No matter how great your website copy or the images you publish online, if you don’t pander to the emotions of your users, you may find it more difficult to earn their trust and loyalty to your brand. Here’s the low-down on effective emotional web design.
The Essentials of Emotional Web Design
Emotional web design is about creating a feeling or impression with your audience so that they feel committed to your brand. First impressions are vital for encouraging visitors to get hooked on your brand, and igniting the emotions of your audience will help your website stand out from the crowd.
Various elements that you choose in the design of your website, especially colours, can influence the emotions of those who visit your site.
Choosing Colours
According to The Next Web, effective emotional design is created for human beings first – not algorithms, metrics or robots.
When deciding which colours to use to evoke emotions in your audience, think about who visits your site, what their needs are and what emotions you want them to feel. Put the audience first, before your own feelings or business objectives.
Psychologists argue that different colours bring out different emotions in people, so get to know which colours mean what emotionally and decide how these fit in with your website, particularly when choosing colour combinations. Use colour choices to tie-in with your corporate branding and identity, where possible. Keep it simple to ensure audiences don’t get confused. It is important to think of colours that produce certain emotions. For example black and red may not be appropriate for Care homes in Somerset as they evoke feelings of anger and sadness, whereas pale colours and yellow in particular can be incredibly uplifting.
Red, for example, captures attention and is associated with youth, passion or magic. Yellow symbolises optimism and warmth, whilst blue triggers feelings of peace and intelligence. Once you have an idea of what colours you want on your site you can then consult with a professional web designer. A professional designer will ensure that the colours are integrated seamlessly on your site so that they look visually appealing and induce the emotions you desire.
Colour Considerations
Be aware that colour preferences can vary according to gender and age groups, so if you’re trying to appeal to a wide audience, make sure you create positive emotions with your colour choices that appeal to all target groups.
Crucially, colours evoke different emotions across cultures, so if you have a global audience, make sure the colours you choose don’t cause offence.