Psychology of Colors to Improve Your Web Designs: Part 2

Colors are a powerful tool that provokes feelings, alters moods, and they can call to action. Those are all things that are closely related to the psychology of colors you can use in your web design to communicate your message on an intuitive level – fast and efficiently.

In the first part of this article, you could find the rest of the main colors with their analysis.

The use of cool colors can create a calming effect on your audience, build trust, or speak innovation. Excited to learn more? Let’s sail off in the deep blue sea and proceed with the meaning behind colors.

● Green       ● Blue    ● Turquoise     ● Purple     ● Pink       ● Magenta

Psychology of color: Green

Keywords

Balance, harmony, security, wealth, growth, natural, professional quality, tranquility, refreshing.

Good for

Call to action; maximizes readability and reduces optical fatigue.

Bad for

Restaurants (besides organic) – because green lowers blood pressure, relaxes the nervous system, and is an appetite suppressant; too much green can cause feelings of envy, resentment, and possessiveness.

Market

Healthy living, organic products, environmentally friendly products, finance.

Some details…

Being a combination of yellow and blue, green encompasses the mental clarity and optimism of yellow with the emotional calm and insight of blue. There are more shades of green than any other color.

Green is known to help alleviate depression, nervousness, and anxiety. It also promotes a sense of renewal, self-control, and harmony.

In combination with other colors

• Silver – elegance and sophistication
• Blue – freshness, growth, nature
• Brown/tan/beige – recycling, organic
• Yellow – sporty, outdoors
• Purple – highly contrasting – arousing

Website examples

Psychology of color: Blue

Keywords

Trust, peace, loyalty, integrity, conservatism

Good for

Corporate, building trust, health.

Bad for

Food and restaurants, designs trying to communicate passion, energy, and speed

Market

Neon and electric blue for the youth market

Deeper blues for mature people

Suitable both for men and women

Some details…

It can contribute to the user’s relaxation and calmness, but sometimes is also perceived as boring and predictable, so choose wisely the right shades for your project.

Blue can also be cold and depressing – blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, it invokes rest, which can be sometimes too much.

In combination with other colors

• Red/orange/yellow – high-impact designs, attention-grabbing
• Pastel colors – light-heartedness, freshness, festivity
• Green – gentle, soothing, and calming
• White – fresh, crisp, nautical
• Silver – elegant, rich

Website examples

Psychology of color: Turquoise

Keywords

Clarity, communication, calm, recharging, spirit, positive thinking

Good for

Health clinics, practitioners, cleaning products

Bad for

Traditional websites, promoting stability

Market

Young people, geeks, health

Some details…

Turquoise is believed to be an anti-inflammatory and helps enhance communication skills, calm the mind and body.

Too much turquoise can become fussy, over-analytical, and closed off.

In combination with other colors

• Black – strengthness the look
• Dark blue – more conservative
• Pink – appealing to the female market
• Red – attention-grabbing combination

Website examples

Psychology of color: Purple

Keywords

Imagination, spirituality, high ideals, luxury, extravagance, uniqueness, premium quality, fantasy, nostalgia.

Good for

“New age” products – to underline their individuality and originality.

Bad for

Purple lies at the very shortest frequency of wavelengths visible to the human eye which can make it a difficult color to work with. Since it speaks luxury and royalty, it is not a good idea to use it for websites offering low-cost services and products.

Market

Primarily female and youth market, but in general, all cultures and genders can relate to it.

Some details…

It is said to have the power to uplift, calm the nerves, and encourages creativity, making it an all-inclusive color. Purple is also symbolic of bravery. In Egypt, for example, purple is also symbolic of virtue and faith.

In combination with other colors

• Gold/ Purple with silver – adds luxury, prestige and quality
• Red – adds energy and excitement
• Magenta – adds liveliness
• Green/blue – “feel-good” impression

Website examples

Psychology of color: Pink

Keywords

Inspiring, warm, compassionate, comforting, hope, calming, nurturing

Good for

Cosmetics, fashion, beauty, romance

Bad for

Well, we can’t really think of the bad use of pink color, research your target audience, and test – it will clearly show if pink fits the picture.

Market

Female, youthful, teenage and pre-teen market

Some details…

Pink is primarily recognized as a feminine color. For this reason, the color is used as a universal symbol of hope and awareness in the fight against breast cancer. However, in Japan pink has a masculine association – it represents pink cherry blossoms – a symbol of fallen warriors. Therefore, some of the pink shades can be stimulating and embodying power.

Bright and warm pinks, such as fuchsia or magenta are vibrant, youthful, and encourage a sense of confidence.

In combination with other colors

• Pink with darker colors – adds strength
• Bright pinks – trendy, less expensive product

Website examples

Psychology of color: Magenta

Keywords

Strong, inspiring, innovative, imaginative, lively, outrageous

Good for

Unconventional websites, individualism

Bad for

Traditional websites, formal

Market

Creative, youth

Some details…

The color magenta is a color of cheerfulness, happiness, contentment, and appreciation. Most people feel more optimistic when in the company of magenta.

Being surrounded by too much magenta can generate arrogance and bossiness making us feel overwhelmed, irritated, anxious, and intolerant.

In combination with other colors

• Dark blue/dark green/dark gray/black – toning down the intensity
• Gold/silver – Adding degree of elegance and sophistication

Website examples

In Conclusion

There are many studies on the psychology of colors, and generally, the same meanings are seen across different spheres – web design, interior design, movies, fashion, and so on. Play a little game and look around you – find how colors surrounding you affect you personally and influence your behavior. Soon you will gain even more confidence in picking colors for your website projects – you will just “have an eye” for the colors.

In the meantime, you could also check out our newest article dedicated to exactly how color psychology can influence your target audience to take action.