Did you look at the image below before reading this?
Well, according to research, the brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than the time it takes to decode text. This is inclusive of colours. There has been much research in the way of colour psychology and the differing connotations attached to various colours.
So, should you take colour into consideration when designing your brand’s website?
Well, the answer is yes – definitely.
Studies have claimed that colour is the first thing a consumer will notice about a brand’s logo and that the colour of a product can influence 60 to 80 percent of a customer’s purchasing decision.
Colours can be representative of different moods and emotions which should be noted when choosing a colour scheme for your website.
Here are a few things to think about when doing so:
1. Bright/neon colours can be distracting and make text difficult to read. Therefore, try to limit the number of colours used on the page to a just a few.
2. Colours can be used to create associations between a consumer and your brand, so by keeping a similar colour scheme throughout your website, logo and branding, it can help with brand recognition and increase the chances of a consumer remembering your brand.
3. When choosing colour for your text, make sure it’s easy to read and eye-catching to the reader. You don’t want large clumps of red text that will give visitors to your site a headache.
4. The colour of your background is equally as important, backgrounds that are too bright can be off putting and may even lead to a visitor clicking straight off your website. Choose something that is light, soft or an image that is slightly faded to make reading headings and body text easier.
5. Think about colours in relation to the other factors of your website, as this combination can influence how long a visitor chooses to spend on your website and how much of it they consume.
Example
We used the colour blue throughout one of our client’s websites – Newcastle based aerial photography company, InspectAir. Blue by itself has connontations of peace, tranquillity, trust and loyalty. As the colour of the sky and water, it was also fitting for the company as much of their work involves capturing images and videos of landscapes and buildings.
The different shades of blue help to break the text and images up whilst still reflecting the brand’s identity. The logo and images sit nicely against the blue making it easier for visitors to read and navigate around.
So, if you think choosing colours doesn’t make much of a difference, think again!
