How to Choose and Use Colours That Enhance Your Website

The right colours can make a huge difference in your visitors’ experience. Here are a few do’s and dont’s when it comes to choosing colours that enhance your website.

There’s a lot to consider when you’re building a new website. You should think about the layout, the quality of the text, which tabs to create, and more. With so many things to consider, choosing the colours for the site often takes a backseat.

For Colours That Enhance Your Website, Use a Neutral Colour Palate

Although it may seem a bit boring and blasé, it’s best to choose a neutral colour palate for your website. Neutrals are much easier to look at, especially if your website has a message to get across, and all websites do.

You can get a little bit creative here if black, white, and gray seem a bit too boring for you. Light coloured hues like powder blue, butter yellow, and mint green can also provide the same effect of traditional neutrals.

Don’t Use Colours That Promote Eye Fatigue

If you want to create some excitement about what your business has to offer, you may feel like the best way to do that is with bold and eye ­catching colors. However, you should avoid colors that cause eye fatigue like neon green, bright red, and orange.

If you do want to use a bold color, use it very sparingly and opt for a hue that is less abrasive. For example, if you want to use green, opt for a darker hue, like this one, over a neon hue.

Do Choose a Dominant Colour

The best way to get your color palette under control is to start by choosing one dominant color. What color would you like to have most associated with your business? This is an important consideration because the right color can result in 80 percent brand recognition.

After you choose your dominant color, you can enhance it with one or two complimentary colors. This will add interest to the appearance of your website.

Don’t Use More Than Three Colours

Although you want to enhance your dominant color choice with a few complimentary colors, you shouldn’t go overboard. A cohesive color story stops at three colors, any more than that and your website will look too busy.

Do Create a Strong Contrast between the Background Colour and Text

Most visitors to your website will spend more time skimming your content than actually reading it. If content isn’t easy to skim, visitors will leave your website. The contrast between the background color and text is one way to make your site easier to read.

Black and white are the most common contrasting colors, but you can also utilize dark blue and gray. If the background is light, use a dark font. If the background is dark, use a lighter font.

Don’t Get Too Creative with Your Font Colour

Just don’t go overboard with the font color you choose. Staying with a neutral or almost neutral color is always best. Dark blue is easy to read on a light gray background but red and orange never make good font colors, no matter what the background color.

Getting the colours on your website just right can be tricky. If you’d like some help creating the perfect color story for your business, contact us today.