Have you ever noticed how many websites are using a blue color scheme? Trust us, it’s a lot.

While blue may seem overused at times, there are psychological reasons why it tends to be successful. Turns out different colors have a range of psychological effects on consumers, from inciting action to calming the mind to urging them to spend. Here, we’ll get into the “why” and offer guidance on choosing a great color scheme for your website.

 

What is Color Theory, and How Does it Affect Us?

The human eye can see millions of colors, but only in certain combinations. This is because there are three types of cones in our eyes that respond to different wavelengths of light. The cones send neural impulses that create the perception of color.

Color theory is a branch of art that deals with the usage, meaning and arrangement of colors. It also studies how humans perceive color and provides guidelines for safe mixing.

In most situations, people will buy products that are more expensive when they are presented with color images rather than black-and-white images, even if the images are the same otherwise.

 

Why Darker Colors Tend to Appeal More to Web Visitors than Lighter Colors

There are many reasons why people prefer darker colors. One of them is that we typically associate dark colors with power and strength.

The colors we choose to wear can have a profound effect on how we feel about ourselves too. For example, if you wear a dark outfit, you may feel more confident and powerful than if you wear lighter colored clothes.

Black tends to be more popular than white overall. One reason is because black is typically seen as more elegant than white. Another is that people associate black with death and mourning, which makes it seem more serious.

 

The Science Behind the Color Blue

Blue is the easiest color for humans to detect, so it has the advantage of being much more noticeable.

Additionally, blue is often used as a calming color because it can help reduce stress and mental fatigue. It also stimulates creativity and promotes productivity. It is well-known that blue (especially dark blue) can increase performance in language fluency and reasoning tasks, as well as general task completion speed.

The psychological effect of colors is not without controversy – there are many studies claiming that people feel more tired in front of a computer screen with a blue light than they do with other colors or brightness levels (such as a warm red).

The blue recency effect is the tendency for people to remember the last thing they saw more than other things seen before it. It can be applied to color psychology in general, but it is most commonly referenced when discussing the use of blue colors in marketing and advertising.

 

How to Choose the Right Color Scheme for Your Business Website

Here are some tips to help you decide the best color scheme for your website:

  • Determine your brand’s personality and voice. What’s the image you want to portray? What colors are associated with your industry?
  • Keep it simple! It’s generally best to choose one or two colors that complement each other well, with an optional one or two that serve as accents.
  • Keep in mind that people see color differently, so it’s important to test out various schemes before making a final decision. You can test color schemes easily using tools such as Coolors.co, or by simply showing others your website to see how visitors might react to the color scheme.
  • Be consistent! You should stick with one brand-aligned color scheme throughout the entire site.

Through our branding and creative services, Aker Ink’s design professionals can help you discover the perfect color combination for your website.