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How to pick the right colors for my website.

Importance of color selection is apparent. We website owners place a lot of hope on our site. We expect it to communicate with our potential buyers, we expect it to entertain our visitors, our websites work, sell, entertain, amuse, inform, and educate our visitors every single moment.  Considering our expectations from our website it is in our best interest to appropriately build and dress the website. I say appropriately because as we all already know that each color may have a different physiological effect on the visitor. And Depending on our objectives, our expectations from the website we must choose an appropriate color that would aid our website in our goals.

Most of us already know that color can trigger emotions. Each color has a profound physiological and emotional effect on humans. Dr. Morton Walker, in his book The Power of Color, suggested that the ancient Egyptians as well as the Native American Indians used color and colored light to heal.

Know what your website is supposed to achieve. First you have to determine the objective for your website is it supposed to sell? Entertain? Compel? Educate? You must carefully select the color scheme because the effect can be either devastating if you choose the wrong color or tremendous if you hit it right. I’ve done some research and outlined what color is used for which purpose.

Color Table and Appropriate Use

Amber (#FFBF00) – Amber Color Can be described as Mellow, Abundant, Fertile

Amber color is best used in websites attempting to promote expensive or high-ticket items such as jewelry, watches etc.

Black (#000000) – Black Color Can be best described as Anger, Anonymity, Arty, Darkness, Depth, Elegance, Evil, Fear, Formality, Malevolent, Mourning and Death, Mystery, Power, Remorse, Sadness, Secrecy, Seriousness, Sexuality, Sinister, Sophisticated, Style, Underground, Unhappiness, Wealth.

Black Color is best used in websites attempting to create an intense sober and dramatic feeling. If you are going for seriousness, elegance, style choose black. Remember however that black can easily be overused. Try to balance the presence of black as to not let it dominate the website.

Blue (#0000FF) – Blue Color Can be described as inspirational, youthful, spiritual, truthful, peaceful, distant and sincere.

Blue Color is best used in websites attempting to appeal to conservative audience. Color blue will also encourage communication and perhaps aid you in your attempt to convey a compelling message.  Blue is a typical corporate color.

Brown (#996600) – Brown Color Can be described as solid wholesome. Natural earth feeling brings stability and continuity. Productivity, Reliability, Credibility Endurance all describe brown color best.

Brown Color is best used in websites attempting to appeal conventional and orderly crowd. If your site is catering towards hard working (manual and otherwise physical labor) visitors brown is the best color to use.

Crimson (#DC143C) – Crimson Color is usually associated with violence, courage, and martyrdom

Crimson Color is best used in logos, and certain elements of the website but not advisable to use as a primary color for the entire site. It promotes courage and will make your logo seem stronger to the visitor. However be very careful with the use of this color.

Emerald (#50C878) – Emerald Color Can be best described as approval, permit ion to proceed, relaxation, money, new

Ironically Emerald color could be an excellent color for the use on the website with Antiques theme. Because of its name emerald and association with the gemstone. Also green color will sell. So use emerald and other green shades when your purpose is to sell a product. Promotion of New products is also advisable for this color.

Gold (#FFD700) – Gold Color Can be best described as mysterious, rare, antique, expensive, beautiful, desired, extravaganza, somber and traditional.

Color gold is a combination of Yellow and Brown. It can be best used in jewelry industry. Sites that sell or promote jewelry would greatly benefit from the use of color gold. Also the color gold is used in sites that deal with history, religion, specifically Christianity and Catholicism.

 

Green (#008000) – Green Color Can be best described as nature, fertility, life, self-respect, learning, growth, harmony, money, Friday

Green color is used to compel to buy. If your site is designed to sell a specific product use green. Green will help your prospective customer to make a decision as it symbolizes permit ion to go. Green instills safe choice into the mind of a prospective customer as most green exit signs and traffic signs are green.

Grey (#808080) – Grey Color can be best described as mediocrity, background noise, unnoticed, neutral, sadness, industrialism, sorrow, maturity, security

Using grey as main color can be advantageous if the goal of your website is to portray neutrality. More often than not gray is used as a space filler or background color to create a balance or rather a neutralizer.

 

Orange (#FFA500) – Orange Color can be best described as brightness, delight, enjoyment, passion, appeal, inventiveness, purpose, attraction, success, encouragement, stimulation, heat.

Orange color is very effective in promoting food products and anything for the children. If your site is geared towards produce or catering to children consider orange as your primary color.

Pink (#FFCBDB) – Pink color can be best described as feminine, innocent, childlike, spring, flowers, sexuality,

If you are in the business of women’s apparel, in the flower business consider using pink as a secondary main color.

 

Red (#FF0000) – Red color can be best described as hot or heat, danger, emergency, stop, danger,

Cautiously use color red when you are attempting to grab the visitors attention. If you overuse it however your website visitors will be annoyed and eventually avoid your site as red causes them to get alert and an expectation of something important is not fulfilled.

 

 This document was painstakingly compiled by conducting research using several different medias such as books, internet, live examples I was able to review.

 

 

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