Your website is a landing page for your online audience, and it tells a story about your identity and your purpose. And believe it or not, different color schemes on your site can portray varying levels of professionalism, friendliness, openness, and more. So, what does your website’s color scheme say about you?

Professionalism

If you want your website to appear polished and professional, the best color schemes incorporate black and white for a standard, formal look. Touches of purple and gold can distinguish your website without compromising the professional feel you’re trying to portray. This sleek, modern look can give the same impression as a modern home or office and makes your website bold and attractive.

For a professional look, try these WordPress.com themes: Stratford, Shoreditch, and Twenty Nineteen.

Friendliness

If you want your website to feel friendly, some colors work better than others. Dark blues and greens are your best bet for making your website appear comforting and welcoming. Many charities and nonprofit organizations use these colors to convey a sense of calm.

To create a friendly-looking website, check out these WordPress.com themes: Sketch and Bari.

Efficiency

Some businesses may want to alert customers to their efficiency and speed. For example, home repair businesses like roofing companies and insurance services want visitors to spend as little time as possible on their websites and, instead, call them directly for a quote. For this, a bold color scheme of red and white can create that sense of urgency. These colors, combined with quick and snappy calls to action like “Call for a quote” or “Contact us now,” can encourage potential customers to hop right from your website to the phone, giving you business as quickly as possible.

If you’re hoping to create a sense of urgency in your website visitors, try these themes: Radcliffe 2 and Attache.

Creativity

Creative types may use their website’s color scheme to portray the uniqueness or relevance of their business. Services like photography, videography, custom art, and calligraphy can benefit from some interesting earth tones like mellow oranges and browns. An orange hue communicates a level of playfulness that may be important in your field, while a light brown can make you appear down to earth and professional. Work with these colors together and you’ll have a fun, playful website that gives viewers a glimpse into what your business is all about — and hopefully, creates a one-of-a-kind look for those who may be viewing many websites of similar businesses.

Creative types may want to check out these WordPress.com themes: Gema and Scratchpad.

Stimulation

Websites that stimulate the minds of viewers generally contain bright colors, like yellow and pink. Though these two colors don’t necessarily work in tandem, choosing one of them as the main color for your site can spark your visitors’ imaginations. Add in primary colors like red and blue for a website for children, especially one where they’re encouraged to learn and grow, either through tools on the site itself or in the physical space that your website is promoting.

WordPress.com themes that promote stimulation and growth include Aperitive, Carbon, and Ippo.

So, when designing your website, keep your color scheme in mind. Though it’s important to align the colors with your brand and logo, colors also communicate your story and intention to your audience.