How to Use Color as a Tool

It is no secret that all colors have their own unique psychological effect. There are entire fields of study just devoted to understanding how colors in advertisements can impact the marketability of a product, service, or business. Bright and vivid colors are often utilized for children’s toys, yellow is used as a warning sign (yellow traffic lights, yellow wet floor signs, yellow caution tape, etc.), and blue can inspire trust in users (just take a look at how many banks use blue in their logos.) This is especially true on the internet, and even law firms can be impacted by the types of colors they utilize in logos, photos, and website designs.

Picking the Right Color Palette

While you may have thought nothing of it initially, your firm’s primary and secondary colors are a major factor in whether your website visitors are going to convert or not. Whether you choose a muted palette or vibrant colors can determine how professional your firm appears to online users, as well as how memorable you are in advertisements, emails, social media posts, and even billboards. As you review your options, you will want to pay attention to the types of emotions your firm’s colors invoke in users and potential clients, as it can impact their willingness to pick up the phone.

Given that there are thousands of color combinations you can choose from, you may be at a loss as to how to get started. It is not uncommon for attorneys to pick their colors based on what they like or even what they wear on a regular basis. While your personal opinions on certain colors should certainly inform your decision (no one wants to hate their own logo or website design), you may want to look outward for more guidance.

In our experience designing websites at SLS Consulting, Inc., we often advise clients to:

• Choose a color palette with the purpose in mind, not just the visual aesthetic.
• Consult with a marketing expert on what colors would work.
• Perform an A/B test to see which colors show the most engagement and conversion.

A split A/B test is one of the more scientific approaches to web design and allow you to sample audiences. This involves showing half of your users one of two colors, while the rest see the other one. Then, all you have to do is compare the conversion rates to see which one brings in more leads.

Creating a balance between your primary and secondary colors is also important. Two vivid colors like red and yellow can irritate the eye and make your website harder to navigate. However, having a primary color in your palette can be extremely useful, as it may draw a user’s eye to a CTA or link naturally (see Amazon’s yellow “Add to Cart” button).

But do not get bogged down too heavily in color research and studies. Debate still rages about how colors impact different demographics, from age to gender to class, and not all of these discussions are relevant to your firm’s particular interests. Instead of spending hours mixing and matching colors, reach out to the web design team at SLS Consulting, Inc.

From implementing A/B testing to evaluating how your firm’s color palette will work with your website’s design, our marketing experts can handle all of the heavy lifting. At the end of the day, we will focus on your goals and evoking the right emotion in potential clients through your website’s design. To discuss how we can improve your firm’s conversions, contact SLS Consulting, Inc. at (323) 254-1510.