Choosing Website Colors Safely 

© Illa Maden November 2006

Choosing website colors safely has been the subject of many articles and websites. The reason for concern about website colors is that the capabilities of computers to portray colors on websites was less than perfect in the past.

It is still a safe bet to use the color safe chart in selecting colors to be used on your website. This is less important than in the past, because computers have come a long way, baby. Sorry, just couldn't help myself. Too easy

Anyway, most website building software that is in use to create websites employs the color safe chart. A website color safe chart.

At this point in time, being color safe, may have more to do with the impression your website gives visitors.

Choosing website colors give off different impressions or can actually invoke certain feelings in the visitor to your website.

What feeling colors may give website visitors

The color red is associated with love, passion, power, fire, and to some, danger.The color red on a website seems to appeal more to men.

Trust seems to be the impression given by the color blue. It is associated with peace, water,  the sky and coolness. Maybe that is why it has been the traditional color for business websites.

The color green is tied to money, envy, and fertility. I associate it with life since it is the color of trees, plants and life-giving foods. Green is often the choice for gardening websites.

Black is an interesting color, and can mean many different things to different people. It has been the traditional color of mourning and sadness, but is also associated with power and prestige. Websites featuring art or photography find it sets off their artwork.

Brown is a color that for some countries is not well thought of. It is considered a dirty color. However some see it as the color of the earth. In some countries, brown is a turn-off for spending money. Think about that as you choose colors for a website.

Pink is a very feminine color best reserved for a feminine audience. If your website is geared toward men, red would be a better choice.

Using website colors harmoniously is important. Whatever your color choices. You can't go far wrong if you just observe mother nature. Look at a field of flowers or some other outdoor scene, or the colors on animals.

When using colors on a website, if you use intense colors such as red, keep it for areas that are not for extended viewing or reading, as intense colors can be hard on the eyes for extended periods.

Vibrant colors on a website can be very refreshing and make a website unique, but do use judgement in the way you combine them, and consider readability for the large text areas of your website.

Also consider how the color represents your product. Green may be a good choice for a gardening site, and pink or peach would work for a website color if your target audience is women. Black would not be a good choice for a website geared toward young children. Vibrant primary colors distributed properly would be more appealing.

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