When developing an idea for a website design, one of the first things we think about is color. If the client already has a branding palette, we work within their guidelines. However, if the client does not, we have to develop one. But how do you choose the right color scheme for a business? In this blog post we discuss the importance of color in design, how to choose the right color for your brand or website color palette, and what you should avoid when choosing colors.
The importance of color in design
Color is an important marketing element. It can affect a consumer’s first impression. It can also affect their overall perception of a brand before they’ve ever seen or interacted with it.
There are no concrete rules or guidelines that guarantee everyone who sees a specific color will have exactly the same reaction. In many cases the way a customer feels about a color is more emotionally-driven than logical. We all come to the table with personal experiences that can affect our response. Research shows this. Therefore there are no “right colors.”
How to choose the right color scheme for your brand or website color palette
Rather than deciding you need to use, say, the color orange because you’ve heard that orange means value and appetite stimulation, think about using colors to evoke a mood. This is even more important when trying to develop a color scheme.
Questions we ask when we are developing a color palette for a new client:
- What mood do we want to evoke?
- What are other companies in a similar industry using? We want to stand out, to be different and distinguishable from our competitors.
The Three-Color Principle
While most brands are recognized by one color (Coca-Cola red, Facebook blue, Holiday Inn green, Home Depot orange), there are typically two other colors that help establish the branding. A full palette ensures that the colors complement each other and support the brand as a whole. Building a website with just one color (in addition to black) can look flat, stale and uninspired, while a site with a carefully considered palette can look more cohesive, intentional and well-thought-out.
The three-color principle is not exclusive to web design. It is a common guideline in art, cinematography and fashion. The 3 color rule is simple: pick one primary color and two complementary colors.
Primary Color: Approximately 60% of the design uses this color.
Secondary Color: Approximately 30% of the design uses this color
Accent Color: Approximately 10% of the design uses this color
There are many tools you can use to help choose the right colors. Colorhunt.co, Adobe Color, and canva.com are three popular ones.
What to avoid when choosing your website color palette
Choosing the right color combination can be key to telling the story of a business. It is also critical to readability.
Color Contrast
According to the AFB: American Foundation for the Blind, more than 50 million Americans have some degree of vision loss. Poor color contrast can make it exceptionally difficult for many people with vision loss to navigate a site. To measure the contrast between colors you can use Contrast Checker. This free tool allows easy contrast testing of any content on your screen by using the foreground and background eyedropper tools.
Overuse of color
Keep in mind that the primary purpose of your website is to have the site visitor read your content and the purpose of the design should be to make that content inviting and ultimately readable. Too many colors or colors that are too bold will actually take away from a user’s experience on the site. A site with too many colors is likely to frustrate or tire the reader, forcing them to leave the site altogether.
How to get started choosing a color palette for your website
Defining the color scheme for your website will be a process of trial and error. First, decide what mood you want to evoke. Then, research your completion so you understand what you need to do to stand out. Next, choose colors that evoke the right mood. Finally, test the colors with a contrast checker tool.
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