Website Colour Psychology
Posted by Nick Boy
Brook Cottage offers a full design and build service for websites of any kind. One of the most important considerations when putting together a new site is the colour scheme and for many of our clients picking the right colours can significantly boost the website's impact. There are many theories linking colours and the psychological reactions of the audience. So when picked carefully colour can help boost your brand, increase customer confidence and reinforce your brand values, all of which could increase sales.
There are, of course, exceptions to every rule but here's a short guide to some of the common colours and theories...
There are, of course, exceptions to every rule but here's a short guide to some of the common colours and theories...
> RED
Red is stimulating, bold, confident and youthful. It's also said that it increases the appetite, making it a very popular choice for many well known fast food brands! It's also commonly associated with red roses and romance and deeper tones are often used to suggest strength and the lasting qualities of a brick wall.
It's probably the most powerful colour, and can be associated with danger and stop signs - in fact some theories suggest attainment in exams is reduced by the colour red. Use it carefully though and it can work wonderfully.
It's probably the most powerful colour, and can be associated with danger and stop signs - in fact some theories suggest attainment in exams is reduced by the colour red. Use it carefully though and it can work wonderfully.
> BLUE
Blue is a common choice for large corporate brands seeking to promote dependability, security and reliability. Utility companies often use darker shades to represent their services - water/ gas etc as well as to promote a strong, experienced brand. Lighter shades are friendly and open and have become a popular choice for social media sites - including Facebook and Twitter.
Most men would pick blue as their favourite colour, it curbs appetite and is often associated with water and peacefulness.
Most men would pick blue as their favourite colour, it curbs appetite and is often associated with water and peacefulness.
> GREEN
Green is a classy choice. It's strong association with nature makes it excellent for evoking calmness and suggesting affluence, optimism and rejuvenation. Darker shades are strongly linked with money, growth and stability. Workers in green environments apparently take less sick days.
In the 15th century green was the choice for most wedding dresses because of it's link with fertility. Green is most strongly associated with environmental brands and movements, so ethical standards can be promoted with a green colour palette.
In the 15th century green was the choice for most wedding dresses because of it's link with fertility. Green is most strongly associated with environmental brands and movements, so ethical standards can be promoted with a green colour palette.
> PINK
Youthful femininity and playfulness are still the strongest messages from pink. It also works well for suggesting romance, calmness and is used effectively by several large charities, evoking softness and kindness.
Brands looking to evoke memories of days gone by use pink effectively too - think of an old fashioned sweet shop for example.
Brands looking to evoke memories of days gone by use pink effectively too - think of an old fashioned sweet shop for example.
> ORANGE
If red is a bit too strong for your brand how about orange? It's vibrant, energetic and often used well in creative schemes. Like red it's warm, strong and exciting, but less commonly seen and less overwhelming.
> YELLOW
Babies are more prone to crying in a yellow room and it's most likely to strain your eyes, but don't let that put you off! Yellow is also considered the most energising colour, because of it's obvious links with the sun. It's warm, happy and grabs attention. Darker shades can also be used to associate a site with wisdom, authority and antiquity.
> BLACK / WHITE / GREY
Black, white and grey are popular choices as background colours (including on this very site!), allowing your other colours to stand out. Black is associated with modernity and sophistication and white can suggest simplicity, innocence and emptiness. Pretty much every website will use at least one of these three colours and when used well they can really tie a scheme together beautifully.
