Color is a powerful tool when it comes to design, and as a member of the development team for our app, Sentia. I have learnt swiftly to never underestimate the impact color can have on brand and users.
The right color can draw attention, entice a user to make a purchase or set the mood for the app and the brand, as different colors evoke different emotions. I have learnt that this element of design is something that cannot be overlooked when considering the user experience.
Deciding on the best colors for your app can be a difficult decision as there are many possibilities. There are however trends we can use as a guide to determine how the popular colors can affect our attitude and experience.
Image source: Canadian Business
Blue is one of the most used colors in apps, websites and brands. Blue inspires confidence, trust and integrity, and is known for its dependability and soothing effect. Blue is one of the most used and appreciated color across apps.
As you can see with established brands including Facebook, Skype, Dropbox and Twitter, blue dominates their branding. A research project on color association carried out by Joe Hallock at the University of Washington agrees, that on average, a third of users associate blue with trust, security and reliability.
Image source: Canadian Business
As the popularity of blue continues to skyrocket, Orange is also gaining traction and becoming a popular trend across apps and branding. Bright and creative, combining the warmth of red and the optimism of yellow, it cultivates a fresh and healthy vibe for users. Orange catches your attention while communication energy and vitality.
If you want to stand out in a cluttered market orange may be the way to go. If we look at Etsy and SoundCloud, we will see both apps are creative platforms, using the freshness and energy of orange to their advantage. Something that reverberates with consumers.
Image source: Canadian Business
Whilst it is not quite in the same league as blue or orange, yellow invokes a feeling of joy, cheerfulness and optimism. Not only is it the easiest color to see due to its wavelength properties, it generates a warm and enticing atmosphere for the users within an app.
A company utilizing the emotive power of yellow successfully is Snapchat. Looking to inspire joyful interactions between friends, their app uses yellow to stand out by enticing users into engaging with their platform.
Image source: Canadian Business
Red is bold and intense. Red can invoke emotions ranging from anger and heat through to love and passion. Its dynamic nature means it can portray strength and friendship but also be demanding and aggressive.
Given this, it’s a risky color to use if not used appropriately. It is a good choice if you want to get users attention or display a powerful presence. Hallock’s research found that 76% of users associated red with speed. For this reason, we see streaming services such as Netflix and Youtube using red in their apps.
Image source: Canadian Business
As one of the most dominant colors in nature, green represents life and peace. It’s harmonizing and balancing nature, represents health and renewal which is synonymous with wealth and growth.
Brands offering financial and utilitarian services exploit the dual nature of green to represent money and growth. Companies in the sustainability and environmental space are using green to communicate their “clean” business intentions.
Pink is the color of compassion, love and energy, combining the elements of passion and power from red, softened with added white, which removes the intensity and aggression of red
Our brand Sentia for example uses pink to draw audience attention and entice passion.
Image source: Canadian Business
Purple exudes luxury and extravagance, academic brilliance and wisdom. The pigment originally came from the mollusk, a rare snail, and was an expensive and rare commodity that only those with money and power could afford. Purple also encompasses spirituality and creativity combining the calmness of blue with the energy of red.
Sentia utilizes purple to promote our special and unique groundbreaking technology.
Conclusion
There are many tools and elements when it comes to designing an app, but the colors used have a major effect on users and the journey they experience. When it comes to apps, putting the right color to good use can alter what the user feels and sees, for the better.
