web design for online success
The Secret Selling Power
of Colour
Formerly entitled 'Colours for Marketing'
One important aspect of marketing - selling - is the use of colour. Meanings are attached to colours in the same way meanings are attached to words.
GOLD is the colour of wealth.
WHITE is the colour of pure innocence.
PINK is the colour of femininity.
GREEN is the colour of nature.
RED is the colour of danger.
BLUE is the colour the majority of the world population calls its favorite colour. It represents to "Trust".
Use of colour to establish an image or a brand is nothing more than common sense in the marketing community, yet when you visit the websites of many search engine optimization professionals, it's obvious that issue of colour has not been addressed.
Some of the colours we found on search engine optimization websites:
BABY BLUE is a colour which implies weakness.
RED is a colour which implies risk, or danger.
ORANGE is a colour which implies cheerful "levity". (Orange is one of Americans’ least favorite colours.)
It would also appear that colour research and consulting is a very rare occurrence within the search engine optimization industry.
In North American mainstream culture, the following colours are associated with certain qualities or emotions:
RED - excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger
BLUE - (listed as the most popular colour) trust, reliability, belonging, coolness
YELLOW - warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness
ORANGE - playfulness, warmth, vibrant
GREEN - nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance
PURPLE - royal, spirituality, dignity
PINK - soft, sweet, nurture, security
WHITE - pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild
BLACK - sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery
GOLD - prestige, expensive
SILVER - prestige, cold, scientific
Market researchers have also determined that colour affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue. So how can you put this information to use?
First, think about your target market. Let's say that you are selling books for young children, but you are marketing to grandparents. You'd probably design the books in bright, primary colours (reds, blues, yellows) to appeal to the children who will use them.
However, the marketing materials (web site, brochures, etc.) would be designed with grandparents in mind. You might decide to go with blues (trust, reliability), pinks (nurture, sweet, security) and yellow (happy, playful).
Of course, you would test your ads and colours on a small market segment before rolling out a large scale campaign. Give some thoughts to the message you want to send and to the psychology of the recipient. Then choose your colours accordingly.
Safe colours
Unless you're dealing with a strong brand, stick with safe colours. Purple and orange will never have the positive colour responses of blue, beige or green.
Recommended Reading on the use of colour!
If you would like to read more on the subject of colour in your web site you’ll find the following books very helpful!
