Rule # 6 - Use Color to Tell Who You Are

Color can be one of the most attractive elements of your Web iste, or it can be one of its most dreadful downfalls. Not only will people judge your site by the colors you choose, but they will also identify you and your business by those colors, so it's important to put some thought into choosing them.

First, think about how you want to portray your business. Distinguished, serious, bold, fun, trendy, practical, stable, experienced, youthful, passionate, ambitious? A specific color scheme can help you establish your character. Blue can represent conservatism, loyalty, calmness, royalty, and trust. Red can indicate strength, passion, fire, power, and boldness. Yellow might portray cheeriness, hope, optimism, and joy. So, first think about how you want people to see and identify your business, and then decide how color will play into you identity. (For more ideas on color symbolism and psychology, you can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_symbolism_and_psychology.)

Second, you might consider your own logo, if you have one. What colors look good with it? While you don't have to choose exactly those same colors, it's a good idea to make sure your colors blend together. You might incorporate the main color of your logo into you Web site somewhere, because this will give your site a sense of balance and belonging.

Third, choose one or two base colors that will be used prominently in your site, and then choose complementary colors for secondary borders, fonts, and other graphics. Too many colors can give your site a chaotic and unorganized appearance.

Fourth, maintain the same shade throughout. If you use pastels, you'll want to all of your colors to have that same value. In most cases, a bright, bold green won't blend as well with a pastel blue as it would with a darker shade.

Fifth, use colors consistently throughout your site. For example, choose one color for your page title and keep it the same on every page. The same goes with your navigation bar, borders, backgrounds of sidebars or quote boxes, and sub headings or section dividers. Again, this gives your site a consistent, cohesive appearance.