How to use Color Psychology for your Business
Have you ever wondered how to pick the best colors for your business?
Never fear, this is a super simple guide here to help you pick the right colors for your branding and website based off of color psychology.
What is Color Psychology anyway?
Basically, color psychology is the study of how we interpret and react to certain colors.
There are some differences between cultures and individuals, but taken from a broad perspective color psychology is a great way to hone in on the right hues that speak to the essence of your business and your desired audience.
What do each of the colors mean?
To help better understand the basic color meanings I’ve created a handy guide which gives an overview of the psychological undertones of each color and their common brand affiliations.
In addition to each of the color’s individual meanings, there are also the broader question of selecting “warm” or “cool” colors, or a mix of both.
Warm colors such as reds, pinks, oranges and yellows often denote openness, energy and vibrance.
Cool colors such as blues, greens and purples on the other hand are often more sophisticated, luxurious and calming.
By mixing a warm yellow and a cool blue ,for instance, you can create a lovely harmony and depending on the shades selected create an energetic yet luxurious brand or calm yet open one.
Colors also vary their meaning depending on the specific tone you have selected. A blue with a lot of white will create a soft, baby clue while a blue enriched with a lot of black will have an altogether mor eserious air.
How to pick the right colors for your brand and business
Choosing the right color palette for your brand can be overwhelming. It can seem like there are thousands of choices, all of which could work, or there is no “perfect” color scheme out there for your unique business.
Understanding the basic meanings behind each color can help guide you to selecting tones that support your business and help communicate your message. If you are a children’s clothing brand for instance, selecting a warm yellow or pink would fit nicely, while a royal purple would feel out of place.
It can also help to take a look at the colors your competitors are using. After canvassing your top competitors, you can either decide to continue in their color palettes or make the deliberate choice to veer away from the standard colors to help your business stand out.
A nice way to create a distinctive, yet cohesive, color palette for your brand is to take some of the tones you see in your competitor’s branding and add in a splash of your own contrasting color.
If for example you own an organic skincare line and your main competitors are all using green tones in their branding, you could select a mint green for one of your tones and pair it with an earthy orange for an attention-grabbing, yet appropriate, color pairing.
Choosing the right color palette for your brand is an important undertaking and not something you should jump into lightly. Your brand will become associated with these colors, perhaps permanently. Your products and marketing will be tied to these tones and barring a large rebrand you won’t be able to easily change them.
So, take the time to think over the psychology behind the colors you are considering and test out your options until you feel confident and excited about your new palette. And remember, as fun as it can be to pick out your brand colors, this is strategic work you’re doing for your business so do take the time to really give it the thought it deserves.
Once you’ve got your brand colors picked out you’ll need to apply them thoughtfully to your website! This is something we cover in-depth in the branding module of Work Your Website where you’ll learn how to master your layouts, use color for contrast and emphasis as well as important considerations for accessibility when pairing your colors.
