Branding

Colour Psychology and how can it help your website

Author
Abbey Warne
Published
25th November 2021
Length
3 minute read

The colours you choose for your website have the power to convey much more than just your aesthetic. Colours can have a meaning or message behind them, and you can use these colours to get your message across too.

What is colour psychology?

Often, in our heads, we relate certain colours to different scenarios. If you were to see a group of people, all dressed in black, you might automatically assume they had come from a funeral. Red lipstick is seen as a passionate fashion choice and choosing to put yellow flowers in a room could be done strategically to invoke feelings of happiness.
Colour psychology discusses the inherent and cultural associations that we apply to different colours. Studies show that it might be possible to reduce crime by changing to more blue-hued streetlamps or even increase the effectiveness of placebo pills, just by using a warm-toned tablet. Whilst some of our thoughts around colour might be dependant on our own personal upbringing, there are certain universal connotations that the majority of people agree on.

 

Often, in our heads, we relate certain colours to different scenarios. If you were to see a group of people, all dressed in black, you might automatically assume they had come from a funeral. Red lipstick is seen as a passionate fashion choice and choosing to put yellow flowers in a room could be done strategically to invoke feelings of happiness.

Colour psychology discusses the inherent and cultural associations that we apply to different colours. Studies show that it might be possible to reduce crime by changing to more blue-hued streetlamps or even increase the effectiveness of placebo pills, just by using a warm-toned tablet. Whilst some of our thoughts around colour might be dependant on our own personal upbringing, there are certain universal connotations that the majority of people agree on.

 

 

Some simple Colour Psychology Associations are:

  • Red = anger/ passion
  • Blue = calm/ trust
  • Yellow  = happiness/ warmth
  • Green= nature/ healing
  • Black= formality/ sophistication
  • White= purity/ freshness

How can you use Colour Psychology to your advantage?

Before you start to take advantage of colour Psychology,  first ask yourself these 3 questions:

  1. Do I have a message I would like to convey?
  2. How do I want people to feel when they’re on my site?
  3. How can I fit it in with my branding?

Your Message

The colours you choose can help to convey the goals of your website or products.

For example, if you are promoting products with a focus on cleanliness and freshness, you might want to use white as your base.

For example, a site selling all-natural shampoo bars has chosen to use white with accents of saturated colour, representing the purity of their naturally made products.

How it makes you feel

To entice customers to complete conversions, or to perceive your brand in a certain way,  you can use colour to make them feel different emotions by choosing certain colours.

Using this waste management site as an example, they have chosen to use a combination of light blue, lilac and darker purple. Waste management might seem like something not so glamorous, but the lilac invokes the memory of lavender, bringing calmness. The light blue shows trust and the darker purple brings authority. Overall, the subject of waste management becomes more glamorous and the company has presented itself as clean, professional and knowledgeable.

Branding

Before choosing to use certain colours, it is important to make sure that they fit with your current brand guidelines. Colour Psychology should fit into your branding and website plan without taking over.

 

If you’re looking to use colour psychology…

You can find information on the different colours and their meanings here

If you’re thinking about revamping your site, why not add a little colour psychology into your plan?

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