The purpose of every Web site design is to motivate a response from your visitor. Color in Web page design is a crucial element in creating a sense of order and balance. Color can make the difference between a Web site design that is dull and lifeless to a Web site that is stimulating and positive. Overuse and misuse of color can also create a Web page design that is over stimulating and chaotic, which leads to confusion. Color, as an essential piece of Web site design, shouldn't be overlooked as the emotional response to color can dramatically impact your online sales.

The Value of Color in Web Page Design

Research conducted by the Institute for Color Research reveals that "people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone." The time we have to capture someone's attention with a Web page design is even smaller than in a physical store – so the impact of color choice is made all the more important in Web site design. Sight is the most valuable sense online and color used in a Web page design can influence brand recognition and product recall, as well as engage and inform visitors.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Different people and different demographics are drawn to a variety of colors. The emotional response to color depends on age of the user and context of the color. Certainly, a target audience of young teenagers will respond more positively to a Web page design with vibrant and energetic colors. In contrast, an older audience may respond better to a Web site design with muted colors.

It's also essential to be sensitive to cultural and regional interpretation of color in Web site design. In order to use color to motivate your visitor, be sure to choose colors that don't offend your target market or skew your intended meaning. A reputable and experienced Web site design professional will be able to advise you on some of the most appropriate color choices to create a comfortable and motivating environment for your target customer base.

Value of Contrast

Are your Web pages easy to read? Using contrasting colors helps better define your Web page design and makes it easier and faster for people to scan and find the information they're looking for. When choosing a background color, many Web sites default to a white page and the most readable color text is black. Using pale colors on white makes it harder to read. Strong colors and stark contrasts in Web site design help ensure the viewer doesn't have to work too hard to read or find what they are looking for. Other backgrounds that work well for Web site design include dark blue, dark gray and black – with white being the most readable contrasting color for text in that type of Web page design.

Contrasting color can also be used in Web site design to break up elements of a page and naturally draw attention to key action buttons (such as, "buy" or "register here".)

Color in Professional Web Page Design

The visual stimulation provided by your Web page design will determine almost instantly whether a visitor will stay or leave. Using color makes your Web page design pleasing to the eye and helps the viewer easily determine the purpose of the page and the desired action. A Web site design professional also appreciates the value of using white space in balancing colors on the Web page design. Don't be afraid of using white space as it is an important Web page design element since the "color" white can the eye a rest and help better guide the eye to more prominent action buttons.

Color in Web page design has both positive and negative effects on visitors and there are no rules regarding "good" or "bad" colors since the response to color is personal. Choosing the colors that will best motivate your target audience is key to increasing sales. Consider the power of color in the food industry: Heinz introduced green ketchup and it delivered the highest sales increase in the brand's history. Use color wisely in your Web site design, and your online business will reap rewards.