Using colour on a website

The identity of a brand is often as much about colour as it is about logos. When creating a website it is important to remember this and choose the colours carefully. Like the logo, they can be changed in the future but once your business is established there is more to it than simply changing a few hex codes – you will likely have to think about your business cards and other advertising materials, and perhaps letterheads and so on. Getting it right the first time will save a lot of hassle in the longer term.

One way to make sure you are happy with the colour is to create a mood board before building your website. Professional web designers often use these to ensure their clients are happy with the general feel of the website, but when designing your own website it is often too tempting to plough on and adjust the colours as you go. However, a mood board is easy enough to build and will likely make designing the website a lot easier so it is worth giving it a go.

Have a good think about the meaning and feel of the colours you opt for, too. Certain shades, such as pale blues and greens, can invoke feelings of calmness, while red can be quite a fiery and passionate colour. White represents innocence and simplicity while black is a very dominant colour and could give the impression of authority. Your colours should reflect your business and how you want to portray yourself, and may not necessarily be your personal favourite.