15
Mar

Do the Colors in My Web Site Matter?

There is a sort of psychology that lies within choosing certain colors above others when deciding the color scheme of a Web site.  Colors have a way of making people feel particular emotions.

 

For example, the color blue is seen as a very tranquil and serene color.  It is a cool color that emits a sense of calm, and a Web site with a primarily blue color scheme helps with attracting visitors to it – because blue is not only the most popular color on the Internet, but also the most popular color in the entire world.  Blue being a very agreeable color, a shade of blue tends to go very well with other colors more often than not.  While many shades prove to be soothing, an electric blue can act as an attention-grabber.

 

Then there is red: striking, passionate, and fierce.  It grabs our attention, so it is no wonder that stop signs are red.  This color makes a bold statement.  A bright yellow or lime green can also be eye-catching.

 

Speaking of green, this color is an incredibly popular choice for environmental-themed Web sites.  With nature being predominantly in shades of green, it is no wonder that they choose to bring green – and quite often lots of it – into their color scheme.

 

It is also important to keep in mind your Web sites targeted audience because while a  vivid color scheme of bright reds, yellows, greens, and blues may excite youngsters, older generations may find such a vibrant color scheme a tad overwhelming and prefer more subdued color schemes.  If you want to design a Web site with a pleasant aura, pastels usually do the trick.  Many colors with a touch of gray added to them also can prove to have a more calming effect.

 

So while you can design a Web site with all the colors in the rainbow in order to radiate a fun sense of energy, you can also design a Web site with a classic black-and-white color scheme.  A black-and-white color scheme emanates a professional and sophisticated air.  You do not need to fill up an entire Web site with color.  At times, utilizing the color white can improve the appearance of a Web site just as much as a light shade of blue.

 

It is important to take into consideration your Web site’s audience, the theme of your Web site, and what emotions you want your visitors to feel when exploring your Web site.  You want to be sure that your chosen color scheme attracts, and hopefully retains, visitors.