The Psychology of Color

Color is one of the most powerful tools in a web designer's toolkit. It has the power to evoke specific emotions and influence user behavior. For example, Blue is often used by banks because it evokes trust and security, while Red is used for 'Clearance' sales because it creates a sense of urgency.

Creating a Visual Hierarchy

You can use color to tell users what to do next. Your Call to Action (CTA) buttons should be in a color that 'pops' against the rest of your site's palette. This 'Action Color' should be used sparingly so that whenever it appears, the user's eye is naturally drawn to it.

Accessibility and Contrast

When picking colors, you must ensure there is enough contrast between your text and background. Low contrast (like light gray text on a white background) is difficult for many people to read and fails accessibility tests. Use high-contrast pairings to ensure your message is clear to everyone.