When clients come to us to create a website, they most often do not have a clear vision of what they want their site to look like. But, with our experienced web designers guiding them through the process we always come up with a site they are vary proud to of. This often includes any logo or branding items they may have as well as fonts and colors. It is important to choose the right colors for your website, but the choice of website color is often more than simply what “looks good”. The color palate of a website can affect the user’s behavior and response, this is referred to as color psychology.
What colors make a website color palette?
- Start with a base color, this is the main color used throughout the site. This color can be used in different hues to create the main body of the site.
- Select an accent color. An accent color can be used to make a link, button or text stand out against the base color.
- Select a text color, usually black, white or grey for ease of reading it is recommended not to use colored text.
How to select a base color:
- Start with your brand, if your brand has an established logo you may select a color that is found within your brand’s logo. This will also help with brand recognition.
- Avoid stereotypical colors, if your website is selling coffee you don’t have to immediately choose brown.
- Your website’s predicted audience, a website that sells balloons might be bright and colorful but a website that is for a medical professional may need more subdued colors.
- Color psychology and what affect you’d like your website to have on its viewers:
The most common colors interpretations are:
* Red: Love, danger, anger, war. A darker red could be related to elegance.
* Orange: Energy, vitality, autumn.
* Yellow: Warning, happiness, cowardice, or wealth, in a golden shade.
* Pink: Femininity, romance, sensitivity. Could also convey energy and innovation.
* Purple: Royalty, luxury, creativity, spirituality.
* Blue: Sadness, calm, reliability, trust, corporate.
* Green: Nature, luck, cleanliness (depending on the shade).
* Grey: Conservative, modernity, luxury.
* Black: Elegance, power, strength.
* White: Purity, cleanliness, elegance
Once you settled on a base color it is time to select an accent color
- An accent color should stick out against the base color
- You may select more than one accent color.
- To select a color that sticks out we often use color theory to select a color opposite the base color on the color wheel. For example, if your base color is blue ideal accent colors could be red or orange.
Selecting the right color may take some trial and error to land on the right palette. There are quite a few color generators to help create a cohesive palette. The use of color palette and color psychology will come in handy with more than just websites. The use of a consistent color palette for social media posts and infographics can all increase your brand credibility and recognition.
