Why Color Matters in Web Design

Color is a very powerful weapon. Having a solid understanding of color meanings gives you an invaluable tool to create a successful business.

The Internet is primarily a visual medium and color is the easiest and most advantageous way to get a message across to your audience.

“Half of the people that are visiting a website do not come back because of the color of the design. The first things people recognize when they are visiting a website are the brand colors. If you have multiple colors and a dominant color is undeterminable, it is most likely people will not want to return to your website.”  (http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/colors-in-web-design-make-websites-successful/)

Colors attract attention and are one of the primary keys to good web design. Choosing colors for a website is not simply choosing your favorites - it is choosing colors that will strengthen the website and the branding and personality of a business. (http://www.helpscout.net/blog/psychology-of-color/)

Before selecting the colors for your website, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:

• Who is your target demographic?

• What are your products or services?

• What is the primary objective of your site? E-commerce? Commercial? Personal?

Photo Credit: https://aliceteach.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/ccdzn-color-theory-wallpaper2560.png

Below is a list of colors and their potential meanings:
(http://www.arttherapyblog.com/online/color-meanings-symbolism/#.VUkML_lVikp)

• Red: alertness, romance, fire, determination, strength, power, and aggression. Red is a very emotionally intense color.

• Orange: creativity, disorder, sunshine, joy, flexibility, independence, and success. Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow.

• Yellow: activity, expression, brightness, illumination, intellect, wisdom, and truth.

• Green: nature, fertility, growth, envy, friendship, harmony, and health.

• Blue: acceptance, loyalty, security, conservatism, tranquility, coldness, and sadness.

• Purple: aristocracy, creativity, mystery, royalty, mysticism, rarity and femininity.

• Brown: natural, earthy, welcoming, trustworthy, reliable, rugged, and confident.

• Black: power, sophistication, contemporary style, death, morbidity, evil, night.

• White: purity, innocence, cleanliness, truth, peace, coldness, sterility.

• Gray: detached, neutral, conservative, reliable, calming and elegant.

Keep in mind that different shades of colors can have different meanings. For instance, bright red give the viewer the indication to stop, but a reddish brown can symbolize autumn and a connection with nature.

Do not be afraid to explore each color and their different shades when deciding on a color scheme for your website.

Of course colors mean different things to different people; they are very dependent on personal experiences. There is a high probability that you will not choose a color that will be liked by every visitor of your website; therefore it is more important to determine what colors work best for your target audience.