The whole concept might be a big secretive, but it’s really nothing new. In fact, marketers have been successfully using color choices to influence their recipients for at least a hundred years or more. The use of colors to impact a potential buyer’s decision is practically a science.
The Thing About Science…
Because using colors successfully in your marketing and online designs can and does play such a vital role — whether conscious or not — in the minds of a customer, it’s worth trying to decipher the code behind it. The thing is, like any science experiment, the results aren’t always immediately obvious. Rather, a series of tests and experimentations are necessary to come up with solid reasoning.
Just the same, what has been proven to work for others — a certain color or hue, for example — might not work exactly the same for your own unique needs. Every application is different!
Here’s What We Do Know Reasonably Well…
- Black is frequently used to symbolize power and even luxury.
- White brings to mind cleanliness and elegance.
- Blue can be used to convey feelings of security and calmness.
- Green shades are often used to relate to financial concepts or money.
- Red has been proven to capture your attention and is also used as a symbol of power.
- Yellows have a way of expressing energy and symbolize a "bright" outlook.
Now, beyond elevating a particular state of mind, certain colors have actually been proven to cause physiological reactions in the human body. For example, we know that red colors can actually increase the heart rate. Other colors are calming and soothing in effect.
The Ways Of The Web
Another very important rule to consider when it comes to websites and online design is that you’ve got to make it easy for readers if you’re presenting any body of text at all. Specifically, no one wants to spend any time reading a page with red text over a black background — after all, it would only cause dizziness and headache (not a very good way to earn a customer or client)!
Same thing holds true when using too much color in one place or using way too many different colors together. Contrast decreases, effort to read substantially increases, and patience levels plummet. Regardless of the color choices being used to help convey your message, on the web, you’re still obligated to follow basic usability standards (which is why you most often see websites with a light background and dark, clear font text).
How To Impact Your Bottom Line With Color
It’s simple. You must experiment and test to find exactly the best colors for increasing profit within your unique group of customers. The color concepts mentioned above do seem to hold true across different markets, but there really is no one single answer for your own niche — you’ve got to find it!
Until Next Time.
George Chaney
President/CEO
SEO King, Inc.
