Top tips for choosing the right colour scheme for your website

Colour is something that is often seen as a simple design choice that is purely aesthetic or there simply to represent the brand. However, the specific colour palette and use of gradients can have a big impact on your website’s user experience. Studies have shown that 90% of consumers make a subconscious decision about products based on colour so we’ve put together a guide to help you boost engagement and create a better UX.

Consider your target demographic It may seem obvious but one of the most important things to consider when deciding on the colour scheme for your website is the type of demographic your brand is trying to appeal to. For example, if you are a professional financial organisation aiming at an older audience, you may choose to use neutral greys with solid accent colours that represent your brand. Alternatively, you could use more vibrant, sharp colours if you’re aiming towards a younger audience. Follow trends When it comes to web design, popular styles are always changing and new trends will pop up every month. This means that it’s important to always keep an eye out for the latest trends and ensure that your website is using design concepts and colour schemes that aren’t dated and still appeal to the current market. Competitor websites are a good place to start and web design magazines can also offer great insight into current trends. Colour palette tools If you’re really struggling to find the right colour scheme to represent your brand and increase consumer engagement, there are tools and software programs you can use to help choose the right combination of tones. Adobe, for example, has created Color CC which allows users to generate and customise specific colour schemes based on different criteria such as triads and monochrome patterns. Think about legibility Although colours should be used to create a more immersive and engaging user experience, practicality should be the highest priority. When choosing the colours for banners and backgrounds, you need to take into account the colour of your text and overlaying images to ensure that they don’t clash and the content on your website contrasts to the background and can be easily read by users. This is where website testing is essential. Ensure that you check all areas of your site and experiment to ensure that users can navigate easily.