Color Psychology in UX Design: How Strategic Color Choice Can Affect User Experience

Web and app design keeps changing to meet user needs and keep up with new styles. With the oversaturation of redundant information and visual elements, designers are moving towards simpler, cleaner designs.

This shift has made color psychology an essential part of making websites and apps that are easy to navigate. Nowadays, for example, using softer colors and very clear graphics is becoming more popular.

Using color psychology in UX design helps create experiences that are functional and easy to navigate. Also, they feel right emotionally, improving user satisfaction and engagement.

In 2024, the attention of designers worldwide is drawn to colors, which have a significant impact on the emotions and behaviors of users. The application of color in web design and logos is becoming increasingly sophisticated. For instance, incorporating animations into logo designs can improve their ability to capture attention and engage users, with colors playing a crucial role in this process.

Research shows that 65% of consumers consider color to be a very important factor when choosing everyday products. Different hues evoke different emotions and physical responses, which is crucial in marketing and design contexts.

Curious what are the current trends related to color psychology in web design (and beyond!)? One of them involves the use of gradients – blending colors can create a memorable feature that can anchor an entire brand’s visual identity.

Some reviews even list specific colors that are advantageous for websites. Each color can evoke specific connotations when used in the right context. For example, this might include a metallic element in typography, saturated color for buttons and call-to-action (CTA) elements, or the use of classic black and white to give space to more unconventional visual elements.

Colors carry inherent meanings, shaped largely by cultural and personal associations. For example, red is commonly linked with energy and passion, blue conveys calmness and stability, and green often represents nature and growth. Therefore, implementing these colors in UX design can significantly affect how users perceive a website or app.

Interestingly, color preferences can vary based on factors such as age, gender, and cultural background. Europeans and Americans see white color differently than Asians, whereas in many Eastern cultures white is a symbol of mourning and carries negative associations.

Similarly, color choices might differ based on whether the target audience is predominantly male or female. Men might respond better to bold, saturated colors, whereas women prefer softer shades, in general.

This brings us to the topic of selecting a color palette. If you strive to create a positive user experience, keep in mind the 60-30-10 rule. This simple yet effective method helps create balanced and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces by dividing colors into:

• main color (60%) – this should be a neutral or low-saturation color that doesn’t dominate the rest of the design, ideally used as the background of the page or interface.
• secondary color (30%) – applied in less prominent areas such as sidebars or additional sections, this color helps create contrast and interest.
• accent color (10%) – this should be the most striking color, used sparingly. It’s perfect for drawing attention to critical elements like call-to-action (CTA) buttons.

source: medium.com

By understanding and applying these principles of color psychology, designers can more effectively influence user behavior and improve the overall user experience.

How does color psychology in UX relate to business? Now that you realize what the current design trends are and understand what colors resonate with your target audience, you can have some significant influence over how effective your website is at making conversions.

Consider this: calm blues and greens can make your site feel trustworthy, encouraging users to act without worry. But, too bright or harsh colors might make people uncomfortable and less likely to buy. Yet, you can turn it around with bold, contrasting colors. For example, CTA buttons that pop against the background catch the eye and make users more likely to click, directly helping with conversion rates.

Sticking with certain colors that people associate with your brand, like Coca-Cola’s famous red, can strengthen your brand’s identity. It’s worth realizing that in terms of branding, this not only helps people recognize your brand faster but also builds a positive vibe around it. And this, again, can encourage more conversions.

📌 TIP: Using high contrast for text against backgrounds makes your content easier to read, engaging more users and potentially leading to more conversions. Just be careful with how intense your colors are – too strong can be too much, but too dull might make your website look uninteresting.

Remember, colors hold incredibly important meaning in UI and UX design. Using color psychology in UX design effectively can help you:

• create an attractive interface,
• tailor your color scheme to your target audience, and
• increase your conversion rates.

Keeping up with web/app design trends and research on how these elements influence user perception. Every detail matters, and the trend toward simplicity, including in color choices, often will give you way better results. This is well illustrated by the 60-30-10 rule.

Wondering  if your UX hits the mark? Not sure if you’re using colors effectively in your interface? Reach out to us! We’ll review your website’s UX and show you what steps you can take to get better results.