3 Important Color Theory Principles in Web Design

For centuries, people have already associated meanings to color. For instance, in antiquity, red was considered a protective color; while in ancient Greece, a kind of purple was associated with nobility because of the difficulty and intensity of labor required to produce it. Different cultures associate various colors with death or healing, good fortune or bad luck, love or hate, and so on. One color can also have varying and even contradictory connotations — black, for instance, is often associated with evil but is also worn by priests to signify submission to their god. On the other hand, some cultures associate black with mourning while others use white. In short, colors often stir up reactions in people, sometimes subtly but at other times, more pronounced.

1. 1. 1. Color in Marketing
         Today, this color association is being actively used in marketing. The effective use of hues, the right tint or shade, and the precise combination can subconsciously influence a consumer into taking interest in a product. Furthermore, it is used to try to convert that interest to instant recognition, to a sale, and to eventual brand loyalty.This same concept also applies to websites, wherein the right use of color elements can attract potential customers, while a bad choice could leave them disinterested or, worse, drive them away completely.
      2. Color Preferences
         When it comes to color theory for designers, certain elements are taken into account. For instance, the gender and age of the target audience must be considered, along with the geographical location, the type of product or service, among others. In a report by KissMetrics, men tend to simply identify colors by their general name such as green, while women would call it lime, moss, spring, clover, and so on. Also, based on a study in 2003 by Joe Hallock, blue was favored by 57 percent of men in the study while it was preferred by only 35 percent of women. Of course, times change and so do preferences. For instance, while black was avoided in days of yore, it is not so now. It is, therefore, important to be aware of what colors one’s target market reacts to, either positively or negatively.
      3. Color Coordination
         
         Some color combinations are pleasing while others aren’t. One’s choice of color combination can either attract or drive away potential customersA good choice of color combination creates harmony on a Web page, while a miscalculated one could result to visual chaos and confusion. A website owner and their designer need to come up with a color scheme that would be pleasant to the eyes and provide a sense of continuity and balance. The choice, whether it leans on cool or warm, or if it uses complementary, analogous, triadic, split complementary, rectangular, or square color schemes, needs to give the visitor a pleasant experience along with a sense of what the site is about.

Consumers judge a product within 90 seconds of seeing it, and 90 percent of that is based on the color. As far as a website goes, visitors will click away within a few seconds if they are not instantly attracted to it, in which case, color also plays an important role. Since color has psychological influence on consumers, business owners must seriously take it into consideration, especially in designing their website.

If you want to have a website that creates harmony, and provide a sense of continuity and balance, feel free to contact us today.

Sources
Tyrian purple – the color of the emperors
Blacks
Art of Color Coordination