Choosing the Right Colors for Your Website: The Role of Psychology and Strategy

There’s a reason Zoom, Facebook, Pfizer, and many other brands use a blue and white color scheme. Ever wonder why certain brands instantly feel trustworthy or calming? It might be the color. Color psychology plays a big role in shaping how people perceive your brand. Did you know that 33% of brands use blue? And they do it for good reason. Not only is blue the world’s favorite color, but it also communicates trust and responsibility. When it comes to picking colors for your brand, website, logo, or anything else, take time to slow down and think it through to make sure you’re selecting the right colors that communicate what you want them to.

Embracing Color Psychology

Whether you’re a small business or a global brand, the colors you choose for your website and branding influence how people feel about you. Many people want to use their favorite colors for their business, but this doesn’t always work. And, it’s where color psychology comes in.

Color psychology is the study of how color affects human behavior and mood. It’s not just about favorites and what you like and dislike. No, choosing colors goes far deeper than that.

I start thinking about a website’s colors long before I start working on it. In my client intake for website work, I ask questions about the site and brand’s tone. I ask what they want to communicate and the first things they want people to feel. I never ask about a favorite color or the color they want to use. Not because I’m not receptive to using them, but because working organically and using color psychology is more effective.

Another specific question clients are asked is what they don’t want to communicate and the words, feelings, and tone they want to avoid.

Once I have this information, I will let them know the colors that match their tone and purpose along with those I would avoid.

Building A Smarter Website Color Palette

Once I know the tone and message they want their website to send, I ask clients about specific colors. For example, if a client wants to communicate calm, I’ll ask them if they prefer green, blue, or indigo. This will usually get me to the primary color of their palette.

I use Canva and Squarespace’s suggestions for color schemes, but it’s also a very organic process.

A good rule to follow, and one I believe in, is the 60-30-10 rule. The main color takes up 60% of the website’s real estate, 30% is the secondary color, and the accent color takes up 10%. Whether they want a clean, white website background or to play more with color, this ratio always works.

If they want a welcoming, warm website, I push the colors to a warm vs. cool hue. This means colors with more red in them. If they are professional, sterile, objective, or somber, I’ll reach for a cooler version of their desired colors.

Finally, I try to make sure that there is a neutral color to serve as a breaking point and accent color.

It’s Not About Me

I make sure to start each design with a clean palette—I never think about another design I’ve made for someone similar. I want to make sure that every website I create has been designed with care and only that brand, business, organization, or individual in mind. Sure, you could say that if X is your primary color, you always use Y, but after a while, you’ve got a bunch of websites that look the same and align more with your style than a design based on your client’s goals and how consumers stay unique.

A measured, science-based, structured approach to choosing colors enhances both the user experience and the brand identity. I encourage you to look at your website and ask how you or your designer chose the colors. Does it accurately reflect both your brand and the reaction you’re seeking? Is it time for a refresh?