The psychology of colour in web design

You have visited the site and suddenly caught yourself thinking: "Something is wrong here, but what is it?". And it may not be because of complicated navigation or lack of discounts, but because of... colours! Yes, yes, colour psychology is a powerful tool that, if used correctly, can literally draw customers to the site (or scare them away if something went wrong).

Colour is not just the icing on the cake, it is the basis of how your website is perceived. Psychologists claim that colour can influence people's emotions, moods and even decisions! For example, green is associated with calmness and nature, while red is associated with energy and passion. Now let's take a closer look at how it all works.

Do the colours of the website matter

Colour is the first thing a user notices on a website. We all know famous websites that are already imprinted in our memory with their colour scheme. Facebook? Of course, blue! Instagram? The famous gradient. And it's all part of the overall strategy of brands.

Here are some vivid facts about colour and their impact:

• Blue inspires confidence. There's a reason why banks and insurance companies love this colour so much! Take a comfortable chair and remember the logos of Visa, PayPal or Twitter - they all try to evoke calm and reliability.
• Red spurs action. It's a colour that literally screams: "Buy!", "Order!" or even "Run.if you see discounts 90%!". But don't overdo it, otherwise you'll get irritation instead of a pleasant impulse.
• Black and white are the perfect pair. These colours bring elegance and a sense of high status. Suitable for luxury brands, minimalist designs and expensive offerings.
• Yellow brings joy and energy. But there is a risk that its brightness will give someone a headache, so use it carefully in its pure form.

Now a question: if colours are so important, which ones are definitely worth using?

What colour attracts customers

The short answer is one that reflects your brand and audience. But if you want to be more specific, here's the research data:

• Blue - leads the polls and is liked by the majority of users.
• Red - Increases conversions, especially for action buttons (aka call-to-action).
• Orange - combination of joy and energy, attracts a creative audience.
• Green Ideal for sites about nature, ecology and finance.

A few interesting facts about colour:

• Women and men perceive colours differently. Men are more inclined to shades of blue and green, while women are more inclined to pastel colours.
• Children love bright, vibrant colours.
• White background is considered a classic, because it gives your eyes a rest and makes the information readable.

Who is behind the choice of colour palette

Working on a colour concept is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also of deep analysis. Web designers и marketers - real masters of their craft! They spend hours researching the psychology of the target audience, testing different shades and keeping up with the latest trends in the world of design. It's a job that requires not only creativity, but also the ability to analyse figures.

How designers work with colour? They use special tools such as colour palettes, combination tables and A/B testing. After all, even a slight change in the shade of a button can increase conversion or, on the contrary, reduce user interest. And of course, in every project the web designer thinks first of all about the comfort and emotions of users, creating harmonious, attractive and effective solutions.

Choosing the right web design colour

Let's be honest: colours are also fun. Remember the memes about websites in the style of "2007: glowing buttons, acid background"? Such projects looked awful back then, but now they're nostalgic.

After all, as they say, good design is not just about "clicking a button", it's about getting the user to speak up: "Cool! I want to stay here longer.".