Of all the human senses, vision is one of the strongest. It plays such a strong role that Colours can influence our purchasing decisions.

To make an example, Performable once run a study where they tested which color button between green and red would have the highest impact in converting users into customers.

They found that red call to action had a conversion rate of 21% higher than the green ones.

They basically managed to increase their conversion rate only by changing the colours of their buttons without changing anything else on the page.

That’s how powerful marketing colour Psychology is.

The use of different colours affects human behaviour in different situations. This is what makes it possible that a simple colour change can make such a big difference in persuading users to take action rather than leave.

HOW DOES COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY WORK?

But why exactly does this happen? How is it possible that just one colour can influence so much human behaviour?

And how do you know the colours to use to increase your leads and conversions?

Why?

This comes from the fact that we all grow up associating smells, sounds, and yes colours to actions, feelings, emotions.

Let’s think about this; what if we say “love”? What is the first colour that comes to your mind associated with the word Love?

We can safely guess it’s probably the colour red.

That’s because red is the colour that is usually associated to love.

Red hearts, red roses, and so on.

So, when it comes to choosing the colour of your brand or buttons on your website, your favorite colours may not be the best choice.

That’s because your perceptions of your favorite colours might not be the same as the ones your audience has.

It’s hard to ignore our own personal preferences. We all have our favourite colours.

So, we all often tend to make colour choices based on what we like or we think will look good, instead of trying to pick those that are most in line with what we want to achieve.

So, in this article, we am going to walk you through the primary colours, explaining their emotional impact, and show you how some brands are using them.

What is colour psychology in marketing?

Colour psychology is that scientific area of research that studies how colors actually influence human behavior.

Different colours are associated with and stimulate specific emotions and actions.

That’s why colour psychology is so powerful in digital marketing if used correctly.

What are the driving emotions that positively influence your target audience towards trusting your business and make purchases?

How do they need to feel to follow the journey you want them to take instead of leaving and searching for someone else?

The choice of the colours you use for your branding and marketing should be based on this if you want to increase your sales and customers’ loyalty.

This is why colours can impact the way audiences perceive brands in ways that aren’t always apparent.

You should also keep in mind that colours are just a portion of your brand’s experience. 

There are a lot of other factors in play like your fonts, your design style, your products, and even your people.

All these elements work together and influence the effectiveness of your image and marketing.

In this article, we are going to focus on colours. So, let’s begin.

COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY: BLUE

A positive association with blue is that it can have a very calming effect.

Cool colours in general tend to have a more calming impact on people and are great for giving off a relaxed, serene, or “trusting” effect.

Try to imagine to be staring out at a nice blue ocean and seeing the calming waves and enjoying the serenity.

How would that make you feel?

Blue is also associated with wisdom, strength, and trust.

Companies such as Facebook and Twitter use the colour blue in their logos to symbolize unity and connections to others around the world.

They use the colour blue to transmit that their platforms are trustworthy places to engage with your friends.

Other companies like PayPal, American Express, and Visa which really want to gain your trust, often use the colour blue.

On the other hand, bear in mind that a dark tone of blue can be associated with coldness and a lack of emotion.

COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY: RED

Red is a powerful colour with some great positive associations.

It is often considered a powerful colour that represents leadership.

Since red is associated with power and passion, it can increase levels of Urgency and Excitement.

This is the reason why you can often see it associated with fast cars and lingerie.

It facilitates to draw in attention because of how well it stands out, which helps take action by how stimulating it is.

Netflix uses the colour red to transmit this level of excitement and passion that you can experience while enjoying their platform.  

Coca-Cola is also another company that uses red in their logo and branding. The colour red helps portray a culture of excitement, leadership, and innovation in their brand.

On the other hand, very dark tones of red can transmit negative levels of energy like anger or danger.

However, warm colours like red are great for creating any type of boldness and excitement in your content.

COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY: YELLOW

The colour yellow is usually associated with being bright, are we right? And if you think about bright colours, yellow is probably the first one that comes to your mind.

But if used appropriately, it can also have a profound effect.

The colour yellow can stimulate feelings of optimism, intellect, and positivity for your brand.

It is also associated with sunshine, happiness, and fun.

So, if your audience is looking to experience some of these feelings with brands like yours, then yellow will definitely help you transmit it.

On the other hand, keep in mind that yellow can also be associated with cheapness. People usually expect to see good deals when they see the colour yellow.

For example, one of the most recognizable brands that use yellow is McDonald’s. And of course, they associate their brand with cheapness, happiness, and fun.

This is another great job of a brand harnessing the power of yellow.

However, be aware that dark tones of yellow can portray emotions of fear or anxiety. So, it’s best to recognize what shade of yellow you can use if you want to use this colour in your marketing.

COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY: ORANGE

The colour orange is often associated with the sun which gives off a feeling of warmth.

In some cases, orange can be seen as a “friendlier” version of the colour red. In fact, it often helps create a sense of movement, which is great for content where you want to induce your audience to take action.

Also, orange is a colour that most people consider to be cheap. Like yellow, but a little different.

Let’s think about this; if you think about really high-end expensive items, you probably don’t think of the colour orange, do you?

Amazon is a company that uses the colour orange in their branding.

When you think of Amazon, you probably associate it with really good customer service – which is the warmth and friendliness of orange.

They are also known for having great deals which they use to their advantage by associating their brand with being cheap.

With orange, you can also transmit spontaneity.

Brands like Fanta use this colour to help them induce a youthful culture for their brand.

Orange offers a good balance between red and yellow. It isn’t overpowering but also helps your brand remain energetic.

On the other side, a dark tone of orange can be associated with frustration and immaturity.