Role of Color Psychology in UX Design

Color plays a huge role in UX Design. It defines the tone of the application and how it will be received by the users. There are many factors that are conveyed to the user via color.

Take the simplest example of a notification. It comes across as red pointers! Why blue or green? Why is the designated color of notifications set to red by most of app developers? This is because red catches attention faster than any other color. It is the ideal color for notifications as they require to be seen right away by the users.

Similarly, a call or message button is usually green. This is also because green signifies action and thus is used in buttons that require one.

Color is a vital tool in any designer's toolbox. Understanding the psychology of colors is very important to make an application stand out from the rest. It is directly related to user experience.

A study states that it takes a mere 90 seconds to form an opinion about the application, and most of the time the opinion is influenced by colors. We think that color only defines the aesthetic side of a mobile app, but it also plays a role in defining emotional and cognitive areas.

Color is easy to remember and our eyes are well set to recognize the emotion it arouses.

Research has proven that colors can influence our mood, sleep, heart rate, and even our well-being. This is why many doctors ask to avoid keeping smartphones at the bedside. The colors emanating from them can block sleep and initiate insomnia-like feelings.

A well-thought-out color palette can take UX from good to great. It can make an application perform better among the competition and the result is favourable outcomes.

What is Color Psychology?

Colors psychology in design refers to the way you use different tones for highlighting the features of the application. One can argue that the effects of color are subjective and personal but there is enough evidence showing that various tones leave their own general impact.

The emotional role of colors is a tricky topic to deal with as a slight change of color can lead to a whole new feel. The psychology of color depends on the mental and emotional effects of a tone.

Do you know that different colors leave a different impact across various cultures? The emotion a color resonates completely depends on the background you have been brought up in. While this is true, some colors resonate the same meaning across the world. For example, red stops you, green lets you go, blue refers to calm, yellow represents liveliness, and so on.

The Importance of Color Psychology

Color psychology is a widely used term in UX design and marketing. Colors tend to stimulate our vision and provoke emotions and reactions. Research shows that different colors stimulate different actions and companies utilize color psychology while building their products.

There are basically 4 reasons that showcase the importance of color psychology:

• By using the right combination of colors, an app can gather more attention and business.
• The utilized visuals greatly influence the customer’s buying decision.
• The users can imagine something by looking at the color alone.
• Lastly, a change of color can lead to a change in perception of the design.

Experts suggest that more than 60% of acceptance or rejection depends on the color used by the designer of the application. Thus, a bad combination of colors will result in a low turnaround for the module, similar to low loading speed or poorly phrased content.

Creating Emotions & Attention through Colors

Have you ever visited places that irritate you and some other spots that instantly sets a state of calm in your mind? For the better part, colors may be the reason behind these feelings.

With so many colors, it is difficult to find the right combination that grabs the user's attention. We at Logicwind have curated a list of colors and their perception to make it an easier job for you.

• Cool Colors - The colors that offer a feeling of tranquility and calm. They also give the impression of coldness and impersonality. These colors are usually used wherever there is a need for official boldness.

Blue: Sober and discreet. Resonates confidence.

Green: Fresh and on the go. Represents health most of the time.

Purple: Represents spirituality. Mostly used by spas, beauty, and wellness outlets.

Silver: Usually used by technology brands. Represents innovation and modernity.

• Warm Colors - The colors that offer a feeling of energy and vigor. They also attract attention due to their tone.

Red: One of the strongest warm colors, it attracts quite well. Use it to grab attention with ease. Do not overuse it as it might lead to feelings of aggression and anger.

Pink: Mostly used by brands selling kids or women-based goods. It represents sweetness and beauty. The color also means innovation and thus can be used by brands that just starting off.

Yellow: Also used to attract attention similarly to red. It is a lively color and represents happiness. This color is used in Call To Action buttons as it grabs attention in a pleasant way.

Orange: Mostly used by brands promoting youth, energy, and creativity.

Gold: A color that represents wealth and power.

• Neutral Colors - These colors are mostly used as background fillers. They soften the effect of bold colors. Moreover, they are the ideal combination of cool and warm colors.

Brown: It represents sophistication. Luxury brands use it for logos. It also has a rustic vibe, thus it can be used by organic product producers for their web presence.

Beige: Oozes out feelings of comfort and coziness. This color is usually used by construction and furniture brands. The color is used on walls, curtains, rugs, etc.

Gray: A mixture of two neutral colors, white and black, this color represents professionalism and responsibility. It can also be used to showcase technology and modernity.

White: It represents harmony and light. It is the ideal color for blog sites and eCommerce sites.

Black: The color represents power, elegance, and mystery. Used in text for better readability.

Using Unorthodox UX Colors

The process of using colors that people generally shy away from is known as using unorthodox UX colors. These colors make your application look different and thus attract more crowds towards it. The art of using unorthodox colors sets you apart in the industry.

However, you’ll need to work with an expert to come up with perfect color psychology in design. Random usage can make your app look ugly and unwanted.

• The 60-30-10 Rule

Research shows that developers worldwide have tested and used the 60-30-10 rule to make color palettes for their designs. Here, 60% of the design constitutes of neutral color, 30% by a primary color, and 10% by an accent color.

This allows creators to test and try different combinations of colors. Picking an uncommon hue can increase the product’s market value. It is the first step towards forming a brand as the colors used often get recognized as the identity of the company.

Take the example of Coca-Cola, the red and black combination gets acknowledged from kids to adults. They have made a home in people’s minds with color psychology.

How does Color affect Conversion Rates?

Let’s dive into how colors make an impact on your business and purchase rate. What colors set you apart from the competition, how can color psychology in web design converse with prospective customers, how can colors boost your conversion rate, and so on?

Experts argue about what color is best for CTA. Is it red or green? These arguments go on for other functionalities as well. Colors are the deciding factor for most customers as per a report. Almost 90% of buyers state the color is what made them make the purchase.

Professionals need to conduct thorough research on colors to be used in the app design. This helps them grab more consumers and increase the purchase rate significantly.

Colors influence your market value. Thus, it is necessary to use colors that identify your brand uniquely and place it in the attention bandwidth of consumers. Once done, it results in better online performance and high sales. It also boosts your conversion rate.

Summary

In the end, we hope that you have got enough information on color usage and psychology in design. Colors are the deciding factor for most application users. Don’t forget to test your combination of colors before implementing it in the final outcome. Color psychology is something you learn while utilizing it in the design process.

In case you have any more questions, feel free to contact Logicwind. Our experts can help you make an ideal mobile application or enhance the UX of the current application. Let’s work together!

FAQs

Q: What is the role of color in UX?
A: Colors play an essential role in UX. They define the brand’s identity. Moreover, they help in formulating a hierarchy in UX design psychology. More than 90% of buyers make their purchase decision based on the color used in the design of the website or mobile application.

Q: What is the link between psychology and UX design?
A: UX design refers to how the user perceives the module. The emotions they feel while operating on a website or mobile application. This is where psychology enters. The colors stimulate different emotions in a human and the right combination can lead to a better user experience.

Q: What are the psychological effects of color in UX design?
A: Different color stimulates different emotions. For example, blue resonates with a sense of calm, red leads to a feeling of attraction, green is associated with health, and black represents bold. It is these psychological and more that play a part in the UX design.