How to Pick Colors for Your Business Website

The visual nature of websites demands choosing colors deliberately to better make your brand more recognizable. A new report titled, How to Choose a Color for Your Website by WebsiteBuilderExpert, looks at the importance of colors on websites, and how it impacts viewers.

Picking Colors for Your Website

Colors have an immediate impact on people. The emotions and psychology of colors are very much real. And according to the report, 85% of them claim color has a major influence on what they buy. Not only that, but colors also boost brand recognition by an average of 80%. So, understanding the color that best represents your business and industry can go a long way in building and increasing that recognition factor.

With that in mind, the next step is to choose a color scheme that best suits your brand for your website. According to Duncan Lambden, who wrote the report, “You have to get a good understanding of what you are selling/providing.”

A quick example he gives is, choose purple if you trying to achieve a more premium, high-end image as people associate it with royalty, high quality, and intrigue. And if you want to reach a wider audience blue is the color because it is a reassuring, gentle color. Lambden says it fits well for more delicate subjects, like healthcare or financials.

Here are some examples of colors, brands, and what they covey:

• Red: Coca-Cola or Nintendo – Implies excitement or happiness
• Orange: Nickelodeon or Fanta – Implies a friendly, fun time is ahead
• Yellow: Nikon or McDonalds – Implies optimism and happiness
• Green: Whole Foods or Animal Planet – Implies freshness and nature
• Blue: Walmart or American Express – Implies dependability and reassurance
• Purple: Hallmark or Cadbury – Implies a distinguished brand that has a history of quality
• Brown: Nespresso or UPS – Implies a reliable product that can be used by anyone
• Black: Chanel or Adidas – Implies luxury or elegance
• White: Apple or Nike – Implies sleek, user-friendly products

The Colors for Your Website

The report suggests choosing a primary color and following it with additional colors that complement it. Follow this with a background color and typeface color.

For more on the importance of colors, not only for your website but your brand as a whole, take a look at the infographic below.

When it comes to your website, the colors you choose play a crucial role in shaping the perception of your brand and influencing the behavior of your visitors. Understanding the psychology behind colors and their impact on people can help you make informed decisions about the color scheme that best represents your business. Here are some key takeaways to consider:

• Choose a Primary Color: Select a dominant color that aligns with the essence of your brand. For a more luxurious and high-end image, consider using purple, which evokes feelings of royalty and intrigue. If you aim to appeal to a broader audience, blue is a safe bet, as it exudes reassurance and gentleness, making it suitable for subjects like healthcare or financial services.
• Complement with Additional Colors: Once you’ve chosen your primary color, incorporate complementary colors that harmonize well with it. These additional colors can be used for accents, buttons, or other design elements, adding depth and visual interest to your website.
• Background and Typeface Color: Pay attention to the background color and typeface color. These should be chosen to ensure readability and overall visual cohesiveness. A clean, unobtrusive background color can create a pleasant user experience, while the typeface color should contrast well with the background to enhance readability.
• Brand Associations: Consider the associations that certain colors have with well-known brands. For example, red is often associated with excitement or happiness, as seen in Coca-Cola and Nintendo logos. On the other hand, white represents sleek and user-friendly products, as exemplified by Apple and Nike.

By carefully selecting and implementing colors on your website, you can enhance brand recognition, elicit desired emotions from your audience, and ultimately create a visually compelling and memorable online presence. For a more detailed exploration of color psychology and its impact on your brand, refer to the infographic provided by WebsiteBuilderExpert.

Testing and Iterating Color Schemes

For a business website, selecting the right color scheme is crucial, but it’s often a process of trial and error. Here’s a guide on how to test and iterate color schemes effectively:

• Start with Your Brand Colors: If your brand already has established colors, start by incorporating these into your website’s design. This ensures consistency across all platforms.
• Create Multiple Variations: Design several variations of your website with different color schemes. Try varying shades, contrasts, and combinations to see which best aligns with your brand and appeals to your audience.
• Use A/B Testing: Implement A/B testing to gauge user response to different color schemes. This involves showing different versions of your website to different segments of your audience and analyzing their behavior and feedback.
• Gather User Feedback: Directly asking your audience for feedback can be invaluable. Use surveys, social media polls, or feedback forms to get insights into user preferences.
• Analyze User Interaction: Utilize analytics tools to see how users interact with different color schemes. Pay attention to metrics like bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rates.
• Consider Readability and Accessibility: Ensure that your color choices do not hinder the readability of your content or accessibility for users with visual impairments. Tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker can help you test color contrast for accessibility.
• Iterate Based on Data: Use the data and feedback you gather to refine your color choices. Don’t hesitate to make adjustments based on what you learn.
• Stay Updated with Trends: While it’s important to stay true to your brand, keeping an eye on current design trends can provide fresh ideas and perspectives.
• Consult with Design Professionals: Sometimes, getting a professional opinion can make a big difference. Design professionals can offer insights and suggestions based on industry best practices.

Remember, the goal is to find a color scheme that not only represents your brand but also resonates with your audience and enhances their experience on your site. The right colors can significantly impact user engagement and conversions, making this an important aspect of your website’s design strategy.

Conclusion

The visual impact of colors on websites is undeniable, with a significant influence on people’s emotions and purchasing behavior. The report, “How to Choose a Color for Your Website,” emphasizes that 85% of consumers consider color as a major factor in their buying decisions, while colors boost brand recognition by an average of 80%. Understanding the right colors to represent your business is crucial for building and increasing brand recognition.

Selecting a primary color that aligns with your brand essence is the first step, with purple conveying a premium image and blue appealing to a wider audience with reassurance and gentleness. Complementing the primary color with harmonizing additional colors adds depth and visual interest to your website, while background and typeface colors should be chosen for readability and cohesiveness. By considering the associations certain colors have with well-known brands, such as red signifying excitement and happiness, or white representing sleek and user-friendly products, you can make informed decisions to create a visually compelling and memorable online presence. Carefully implementing colors on your website will not only attract visitors but also leave a lasting impact, making your brand more recognizable in the long run.

Image: websitebuilderexpert