fantasy, something that you want consumers to buy, you need to sell them by using more than just good text and logos. You need to create a feeling for them.
If you’ve ever been to, or at least driven by a nightclub at night, then you know that the most used colors for signs and decor are black and purple. These two colors, when used together, give off a party feeling. How do you get that feeling from colors? It’s all about the psychology of color and
color association. As we live in this world and become more familiar with our surroundings, we subconsciously become just as aware of colors to signify what appeals to use. Rainbow sprinkles on a vanilla ice cream cone may appeal to kids rather than adults because kids associate rainbow colors with the feeling of happiness and content, and not so much for the flavor.
What color do you think of when you see the words Baby Boy? Blue, right? And the same thing goes for when you see the words Baby Girl; the color pink. These colors have been long associated with the gender of a baby for countless years. Girl, pink. Boy, blue. It’s what we grew up to learn and associate them with what we know.
Beyond just what we’ve been taught on color association and psychology, there are more in-depth research on which colors are. Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are mostly known as the “warm colors”: red, orange, and yellow. While colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as the “cool colors”: blue, purple, and green. Red represents action, aggressiveness, and excitement. Pair up red and gray, and it represents impulsiveness (great for those bidding websites out there!). Blue gives the feeling of sensitivity and loyalty. Pair up Blue with shades of red and brown
and you create a feeling of “safety”.
The more you get to learn the psychology of color, the more you will understand what works the best for websites, and you may just find out why some of your favorite websites keep you coming back!
PS: Here’s another article to read on the topic: “Color Psychology” at Wikipedia
