Use of Color in Your Website and Marketing

Color plays a big part in the minds of people, and have particular application as it pertains to evoking certain emotional responses we want to see happen, say for instance on our sales pages!

The psychology of color offers us a great deal of data to digest. This data shows us specific choices we can make regarding colors for our web pages, marketing pieces, buy buttons and a lot more. Even though this information is valuable, it is still incumbent upon us to evaluate what works the best for our particular audience.

The basics of color psychology

It starts off with a surprising truism: the favorite color for both men and women is blue. That’s where similarities end, however. Some of the data means multiple things. For instance, green can mean money, the environment, and calm to various people. Reds can mean stop, excitement and boldness, dependant upon whom you’re talking to. Brown could mean ruggedness, or indicate a warmth. Women love purple, men detest it. Are you starting to see the issue here?

So how do you use this information in your marketing?

The best way to succeed with this is by testing for the best responses in your own audience. Each of us have different demographics that we work within, and what works for one will not fit all others.

• Start by figuring out your own demographics. Who is your audience, or your intended audience? This will make a difference in regards to testing. Young, old, male, female; it does matter.
• Whichever colors you choose, make important parts, especially any calls to action, stand out with the use of a bolder, yet complimentary color.
• Color evokes mood, and that ought to be taken into account when working out how to best convey your message.
• Try to be consistent, and start by keeping your hyperlinks blue. There is some case for familiarity, and there’s no sense in making it harder to get clicks by putting the links in different colors.

Above all, take time to test colors that work best for your particular audience, as it will be quite different, even from your competition.