Colour: Why it’s so important on the Web

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Being a designer at V8Media means being concerned with colours. Not only colours, but the psychology that surrounds them and how to positively connect with a website audience without being too bold in our assumptions!
Combining a clever user experience with attractive prowess is not always an easy task. There can be a lot to think about when designing for a wide audience, especially when psychological aspects are involved i.e. Colour!

Colours are associated with emotions, moods and feelings. They can dramatically affect the way in which a user perceives your website. By choosing a good combination of colours to reflect your branding and the image you want to portray, your target audience will feel more connected to your brand, company or organisation.

Colour meanings can be subjective, but some colours have universal meanings, some of which are listed below!

• Red
Strength, boldness, excitement, passionate, can represent both love and anger.

• Orange
Affordability, stimulation, creativity, cheerfulness, enthusiasm. Shares attributes of both red and yellow and can be associated with energy and warmth.

• Yellow
Happiness, energetic, a happy colour. It can represent joy, comfort and intellect.

• Green
Durability, reliability, safety, honesty, optimism, freshness. Signifies nature, growth, and renewal. Green is sometimes associated with envy or jealousy.

• Blue
Depth, stability, professionalism, loyalty, reliability, honour, trust. Calming and cool, but too much can be depressing. Often associated with a corporate business.

• Purple/Violet
Power, nobility, luxury, royalty, elegance and wealth. It’s also a mysterious colour, and is thought to be creative – hence V8Media’s purple!

• Black
Elegance, sophistication, formality, strength and mystery. It is very versatile and can be edgy, traditional, modern and sexy all at the same time!

• White
Associated with purity and innocence. It goes well with any other colour.

• Gray
Intelligence, seriousness, neutral and balanced. It is conservative and sophisticated, but can also be seen as moody.

• Brown
Endurance, relaxing, confident, casual, reassuring and earthy. A down-to-earth colour that can represent stability and reliability.

Resources:
Colour Meanings
Colour Theory
The Psychology of Web Design
Colour Scheme Designer