Design Psychology: How Colour Choices Affect Customer Behaviour
Ever wonder why you suddenly crave a burger when you see those golden arches? Or why you feel an overwhelming sense of calm scrolling through certain websites? It's not just your stomach growling or your meditation app working overtime. It's colour psychology at work!
As a Squarespace template designer (and recovering colour obsessive), I've seen firsthand how the right colour palette can transform a struggling website into a conversion machine. So let's dive into the fascinating world where pixels meet psychology, shall we?
The Not-So-Secret Language of Colours
Colours aren't just pretty things we slap onto websites. They're silent communicators that whisper (or sometimes shout) messages to your visitors' brains before they've read a single word.
Red: The Attention-Demanding Diva
Red is basically the toddler of colours. It demands attention NOW. Studies show that red can actually increase heart rate and create urgency. This is why you'll often see it used for:
Sale announcements
Limited-time offers
"Buy Now" buttons
Fast food chains (hello, McDonald's and KFC. We see what you're doing)
But be warned: too much red can feel overwhelming or aggressive. It's like that friend who's fun in small doses but exhausting after a whole day.
Blue: The Trustworthy Best Friend
Blue is the colour equivalent of that reliable friend who always shows up on time with snacks. It conveys trust, security, and professionalism. This is why you'll see it dominating:
Banking websites
Healthcare providers
Tech companies
Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
According to Colour Psychology research, blue can actually create a sense of calm and reliability in customers. Perfect if you're selling services that require trust.
Green: Nature's Favourite Child
Green hits that sweet spot between stimulating and relaxing. It's associated with:
Growth and renewal
Health and wellness
Wealth and prosperity
Environmental causes
No wonder wellness brands and financial services often incorporate green into their colour schemes. It quietly says "we'll help you grow" without being pushy about it.
Purple: The Royal Treatment
Purple has long been associated with royalty, luxury and creativity. It combines the calming stability of blue with the energetic vibrancy of red. It works brilliantly for:
Beauty products
Premium offerings
Creative industries
Anti-ageing products
Many brands use purple to convey a sense of exclusivity and special treatment. It whispers "you deserve this" to your customers.
Yellow: The Optimistic Attention-Grabber
Yellow is sunshine in colour form. It's bright, cheerful, and impossible to ignore. It's perfect for:
Grabbing attention (think warning signs)
Creating a sense of optimism
Stimulating mental activity
Budget-friendly offers (hello, JB Hi-Fi!)
Just use it sparingly, as too much yellow can be visually overwhelming and even create anxiety.
Orange: The Enthusiastic Motivator
Orange blends the energy of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. It's passionate but friendly, making it ideal for:
Call-to-action buttons
Subscription prompts
Food industry (creates a sense of appetite)
Youth-oriented products
Orange radiates warmth and enthusiasm, encouraging immediate action without the aggressiveness of red.
Putting Colour Psychology to Work on Your Squarespace Site
Now for the million-dollar question: how do you actually use this knowledge to improve your website's performance?
1. Know Your Audience
Different demographics respond differently to colours. For example, studies have shown that:
Younger audiences often respond well to bright, bold colours
Older demographics tend to prefer more subdued tones
Men and women sometimes have different colour preferences (though this is changing and varies widely by culture)
Pro tip: Before settling on a colour scheme, research your specific audience. What colours are used by brands they already love?
2. Consider Cultural Context
Colours mean different things in different cultures. While white represents purity and weddings in Western cultures, it's associated with mourning in many Eastern countries. If you have an international audience, do your homework on colour associations.
3. The 60-30-10 Rule
Here's a designer secret that'll make you look like a pro: use the 60-30-10 rule.
60% of your site should be your dominant colour (often a neutral)
30% should be your secondary colour
10% should be an accent colour (perfect for those call-to-action buttons!)
This creates visual harmony while still allowing important elements to pop.
4. Test, Test, Then Test Again
The best way to know if your colour choices are working? A/B testing. Try different coloured buttons, backgrounds, or text and see what performs better with your actual audience.
Hotjar offers great tools for testing how users interact with different elements on your page. You might be surprised at what colour combinations drive the most clicks!
Real-World Examples: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good: Airbnb
Airbnb's use of their signature coral-pink creates a sense of friendly excitement. It's energetic without being overwhelming, and it stands out in a sea of blue travel sites. Combined with plenty of white space and minimal black text, their colour scheme says "we're different, but still trustworthy."
The Bad: Craigslist
Craigslist is the poster child for function over form. Its predominantly blue hyperlinks on stark white backgrounds with random splashes of purple (visited links) create a visual experience that feels like it hasn't been updated since 1999. While it's functional, the lack of thoughtful colour psychology makes for a utilitarian experience that does nothing to engage users emotionally or guide their journey through visual cues. It proves that sometimes even massive success doesn't equal good design.
The Ugly: Arngren.net
If you've never experienced the visual assault that is Arngren.net, consider yourself lucky. This Norwegian electronics retailer throws every colour imaginable onto the page with no rhyme or reason. Bright red text competes with blue backgrounds, yellow highlights, and green borders. Product images overlap in a chaotic rainbow mess that makes your eyes dart frantically across the page without knowing where to focus. It's the digital equivalent of someone yelling all the colours of the rainbow at you simultaneously.
Conclusion: Colours Are Your Silent Salespeople
Your website's colours are working 24/7, influencing visitors before they consciously register what they're seeing. With our Squarespace templates, we put serious thought into colour psychology to help your site not just look good, but actually perform better.
Remember: the right colours won't fix terrible products or services, but they can significantly enhance the perception of great ones. Choose wisely!
Want to see how different colour schemes might work for your industry? Check out our templates. Your perfect colour combination might be just a click away!
