We all encounter color on a daily basis, and use it to make simple observations and decisions. The world of the web is no exception. Color can easily influence a user to stay on a web page, enjoy it, read it, and even make purchases or sign up for a newsletter. It can just as easily scare a user off in a matter of seconds. Here are a few tips to aid in choosing the right colors for your website. These tips should help you identify the perfect palette with reason and confidence behind your choice.
Content
Knowing what your site is stands for and what kind of environment you want to convey should be the first thing to consider. You don’t have to be a designer or a color theorist to know how you feel when you interact with different colors. Below is a general list of the basic meanings of color. Keep in mind however, when you create a palette the combination of colors can change how one perceives the meaning.
Basic Color Meanings
Red: energy, passion, excitement, power; also implies aggression, danger.
Blue: coolness, spirituality, freedom, patience, loyalty, peace, trustworthiness; can also imply sadness, depression.
Yellow: light, optimism, happiness, brightness, joy.
Green: life, naturalness, restfulness, health, wealth, prosperity; in certain contexts, can imply decay, toxicity.
Orange: friendliness, warmth, approachability, energy, playfulness, courage.
Violet: wisdom, sophistication, celebration.
White: purity, cleanliness, youth, freshness, peace.
Black: power, elegance, secrecy, mystery.
Gray: security, maturity, reliability.
Pink: romance a feminine color.
Brown: comfort, strength, stability, credibility.
Brand Identity
Does your church have a strong logo and brand identity already? If so, this is a great place to start. Choosing hues directly from your logo, with the addition of different tones of those colors will help your website feel branded and connected with the entity it represents.
Audience
If you don’t have a brand to represent on your website, that gives you a lot more flexibility and choice. That can feel overwhelming though. Something important to consider here is your target audience. Is there a certain age group, gender, location, etcetera that you are trying to reach? Older age groups tend to enjoy more natural tones, and slightly subdued hues. A younger audience tends to appreciate bolder colors and higher contrast. Do some research. What trends are you seeing in the colors of clothing, products, and design that companies are selling to your target audience? Marketers are giving you clues right now about what sells and what different audiences find fresh, so feed off that.
Basics
Here are a few basic principles to keep in mind which apply to whatever color scheme you choose.
- Choose a palette, and limit the number of colors in it. Around three different hues is a good place to aim for your website. A little variety is included, but not so many colors that the user feels overwhelmed. Using tools such as Color Scheme Designer or Design Seeds are great tools A simple palette will help the site feel connected as well. Feel free to use different shades or tints of those three colors.
- Contrast. Make sure that your site has enough contrast to pop in the places you want to draw attention to. This is especially important in your body text. You want this to be readable. Dark grey or black text on a light background for your body copy works very well.
- Avoid unnaturally bright or standard HTML colors on your website, especially in your text. It’s no longer the 90’s and you are not limited to the standard red, blue, and green colors, so don’t use them. Otherwise your website will look about 20 years old!