While it might not be the first thing you think of, colors play a huge role in how well your brand is perceived, remembered, and valued. In fact, adjusting color can increase conversions by up to 24%! Many studies have found that there is a connection of color to experience, thus leading the brain to generalize colors into broad themes that subconsciously dictate our feelings, behaviors, and perceptions. Therefore, it is integral to think strategically about what colors you associate with your brand.
Visual stimulus is one of the most powerful tools in the marketing toolbox, and the right colors can truly make your content pop. For instance, a monochromatic ad featuring plain text and static visuals may get lost in the busy web we find ourselves in each time we log onto the internet. Meanwhile, a bright visual with appeal graphics can stand out and cause pause. Using the right colors can help boost engagement and build a cohesive digital footprint.
Color also plays a huge role in the consistency of your brand. When using the same color palate, your audience will come to immediately association your brand with the color. This subconscious link helps your audience easily identify your brand. When I say McDonalds, the first thing that may have popped into your head was the yellow arches. That’s because McDonalds has been consistently using their color palate for years. With time, color consistency builds overall trust and general recognizability for your brand.
If you want to drive home your messaging, choosing the right colors can be a sure-fire way to back-up your content. Color can complement your brand message and overall company mission by connecting past experience and memories to feelings and behaviors. This concept, called color psychology, is why Target uses a red bullseye to drive sales and why a doctor’s office has blues and greens to soothe their patients’ nerves. In fact, you can communicate your values and messaging without words at all if you learn to harness the power of color psychology.
Ask yourself what you want to achieve with your branding by answering the following questions:
1. What feelings would you like to invoke with your marketing materials?
2. What is your company culture? Warm and nurturing, traditional or high tech?
3. Who is your audience? Different colors appeal to different targets.
4. What do you want customers to think of first when they think of your brand?
Once you have answered these initial questions, you can begin to dive into color specifics and create the right color palate to tell your story without words.