Psychology of Colours in Web Design: Colour Perception

Psychology of Colours in Web Design: Colour Perception

Most websites lose 88% of visitors after the first visit—and you're likely dismissing the silent killer behind this abandonment—your colour choices.

While you obsess over copy, CTAs, and fancy animations, your visitors make split-second judgments based on something far more primal—how your colours make them feel. And they're deciding whether to trust you with their time and money in less than 50 milliseconds.

I've tested what works across hundreds of businesses. Colours aren't just decorative elements but psychological triggers that directly impact conversion rates.

The difference between the right and wrong colour palette isn't just aesthetic—it's the difference between a 2% conversion rate and an 8% conversion rate.

Let me show you exactly how the psychology of colour perception works, why most designers get it catastrophically wrong, and the colour frameworks that have consistently delivered results across every industry we've tested.

The Impact of Cultural Differences on Colour Perception in Web Design

Colours can carry vastly different meanings across various cultures, influencing their application in web design.

While red represents good fortune and joy in Chinese culture, it may signify danger or warnings in Western contexts.

Similarly, while white symbolises purity and weddings in Western countries, it is associated with mourning in parts of Asia.

Recognising these cultural subtleties is essential when designing websites for a global audience, allowing designers to create more inclusive and relatable user interfaces worldwide.

It's not just the colour's cultural significance that varies; the emotional response to colour can also differ by region.

For example, in Japan, black is often associated with mystery and the unknown. At the same time, it may convey elegance and formality in Western cultures. Therefore, understanding the cultural context of your target audience can significantly impact user engagement and brand perception.

Tools like cultural surveys and regional studies can provide valuable insights into these differences, enabling designers to make informed colour choices that resonate with various audiences.

Step 1: Take note of the meanings that go along with colours in web design

Think about the shared meanings that are associated with specific hues. What colours are you aware of? Which one surprised you?

Blue

Blue is known to reduce appetite, so using it on a food-related site could be a bit off-putting for people visiting it.

Many believe that the reason is that there aren't any everyday things with blue.

Outside of food, blue is among the most sought-after colours among both genders. Since many naturally gravitate towards blue, so companies often pick this colour to build trust or confidence.

Yellow

Yellow is playful and fun; however, it is vital to remember that it's also employed as a warning signal.

It's a vibrant colour that increases the level of emotion and creates excitement for your customers when used in small quantities.

Still, it gets abrasive and overwhelming when used in more significant quantities. For accent colours, yellow is a great way to emphasise an individual call to action.

Green

Green is so strongly associated with nature and is eco-friendly that the colour alone could send an impression that a business is ethical.

Additionally, green is becoming more sought-after because it has the soothing characteristics of blue and the stimulating positive effects that yellow can bring.

Some other common associations are money and growth, which makes green a popular option across many industries.

Orange

Orange is the latest black, also known as the red of the moment. However, it's not an easy colour to deal with.

Although it's popular with children, most adults prefer it or don't. Therefore, incorporating it into your site to target adult customers should be handled carefully.

Orange is associated with excitement, energy, and enthusiasm. It also evokes warmth. For certain businesses, this colour is crucial in establishing your brand's personality and convincing customers to take action.

White

If you've heard of the expression “white space,” you might know the significance of the colour white in website design.

White creates a sense of liberation, giving visitors to your website the breathing space needed to absorb the information you offer.

However, white also has a significant drawback: it can be eye-strain when pure white is combined with black and could be perceived as unnatural, harsh, or off-putting.

A practical solution is to choose an off-white, such as ivory, which has the same benefits as white but with a warmer hue that can be more soothing.

Black

Black is among the top widely employed colours, but you must be aware of it because it comes with various conflicting connections.

For instance, it's an edgy colour. However, it's also formal and still traditional.

If used in moderation, black can provide an earthy effect. However, it can quickly dominate your design if used too often.

The good thing is that white and black can have numerous, diverse shades, which means darker and lighter tints will provide the same benefits but with fewer negatives.

Red

Red can trigger strong emotions because it's among the most evident shades within the spectrum.

It is often associated with passion, love, and drama but can also represent the power of aggression, strength, or even anger. It is, therefore, recommended in minimal amounts.

Since it strongly encourages action, many web designers believe that it's the best choice for buttons and other calls to take action. The research doesn't necessarily back this argument.

It shouldn't be the only option. In a prior blog post, we discussed our method of generating clear calls to action.

Purple

Like orange, purple could be polarising. It will probably draw female patrons but will immediately turn off male customers.

Purple combines the power of red and the stability of blue, contributing to its feeling of luxury and regalness.

It also signifies mysteriousness, creativity, or even wisdom. It's not advised for all professions; however, it may be the ideal option for a few.

Pink

Pink is associated with gender and is commonly utilised to signify femininity and softness. In lighter shades, it may appear delicate and fragile as a flower, while in darker shades, it may appear exuberant or even raucous.

Similar to red, pink symbolises love. However, it's a gentler and more intimate affection than our intense love for red. This softness is a great fit for baby products and confectionery.

Brown

Brown is not the most popular colour used in web design.

Women and men are not fond of it, and mixing it with other shades is difficult. Its positive attributes are reliability and toughness. However, it requires an eye for design to avoid looking dull and dark.

A contemporary alternative to brown and pink, which has gained popularity in recent years, is blush. It is a particular shade of pink that is reminiscent of beige.

Companies that cater to women, specifically women in their 20s and 30s, typically use blush instead of beige or tan as a neutral tone with lighter feminine hues.

Aligning web design with seasonal colours can add relevance and timeliness to marketing efforts.

Spring often brings pastels and soft greens, while summer might be marked by lively and bright shades like yellow and orange. Autumn features earth tones such as rich reds and browns, and winter includes cool blues and whites.

Incorporating seasonal colours into website themes can refresh content and engage visitors by resonating with seasonal moods and festivities.

Websites can further engage users by integrating seasonal elements into their design, such as themed banners or subtle icon changes, alongside colour adjustments.

These minor updates can make the website feel current and relevant, encouraging repeat visits as users anticipate how the site might change with the seasons.

Aligning these visual updates with marketing campaigns, promotions, or product launches can amplify their effectiveness, driving traffic and boosting engagement during specific times of the year.

Step 2: Take note of what colours you would recommend for your particular industry

Although your company's goal is probably not to be a part of your competitors, some shades are suited for specific industries (and other colours that could make your customers run away).

The most common colours used across industries are:

• Blue: Science, medicine utilities, government medical and recruitment legal, dental information technology
• Green: Science, medicine, government, eco-friendly recruitment business, tourism, Human Resources, Finance
• Black: Construction oil, finance, fashion manufacturing, cosmetics, mining, marketing
• Grey: Automotive, journalism, sportswear, technology
• Red: Fashion makeup, food, relationships, games on video retail automobile, hardware, video streaming
• Orange: Drink, retail, and fitness
• Yellow: Automotive, retail, food, technology, construction
• Pink: medical (paediatrics and OBGYN), cosmetics, food, and retail

Although these trends shouldn't constrain your choices when choosing the colours you use for your site, they're trending for a reason.

Most likely, your company's overall message is like that of your closest competitors, and so picking a colour that's entirely off-colour for your particular industry may hurt (by conveying the wrong message to your customers) more than it can help (by creating a brand that stands above your competition).

Sometimes, breaking away from the norm of the market can pay off. Thinx is a company that makes period underwear and chooses an edgy colour scheme for its website, rather than the vibrant fuchsias and oranges typical for most female care companies.

It's because Thinx's customers aren't exclusively females – the target audience is “people with periods,” regardless of gender.

While blush is technically still part of the pink category, it's a natural, warm tone that echoes the gender-neutrality Thinx's brand and reminds users that they are welcome regardless of whether they think of themselves as females.

Since it resembles brown, it gently makes them aware of remembering that their products are eco-friendly.

A more mellow, sweeter pink shade would have conformed more to the industry norms, but it could have been a snare to a significant portion of the audience that Thinx could have.

Take a moment to think about what makes your business different from that in your industry, and consider how you could utilise colour to convey the uniqueness of your approach.

Psychological Effects of Colour Combinations

Combining colours can alter their psychological impact, shaping user perceptions and emotions.

While individual colours convey specific meanings, their combinations can create harmonious or contrasting effects, influencing a site’s overall ambience. Pairing blue and green can evoke calm and trust.

Red and black might signal power and urgency. Designers often use complementary and analogous colour schemes to achieve balance or create a focal point, guiding users' attention to particular elements like call-to-action buttons.

In web design, colours can establish a visual hierarchy, drawing users' eyes to essential features and encouraging specific actions.

By strategically combining warm and cool tones, designers can direct users' focus towards interactive or essential elements.

Repeated use of consistent colour schemes across different pages can lend a sense of uniformity and coherence to the site, reinforcing brand identity and enhancing navigability.

Step 3: Think about your ideal customer and their requirements.

The first step also provided information on colours preferred by both genders.

Did you know there's been some very in-depth research on this topic? This is more than “women like purple and men don't.” There's an abundance of fascinating data about colour preferences and gender:

The most popular colour in the world is blue (with 57% of males and 35% of women stating that blue is their favourite colour).

The colours that men prefer are blue (57%) and green (14%), as well as black (9%) and red (7 7%). Less than 5% of men reported that their preferred colour is yellow, orange, grey, brown, or white. Similarly, only 1% of males said they preferred purple.

The most popular colours for women are blue (35%) and purple (23%), green (14%), as well as red (9%), and black (6%). Less than 5% of women reported that yellow, orange, grey, brown, and white were their preferred colours.

Both genders agree that brown and orange are among the most disliked colours for both genders in the world, with 22% of males and 33% of women detesting orange. Likewise, 27% of males and 20% of women dislike brown.

The consensus is that men prefer bright colours while women like soft shades.

However, your ideal customer is defined far beyond gender. Colour psychology also influences age, class education, and climate data.

Children of young age prefer brighter shades of yellow, red, green, blue, orange, and purple. Also, they prefer solid colour blocks instead of patterns.

Teenagers prefer black and are more open to advanced colours and graphics than their younger counterparts.

Most adults favour subdued colours, and their colour preferences are stone-toned.

Adults over 65 dislike yellow and prefer pink, blue, and green. They tend to favour calmer shades over vibrant stimulants, and purple is more popular with women as they age.

The middle class is likelier to choose brighter variations of primary and secondary shades. However, wealthy people tend to favour more intricate colours, typically choosing tertiary colours with various shades.

The more educated a person is, the higher-end their colour preferences typically are. People with higher education tend to favour primary and secondary colours, while less educated individuals favour more primary or secondary hues.

People generally choose colours that resemble the hues associated with their climate.

Warmer, bright shades attract people in tropical climates, while those from colder climates prefer muted hues.

In Western culture, white represents purity and cleanliness. Therefore, it is frequently utilised in weddings and hospitals. However, white represents sadness and loss in Eastern societies and is commonly employed in funeral ceremonies.

Now, you can mix your preferences for colours, the emotional significance that colours carry, and the colours commonly used in your field and those of the intended population to create a detailed profile.

This is good for those hesitant to mix with your competitors. Though your company is in the same sector, the particular characteristics of your market could result in some distinctions between your businesses.

Role of Accessibility in Colour Selection

Ensuring accessibility in web design extends to thoughtful colour selection, accommodating users with visual impairments such as colour blindness.

Maintaining sufficient contrast ratios between text and background colours is recommended, enhancing readability for all users.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) advise a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for standard text and 3:1 for large text and graphical elements.

Accessible design ensures inclusivity and compliance with legal standards and enhances the overall user experience across various audience groups.

Step 4: Keep in mind that what is more important than the colours you select is the way you mix them

Two Sites. Same Colours. Different Results. Here’s Why.

Let me break it down for you: just because two websites use the same colours—white and blue—doesn’t mean they’ll look or perform the same.

Why?

Colour psychology isn’t just about picking a “nice” colour to represent your brand; that’s surface-level. How you use those colours matters—your layout, spacing, contrast, and where the eye goes.

It’s Not the Colour. It’s the Strategy.

You can take the same three colours and build a hundred different websites from them. The difference? Strategy.

• Where are the colours placed?
• How much white space is used?
• What are you drawing attention to?

It’s not random. Great designers know how to make colours work for the conversion—not just the aesthetic.

Here’s the Simple Colour Formula (That Works)

Forget guessing. Use the 60-30-10 rule. It’s basic, but it works.

• 60% is your dominant colour (backgrounds, big areas)
• 30% is your secondary (containers, sections)
• 10% is your accent (calls-to-action, buttons, key highlights)

Why does this work? Because it gives you structure. It forces you to focus attention exactly where you want it—especially on the things that matter most, like CTAs.

Pro tip: Accent colours are your moneymakers. That’s where the eyeballs go. If your buttons blend in with your background, don’t be surprised when no one clicks them.

Bright Colours Work (But Only If They Contrast)

Colours like green, orange, and red? Yeah—they pop. But it’s not about being loud. It’s about being smart.

If you have a cool, muted site, a warm colour like red can grab attention. But if the whole site is loud? You’re just adding to the noise.

Contrast > Colour. You’re not just choosing colours—you’re creating a visual hierarchy.

Colour Theory Isn’t Just for Artists

Remember that colour wheel from high school? Turns out it wasn’t a waste of time.

Complementary colours, split complements, analogues—you don’t have to become a designer, but understanding basic harmony helps you stop making websites look messy.

And if you don’t remember any of this? Play with Adobe’s free colour wheel tool. It’ll save you hours and a few design disasters.

It’s Not Just the Colours—It’s Everything Around Them

Want to know why two websites with red, white, and black can feel completely different?

It’s not just the colours—the whitespace, the shadows, the tints, and the layout.

Design is a system. Every element affects how the other elements feel.

So yes—your colours matter. But your execution matters more.

A few last thoughts

Let's Talk About Colour (And Why You're Probably Overthinking It)

Here's the deal: picking colours for your brand isn't just about “what looks good” or “what you like.” That's amateur hour. If you want your branding to work, you must understand how your customers perceive those colours. It's not about your favourite shade of blue. It's about what that blue tells people about you.

Before you go down a rabbit hole of colour wheels and psychology articles, let me save you some stress: yes, colours matter—but not in the way most people think.

Rule #1: Perception is Personal

Colour psychology isn't black and white (pun intended). One person sees red and thinks passion. Another sees danger. It's the same colour and has a different vibe. So, just because some study says “green increases trust” doesn't mean it's a magic bullet for your audience.

What matters? Context. Brand. Audience. Execution.

Cool if you already have a logo or brand palette you want to stick with. Don't scrap it. You don't need to. What you can do is tweak how it's applied. Use colour psychology strategically:

• Change your calls-to-action (CTAs) to contrast more and pop.
• Adjust your white space to let colours breathe.
• Highlight key areas with emotionally resonant shades.

These little changes? They compound.

Rule #2: It's Not the Colour, It's the Feeling

Most people obsess over the specific colours: “Should I use royal blue or navy?” You're asking the wrong question.

Ask this instead: “What do I want people to feel when they see my brand?”

That's the unlock. Because colour is emotional currency. And if you get it wrong, it's not just a design issue—it's a trust issue. People won't know why they don't vibe with your site… but leave anyway.

Too bright? Feels spammy. Too dull? Feels outdated. Too chaotic? Feels cheap.

Your colours are sending messages before your words ever do.

Rule #3: Gut Beats Google (Sometimes)

Look, you can study all the research in the world. But if your gut says, “This colour feels right for my brand,” trust it. Humans pick up on authenticity. If you show up confidently—colours and all—your audience will feel it too.

But don't let “intuition” be an excuse for lazy choices. Test. Tweak. Iterate. Then, trust your instincts when the data aligns with the feeling you're trying to create.

Rule #4: Culture Changes Everything

If you're selling globally—or even nationally in a multicultural country—understand this: colours mean different things in different places.

• White? Pure in the West but a symbol of death in parts of Asia.
• Purple? Royalty in some cultures, mourning in others.
• Red? Love in the UK, luck in China, and warning signs everywhere.

So don't just pick colours that work in your bubble. Step into your audience's world. Understand how they interpret what you're putting in front of them.

Final Thought: Good Colours Convert

When your colour choices align with your message, audience, and UX, you don't just make things pretty—you make them profitable. The right colour combo can increase conversions. It's that powerful.

If your website looks like a high school art project, people bounce. If it seems dialled-in, confident, and sharp? People stick. People trust. People buy.

Use colour scheme tools—test palettes. Know your market. But most importantly—get out of your head and into your customers.

That's how you make colour psychology work for you… instead of becoming another “pretty” brand no one remembers.