| Did you know that the color and layout of a web | | | | appropriate mood or emotion. |
| site could have a huge impact on selling your product | | | | Most experts agree that neutral backgrounds and |
| or service? One of the key factors in establishing a | | | | dark blue or black type are the most legible and |
| friendly and attractive web site is color and layout. | | | | readable for most viewers. Using other colors for |
| And that’s where a lot of beginning | | | | emphasis is fine, as long as you don’t over do |
| webmasters go awry. | | | | it. Having more than 3-4 colors on any page can |
| If you look at any of the available professional web | | | | diminish the impact of any one of the colors. |
| site templates you’ll see that the colors and | | | | Too many colors, just like too many fonts (type |
| the layout blend with the content. Web site | | | | styles) can agitate the reader and create a negative |
| templates can be a great guide to showing the | | | | experience. And when you are trying to convince |
| inexperienced how to combine color and elements. | | | | someone to buy something, that’s not a very |
| This is especially important for the color challenged. | | | | effective presentation. Too little contrast makes |
| I have to admit I am partial to both red and blue. But | | | | viewing difficult, too much contrast irritates the |
| that doesn’t always work well for a web site. | | | | reader. |
| So it’s important to step outside your own | | | | Another problem faced by any web site designer is |
| preferences when designing a web site. Many tests | | | | how the color will appear on different monitor and |
| have been done on colors and impact for web site | | | | computers. Some colors have a tendency to not |
| design. | | | | produce the same look on any monitor or video card. |
| Colors can often complement the product or service, | | | | Each computer may have a different rendering |
| or the company’s logo design. Some | | | | technology and therefore produce a different hue or |
| companies even use a color to brand their service or | | | | color. |
| product, like UPS does with brown. Not my first | | | | Some video cards and monitors can only display 256 |
| choice in colors but it appears to be working well for | | | | colors (it used to be about 16). There are also other |
| them. | | | | factors such as the type of monitor (LCD display |
| Colors can have an impact on mood and cultural | | | | much differently than tube type) and available ram on |
| significance. Red is a universal color for attention, | | | | the video card (more ram usually means more colors). |
| yellow for caution, and green for approval. But there | | | | But there is a way to help control this chaos. |
| are exceptions, green hats in China indicate infidelity | | | | There is a “standard” of sorts that is |
| for a woman. Red implies danger in many cultures. So | | | | called Browser Friendly or Browser Safe colors. |
| colors can affect the mood and emotional response | | | | Netscape originally established this standard years ago |
| of the viewer. | | | | and many still rely on it today. All of the major |
| Men and women definitely view colors differently. | | | | browsers have adopted this color set to help web |
| Women prefer red, black, and bright colors. Men | | | | site designers with choosing colors that display the |
| prefer blue, orange, and darker colors. Although most | | | | same across all video devices. |
| of the impact is psychological or emotional, it can | | | | Without getting too technical, these colors are limited |
| have a positive or negative effect on buying | | | | to the basic 256 available on any computer |
| products or services. | | | | equipment including our friends with Macs. These |
| Dark and foreboding colors may deliver a message | | | | browser safe colors will display the same across all |
| not intended. Bright and colorful designs on a web | | | | makes and models of equipment. You can see the |
| site selling a serious product or service (like medical | | | | colors and Hex values here: |
| products to treat a terminally ill patient) can definitely | | | | [ |
| show a lack of sympathy and put off potential | | | | The major concern is not to distract from the |
| buyers. | | | | message of your web site, whether it be |
| Some colors may actually render the words | | | | informational or selling a product or service. |
| unreadable to some people. Using light yellow or blue | | | | Don’t go for the big fancy design and forget |
| type on a white background is hard for many to see, | | | | the purpose of the web site. That’s especially |
| not too mention not very attractive. Black | | | | important for web sites designed to sell a product or |
| backgrounds with white type certainly have enough | | | | service. |
| contrast, but may miss the boat on creating the | | | | |