I have spent a great deal of time surfing the internet with a critical eye bent on the psychological impact of websites to the viewer.
I have attempted to “feel” the verbiage and color choices of certain websites in how they make the visitor feel emotionally. Some websites go over the top with overt marketing copy, flashy photos and extremes in color. While many site designers choose the “minimalist” approach with overly subdued hues, small fonts, fewer images & less, but more descriptive words.
In my personal research, I have discovered that the most important first-impression, psychological factor impacting website viewers is COLOR. The internet is truly a very visual and extremely psychological medium. However, before reading a single word of your marketing copy, your website visitors are confronted with the background color of your website, the color of your header, the color of your text and headlines, etc. Remember, colors, like words, can be used as a language of expression as well, sometimes to a greater degree of emotional impact on the viewers senses.
Here is a simple guide list containing the common colors and the types of first-impression, psychological emotion they may invoke upon the website viewer:
RED invokes feelings of love, passion, danger, warning, excitement, food, impulse, action, adventure.
BLUE can invoke feelings of trustworthiness, success, seriousness, calmness, power, professionalism.
GREEN can invoke feelings of money, nature, animals, health, healing, life, harmony.
ORANGE can invoke feelings of comfort, creativity, celebration, fun, youth, affordability.
PURPLE can invoke feelings of royalty, justice, ambiguity, uncertainty, luxury, fantasy, dreams.
WHITE can invoke feelings of innocence, purity, cleanliness, simplicity.
YELLOW can invoke feelings of curiosity, playfulness, cheerfulness, amusement.
PINK can invoke feelings of softness, sweetness, innocence, youthfulness, tenderness.
BROWN can invoke feelings of earth, nature, tribal, primitive, simplicity.
GREY can invoke feelings of neutralality, indifference, reserved.
BLACK can invoke feelings of seriousness, darkness, mystery, secrecy.
Here is a link for a comprehensive “color chart” that will assist you as to which web colors compliment each other, and which ones will clash:
http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/big.html
Colors help sell your website products or ideas. Colors can distract, even turn off the website viewer. Therefore, choose your colors wisely. Do not simply choose the colors you like or unusual colors just because they are different. Keep in mind that you are trying to appeal to the widest possible demopgraphic of website viewers. Be sure your website colors appeal to most, not just some.
Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.
Clyde Price Wharton III is an e-commerce entrepeneur involved in e-marketing since 1996. He is also devoted in many philanthropies for the arts: http://www.whartoncenter.com
