The Power of Color: How Colors Can Boost Website Conversions [INFOGRAPHIC]

What are the best colors for website conversion?

What color is your soul? Pick your favourite desserts and we’ll tell you the color of your aura. Which primary color best represents your personality?

If you think these sound like generic BuzzFeed quiz titles – concepts we tend to think of as light, fun, amusing and, frankly, fluff – you could be right.

But is BuzzFeed onto something? At least in terms of color, anyway. Is there more to the power of color than just a bunch of inconsequential, if entertaining, hullabaloo?

Research suggests there is.

Nearly 85% of consumers cite color as their primary driver for purchasing a certain product. That has to mean something, doesn’t it? There is a reason why food-related logos incorporate the color red, why politicians wear blue, and why seeing the color orange can warm you up on a cold day.

Let’s explore this theme some more and uncover what are the best colors for website conversion.

Interesting Findings in Color Psychology

The true definition of color psychology depends on who you ask. While there are strong correlations between color and emotions, the field of color psychology has not yet been thoroughly explored. And, just as in other underdeveloped studies, there are still many gaps in theoretical and empirical research. However, researchers continue to unveil some pretty worthwhile findings regarding color.

Here are a few interesting examples.

Color Affects Performance

In a 2009 study published by Science magazine, researchers tested cognitive performance variations among 600 participants, using the colors red and blue, specifically. They then tested participants’ memory, as well as creativity and imagination. Tests revealed that, for creativity and imagination, blue produced better results. Red was the color of choice, however, when it came to memory. Are red and blue the best colors for website conversion?

Color Affects Impressions

According to an article by Business Insider, darker colors are better for making first impressions at job interviews. This coincides with a CareerBuilder survey of over 2,000 hiring managers and HR professionals. They discovered black and blue to be the most recommended colors. You will notice this trend even in Politics, and in Digital Marketing, where people and brands choose the color blue to portray their trustworthiness. Facebook, PayPal, IBM, and Chase are only a few examples of companies that use these colors to convey reliability.

Color Affects Emotions

A paper published by the American Psychological Association explored several studies on colors and emotions. One study involving white, pink, and blue colored paper was conducted wherein test subjects read about rape and murder incidents. Researchers discovered that participants who read about the upsetting events on pink paper described milder emotional reactions. These findings correlate with another study that suggests that brightness and saturation of color equal higher states of arousal in the people viewing the color.

The Power of Color in Marketing

To ensure online success, business owners want to know what are the best colors for website conversion. Just as color psychology can affect performance, impressions, and emotions, it also plays a huge role in marketing. According to experts at DesignAdvisor, even something as seemingly insignificant as the color of the call-to-action (CTA) button can drive users to act favorably. Data also suggests that for higher conversions, the go-to colors are red, orange, and green. In fact, in one fascinating case, the mere act of changing a CTA button from green to yellow generated a 175% increase in conversion for VegasSlotsOnline.com.

Well played, BuzzFeed. Well played. The color of your soul, in the curious case of color anyway, may very well be blue (i.e., trustworthy and intelligent).

Infographic source: DesignAdvisor

1st on the List is a boutique search engine optimization company near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. To learn more about 1st on the List or any of the services we provide, please call us at 1-888-262-6687.

Carissa Krause

Carissa Krause is a Digital Marketing and Project Specialist at 1st on the List. Over the last 12+ years she has worked in our Abbotsford office with clients on a wide range of projects that include areas like local SEO, project reporting, backlink profile review, content development, strategic planning, and more. Whatever the project may be Carissa focuses on achieving greater efficiencies and putting plans into action. When away from her desk you’ll likely find her drinking all the coffee while sitting on the floor driving cars with her two young boys. Learn more about Carissa.

View all posts