Color determines success and increases conversions

Color is everywhere. On websites, in ads, in logos — even in the buttons you click. But did you know that colors aren’t just pretty, they also have a direct impact on the behavior of your visitors? In this article, we’ll explain why using color is important for your website, and how you can use it smartly to increase your conversion. No complicated jargon, just clear explanations with practical tips.

What exactly is conversion?

Before we go any further, a quick note: conversion is the moment a visitor to your website does what you want. For example:

• Buy a product
• Fill out a form
• Subscribe to a newsletter
• Click a button

Every website has its own goals. But one thing is for sure: the better your conversion, the more successful your site is. And colors play a bigger role in that than you might think.

Why colors are so powerful

Colors evoke feelings. They create atmosphere and can unconsciously convey a message. Here are a few common color associations:

• Blue: reliable, safe, professional
• Red: energy, urgency, passion
• Green: growth, peace, nature
• Yellow: optimism, cheerfulness
• Black: luxury, power, elegance
• Orange: creativity, enthusiasm, action
• Purple: spirituality, wealth, fantasy

By choosing the right color, you can steer visitors toward the desired behavior. A bright orange or red button stands out much more than a grey or dark blue button.

The psychology of colour in action

Imagine: you are visiting a webshop. The entire website is white with black text. Nothing stands out. Then suddenly you see a large green button with the text “Order now”. Your eye is automatically drawn to it. This is no coincidence. This is purposeful use of colour.

Research shows that people form a first impression of a website in less than 1 second, and that colour determines up to 90% of that impression. This means that the right colour can make the difference between clicking or dropping out.

Important places for colour use

1. Call-to-Action Buttons (CTAs)

Buttons like “Buy Now”, “Try for Free” or “Sign Up” should stand out. Use a color that contrasts with the rest of your website. For example, orange or yellow works very well on a blue background.

Please note: always test! What works on one website may not work on yours.

2. Background and white space

A calm background with sufficient white space ensures that your content is easy to read. Overly bright colors as a background can come across as flashy and distract people from what is important.

3. Navigation and menus

Use color to show where people are on your website. Give active menu items a different color. This way you keep your visitors focused.

4. Urgency elements

Red and orange are often used to indicate urgency. Think of: “Only 2 left in stock!” or “Promotion until 23:59 tonight”.

Example: A/B test with button colors

A well-known A/B test was done with a landing page where the only change was the color of the button: green versus red. What turned out? The red button performed 21% better. That's a big difference for such a small change.

Why? The red button probably stood out more compared to the rest of the page, which was tinted green. The lesson from this: contrast is crucial.

Be careful with cultural differences

Not every color means the same everywhere. In Western countries, white often represents purity or simplicity. In some Asian countries, white is actually the color of mourning. So keep your target audience in mind when working internationally.

Tools to choose your colors

• Coolors – Easily create your own color palette
• Adobe Color – Explore color combinations and trends
• Canva Color Wheel – Choose colors that work well together

Tips for successful color use

• Choose a maximum of 2 or 3 main colors: Too many colors make your site cluttered
• Ensure sufficient contrast: Especially between text and background
• Use color consistently: The same color for CTAs on every page
• Test different variations: Sometimes a small change can do wonders
• Pay attention to accessibility: Not everyone sees colors the same (color blindness)

A handy tool to test for accessibility is WebAIM Contrast Checker.

Finally: color is not a trick, but a strategy

Color use is not a magic formula, but it is an important part of your website. By using colors consciously and strategically, you can positively influence the behavior of your visitors. And thus increase your conversion.

Whether you run a webshop, have a blog or sell a service: color matters. Test, observe, adjust — and discover which colors motivate your visitors to take action.

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