Why Choosing an Effective Website Color Scheme Matters

One of the most important design aesthetic choices, a website color scheme should be carefully considered. Every layer of color - from primary to background - has its function and should be presented a certain way.

Depending on the type of business you operate, there are particular psychological associations with certain colors. This is important when deciding on a primary website color, as each has different implications. For example, blue is used by medical and financial companies as it represents trust and security, whereas purple signifies quality and wealth as it’s often used by royalty. If your brand or business already has a primary color, such as on a logo, your website color should either be a variation of it or another that complements it.

For a secondary website color, choosing one that complements your primary color is the main objective. Within web design, a secondary color matters as it can be used to sign-post a section, highlight important information or to make calls to action on a page stand out. A handy tool for finding a secondary color is the color wheel, such as the one on the infographic below. Complementary colors are located directly opposite to a primary color.

A background color is also important as it covers the most space on a website, but often more straightforward to select as it really comes down to a couple of choices. Either, a muted version of the primary color, or a neutral one such as white or light grey.

For more advice and insight into choosing an effective website color scheme, Website Builder Expert have created a new infographic about it. See it below: