PAINT YOUR WEB SITE'S SALES MESSAGE WITH COLOR by Kamau Austin
Color theory, to keep it simple and not too geeky, could be
described as the study of the cultural symbolism ascribed to
various colors. It is the study and discipline that graphic and
more recently web designers, use to symbolize the business
identity and purposes of a web site. Certain colors have
cultural symbolism and implications to persons in our society.
Therefore, you can convey and imply certain images and messages
about your web site, company, or brand with the chosen colors of
your web site.
There are of course, other elements which convey your ebusiness'
corporate identity, image, brand and goodwill. Like your logo,
promotional materials, or corporate communications, and even
your sponsorships and charities that your company engages in,
also increases the overall perception of your company in the
marketplace.
However, since most of your site's visitors first impression
will be their proverbial "lasting impression", it is important
to get the most basic elements of your site's features
correctly -- its colors.
"Don't get Creative with Your Linking Colors"
One of the most basic colors to get right are the standard
accepted colors of the net: the link colors. Link colors are
usually blue (for example 0000FF RGB color code), active link
colors are usually red or maroon (CC0000 or 990000
respectively), and visited link colors are usually a washed out
purple color. Since these colors are the standard default colors
on-line, and your web site is a computer interface (and not an
artists palette), don't get too creative with these colors. Many
usability experts (people who study how site visitors use the
web), suggest this policy because, when people first learn to
use the web they are taught to look for these link colors.
Two other color elements I would suggest you keep standard in
most situations is your background color being white and your
font colors being black. Black fonts and text on a white
background offer the highest contrast and is the easiest
combination to read. This is considered classic typography. For
this reason most large and successful e commerce sites feature
white backgrounds and black text. When you do change the font
and background colors, for creative license, just make sure
the colors you choose contrast each other extremely well.
Moreover, from an usability stand point, black text against a
white background is the most beneficial because, it is the
easiest to read.
Red or maroon are good contrasting colors for both black and
white. This is why they are used as the colors for active links
and headlines on many sites. It may help you, when picking
contrasting colors, for backgrounds and font colors, to learn to
use the color wheels. A color wheel will show you that yellow
and gold are good contrasting colors for blue, and tan is a good
contrasting color for brown. Do a search on Google to get
examples of color wheels.
"Examining Western Color Norms and Symbolism"
Getting back to the more symbolic and implied power of your
site's color theme, lets examine some western cultural color
norms and representations. I will delimit my social commentary
on the negative Manichean influenced dualism endemic in some
of these values.
=> White represents -- purity, clean, brightness, good
=> Black represents -- mystery, soberness, formality, death,
evil, and also elegance.
=> Brown -- natural, wholesome, earthy
=> Red -- passion, vibrant, sexy
=> Green -- life, health, wealth
=> Gray -- mature, conservative
=> Blue -- corporate, business, sad,
=> Yellow - intelligence, energy
"There are only 216 colors that are consistent on both Macs and
PC's"
There are millions of variations of these colors, that most
recent computer screens will show these days. However, there are
only 216 colors that both MAC and PC's show across the board.
These colors are called the web safe color palette. Try to
create your web site within this color palette if at all
possible. Colors outside of this web safe color palette can be
replaced with another color, or will be emulated by dithering.
However, a dithered color will add to your web page's
file size and download time.
If you have an International site, especially when focused
outside of the western European nations, research how colors
symbolize different things in these different cultures. Please
note that the Internet is an International media and marketplace
so, colors may have a totally different meaning in other
cultures. For US focused sites you may already have a good
handle on what works for your site's color scheme.
It is important to use common sense when choosing
colors for your site. Pastel colors would be fine for a
children's site but, erode the confidence of your site's
visitors on a business site. Tan, Green, and brown would do fine
on an environmental site or whole foods site, but be less well
received on a techie site. Fiery Red would be great for a
romance site but, yellow or gold accents on a grey background
would be better for a consultant's site like Dr. Ralph Wilson
owner of http://www.wilsonweb.com .
In closing, choose your colors wisely and paint the positive and
accurate picture you want to convey about your ebusiness to your
site visitors.
Kamau Austin, helps small and minority business make more money,
by creating, search friendly web sites. He is the owner of
http://www.Ebizbydesign.com , http://www.Einfonews.com , and the
creator of the Free Search Engine Promotion Tele-course
at: http://www.SearchEngineplan.com . He can be reached at:
973-655-8866
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Paint Your Web Site's Sales Message with Color
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