Web design and colors

The use of colors or a chromatic palette in web design is a well-studied concept. This is because it is estimated that the color of a product influences the purchasing decision of 80% of consumers. In other words, it is something to keep in mind in any web design, especially since it is the first thing a user perceives when visiting our website.

The use of colors is extremely powerful, as colors are capable of setting the right tone to deliver the message to users. Analyzing the use of colors in the logos of the world’s top 100 brands, we find that 95% use one or two colors at most.

Which color should you use?

Within the color spectrum, blue is the most common (33% of cases), followed by red (29%), black or grayscale (28%), and yellow (13%). This pattern extends to web design, since when creating any website design, the brand’s logo color must be respected.

Each color is intended to convey different messages, so it is advisable that these colors reflect the company’s principles and values:

• Blue: conveys peace, tranquility, integrity, and stability. Being a cold color, it should not be overused. Ideal for websites in medicine, politics, or technology.
• Red: symbolizes love, power, leadership, and emotion. It can also have negative connotations such as danger or prohibition. Frequently used to draw attention in buttons or banners, but should be applied sparingly.
• Yellow: associated with happiness, optimism, and fun. Useful for highlighting calls to action or contrast in design.
• Green: the color of hope and nature, representing growth, money, peace, and health. A strong choice for health, science, or environmental websites.
• Orange: evokes friendliness and trust. Commonly used in marketing and business websites, particularly in CTAs, as it is eye-catching but less intense than red.
• Black: linked to elegance, power, and sophistication. Despite its association with darkness or mourning, it is the most used color for text due to its readability.
• White: associated with purity, simplicity, freshness, and cleanliness. Often used as a base in minimalist designs and health-related websites.
• Pink: conveys love, protection, generosity, and delicacy. Many companies use it for their logos or to highlight key messages.
• Gray: neutral and modest, but conveys security and reliability. Very common in technology websites as a background or secondary color.

How to choose a good color combination?

When designing a website, it is important to carefully select the colors you will use. Shades must complement each other and avoid clashes. Several color combinations are possible:

Complementary combination

Colors opposite on the wheel to the base color, creating a vivid and striking contrast.

Monochromatic combination

Variations of a single color using different saturation and tones to achieve harmony.

Triadic combination

A palette formed by three different colors. One should dominate while the others highlight elements to create visual balance.

Analogous combination

Based on neighboring colors in the palette, creating smooth transitions and gradients.

Compound complementary combination

One base color combined with the two adjacent to its complement, usually with saturated tones.

New factors to consider in web design (2025)

• Accessibility: ensure proper contrast for users with visual impairments, following WCAG guidelines.
• Dark mode: increasingly adopted by websites, requiring adapted color palettes.
• Emotional colors: applying color psychology to UX and CRO is essential to guide users toward desired actions.
• Visual trends: vibrant gradients, minimalist palettes, and neutral colors with a bold accent are current design trends.

Complementing color with typography

Another point to consider in logo design is the use of typography. There is a growing trend toward purely typographic logos. Currently, 41% of major brands use typography alone in their logos, which further highlights the importance of a clean, balanced color palette.