Numerous studies have proven that colors affect people in various ways. Merchants have been using colors cleverly since the 19th century, and today, for many businesses, their website is their window display to the world.
When it comes to websites, the decision to enter happens in the blink of an eye. A study carried out reveals that it takes visitors a 20th of a second to decide if they like a site or not. If they like how the colors affects them, they will more likely to stay. If it does not appeal to them, they will probably leave and never return.
How Important is Color?
There are many important elements involved in creating a great, trustworthy website, Beside having quality contents, colors play a huge role. About 85 percent of web visitors and online shoppers have revealed that color is their primary reason for choosing to stay and buy a particular product. 52 percent of online shoppers have stated that they didn't return to a website because of its overall aesthetics.
The top issues that prevent visitors to stay on a website are:
- Content.
- Design.
- Navigation.
- Speed.
Color also improves comprehension by 73 percent, learning by between 55-68 percent and reading by 40 percent.
Humans experience actual physiological changes when exposed to various colors. Very simply, color is light - light is a source of energy. Each color evokes its own set of reactions, which can also be influenced by cultural conditioning.
The ideal time to choose color combinations is at the beginning of building a brand. However if a business have an existing brand, that they realize is not in tune with their target audience then it could be better to re-brand.
The main ingredients that will influence their choice of colors are their product or service offerings and their target audience. They need to ask the following questions:
- What messages do I wish to communicate?
- Who are my target audience?
- How can my website gain their trust and attention?
- How do I want my target audience to feel when they are visiting my website?
- How can use of color encourage them to follow the necessary steps that result in conversions?
The Effects of Different Colors
Colors can give significant effect to people. This is why each color have its own meaning. Colors communicate with psychology and for that, colors has been used more than often to attract and repel.
Color theory have multitude of definitions, concepts and design applications - enough to fill several encyclopedias. However, there are three basic categories of color theory that are logical and useful: The color wheel, color harmony, and the context of how colors are used. And with the rise of the internet, colors have been included into one of awebsite's structure and layout fundamentals
When a design uses color rather than form to deliver its message, color can either make or break the design's vital way to communicate. A proper use of color can give an image of what the message is about to give before the eyes can read.
Different effects of various colors some also relate to chakras, which are wheels of energy, in the human body, according to some Eastern belief systems.