Colours and colour combinations send different messages to consumers. People automatically make connections between certain colours and emotions.
According to info graphic by Kiss metrics colour increases brand recognition by up to 80% and can be up to 85% the reason why people decide to buy. So getting the right mix of colours on your website is vital for getting repeating customers. The colours you choose for your site will tell consumers a lot about your products and you as a company.
Red
Red can be associated with love, confidence and danger. The colour creates urgency, so it is often used to advertise sales and markdowns, because it is a bold colour that catches the eye.
Pink
The colour that is most commonly associated with femininity, romance and love. Pink has a soothing effect so can be used to offset more aggressive colours like black. Today, most people would associate pink with breast cancer awareness. It is also used on ecommerce stores to target young women and mothers.
Orange
Orange falls between red and yellow on the emotional spectrum. It is friendlier than red and stronger than yellow. It radiates ambition and warmth. Pairing orange with cool shades of blue can give off a positive and exciting vibe. Orange is a good colour to use if you want to create a call to action, e.g. ‘subscribe today’.
Yellow
A cheerful and playful colour that will really grab a customer’s attention. This is a good colour to add happiness to your sight. Be careful not to overuse yellow, as it can be hard on the eyes.
Green
This is one of the easiest colours for the eye to process, so is used a lot online. It is associated with nature when used for beauty products. Green also shows a symbol of wealth. Be careful with the shade of green you use as this can drastically change the connotations of the colour.
Blue
Blue is a colour often used by banks and businesses to create a sense of trust and responsibility. Again, this is a colour where the shade or hue can change its meaning. It is a good colour to use when customers are buying on your site because it creates a sensation of brand loyalty.
Purple
Purple gives consumers ideas of luxury, power and royalty. It is another colour which is calming and soothing and is often used for anti-ageing products. Use on your website to create a ‘high brow’ feeling towards your brand.
Brown
This is a dependable colour, so will be reassuring to customers. Brown signifies stability, therefore portraying you as wholesome and reliable. Although it can be seen as dull, so avoid at all costs if you want your brand to seem young and hip!
White
White has a positive connotation and can be used with just about any colour. It reflects a feeling of purity and cleanliness. On its own, white is fresh, open and inviting so makes it a great choice for e commerce. Using black alongside white on your site will give it a strong, bold look.
Black
Often seen as a strong, powerful neutral colour, it is confident and will dominate your site. However, excessive use can give off a bland and gloomy ambience, so use with other tranquil colours. This is also another good colour to market luxury products.
Grey
Grey is a serious colour that can be connected with a conservative mind-set. It is a good colour to use as a backdrop against more vibrant colours such as orange and yellow.
The important thing to remember is that colours mean different things depending on the context they are placed. Using two colours together will create a completely different meaning to when they are used separately. Test out looking at other e-commerce sites colour schemes and see how they make you feel.
Imogen Farmer specialises in online marketing. She writes on behalf of the Creative Academy.
Featured images: image source
Marty Huggins
