A reader calling himself “areyoukiddingme” writes about color symbolism:
Why are you making such a big deal out of what color your page uses? You should be more focused on the content on your website, the drop down menus, the organization, homepage outline, etc. Color is the last thing you should worry about. Personally, though, I would go with black letters and a white background. The only color that should be different is your logo. By the way, links should always be blue.
Do you agree? While I agree with him that text should be black on white (or very dark on very light) for good contrast and readability. But it seems extreme to say that ’[the] only color that should be different is your logo.” And I think that even if you agree completely with him, color symbolism is important. For example, if your logo incorporates a hat of some type, and it's colored green, you may be sending the completely wrong message to Chinese customers. In China, green hats are used as a term for a cuckold. Just because of the color, you have made your site logo at best funny to potential Chinese customers.
I'd love to hear what you think. Please post in the comments or give your opinion about the importance of color symbolism on web pages.
Scientists have already proven the importance of colour. Colours can affect moods and opinions. Having the right colours on your website can change your visitor’s opinion of your company.
Also, if everything has the same colour, it would, for example, be hard to distinquish the different elements of a website.
I do agree with the blue links. Everybody links blue words with a link.
Colour is of paramount importance, can’t understand why anyone would think otherwise.
I think every part of a website is important but some are key factors. I think color is important but not the key for designing if you follow the basic thing like black color letters and white or any other colored background. It is important how your contents are look like? If they are user and search engine friendly and easily readable then it is not important what the color is. And sometimes color is important for logos but not all the time.
So, I think color is not a big issue like the layout,graphics and design for designing a website.
Hope this will help.
So when you start your designs is a colour scheme not what you think of first? or do you go with content, layout first? Interested to know how others work.
Are you kidding me “areyoukiddingme”? Color has emotional impact. It adds emphasis. It directs attention. It adds meaning e.g. Link colors. If color was not important, we would not have color in other media. – print, t.v., movies. We would not have it in packaging, but even No Name brand has color. Even the birds know the value of color and we know what they say about their brains.
Color can be overdone or poorly done, so a large amount of black and white is safe. However, limiting the use of color to only the logo is going way too safe. It’s missing a great opportunity. One way to tell – A B split testing.
I’m all for dark text on a light background, but some kind of color theme on a page makes it visually interesting, without so much color that it distracts the eye away from the content.
A lot of color also has a tendency to wear a visitor out. If you want them to stay a while and read the content, it’s best to use color sparingly.
The colors we choose give a “feel” to a web page as well as have a psychological impact on the visitor, and we can select them based upon what we wish to convey.
I’ll quiet my mind, look at the page, and ask myself how it feels. If it doesn’t impart the feeling I want, I’ll try something else until it does.
I have a number of sites up, from genealogy to politics. Color can be important, such as highliging something that people need to be aware of, like an incumbent candidate, or a link to a gravesite in genealogy pages. I use subdued colors on some of my pages, such as Old Linen and on others I used brighter colors across a 3 column layout. That way folks know where they are on the page. It all depends on the type of page and what it is you are trying to get across.
Color adds another “dimension” to websites and evoke emotions, which is what branding and marketing is all about. Color moves the eye around the page to match with photos and logo, and add what artists know as “composition” to the overall page. For example, would you create a website for a client with a color in the name like The Pink Cottage, with a white background and black text?Just my opinion.
I’ve never ‘left’ a web site because it was ‘boring’ but I’ve run away from sites which use colors ineffectively. Every tried to read purple on pink background?
Conservative/coordinated use of colors can add to a sites effectiveness and attractiveness but usability, content and layout should have ‘higher priority’. i.e. make sure the car is safe and controlable before worrying about the color.
With regard to cultural impact of color on the web site. If you’re target audience is other than your own/primary getting a consultant or ‘local’ experience should be used to determine the look and feel of the product.
Anyone remember the Chevrolet Nova? – While for native english speakers nova envisions bright and energetic. To the native spanish speaker it’s name was ‘No Go’… I’m sure there are many other examples.
I believe color plays a big part in how a site is perceived. I have left many sites because of bad color chocies. But I have also left sites because of horrible design. Color is what make you stand a part from your competition.
I am not a black letter on white type of person. I enjoy the variety, as long as it is in good taste and design.
If every site used the color suggestions that were made by areyoukidding me, it would be extremely boring.