How Many Colors Should a Website Have?

There’s no question that humans are visual creatures. Up to 80% of the information we get from our surroundings is visual, so the saying “we eat with our eyes first” has some truth to it!

On that note, how many times were you put off by the incoherent and chaotic color scheme of a website? The ugliness can be hard to look past, and truthfully, you might’ve lost out on some real gems just because you couldn’t stand the page for one second longer! 

You don’t want the same to happen to your potential clients, so how many colors should a website have? We’ll share the juicy secrets so your pages are appealing to your clients.

How Many Colors Should a Website Have?

Using a sole color for your website can be boring, and the pages can look flat and drab. So at a minimum, you should use three colors.

On the other hand, you don’t want things to get too busy and hectic. As a general tip, we wouldn’t recommend going over eight shades, and even then, that’s a lot. The sweet spot is three or four, but that will depend on several things.

This is how you can determine your website color schemes:

Get a Deep Understanding of Color Theory

We might wish that throwing together random colors will result in something pleasant, and in some cases, it does. But the key to true success is using color theory. This is a tried and true method to achieve balance and harmony.

At the core of color theory is the color wheel, which shows which hues align with one another.

For your foundation, you’ve got three primary colors: blue, red, and yellow. If you mix them, you’ll get three secondary colors: green, purple, and orange. Lastly, if you mix a primary color with a secondary color, you’ll get six tertiary colors: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-purple, and red-purple.

Okay, so we’ve got the 12 colors down. But how many of each should you use, and how do you select the perfect ones?

Use a Vibrant Primary Color

You should only pick one bold primary color for your website. It should be one that represents your brand, as it’ll be used for main elements like headers, logos, and primary buttons.

As you might’ve already guessed, this color will dominate the overall design. So don’t be afraid to be brave and adventurous!

If you don’t have brand colors yet, then make sure to use color psychology in the selection process. Different hues can have drastic effects on our moods and feelings, so take advantage of this to communicate something unspoken to your potential clients. For example, green is the color of freshness and growth, which makes it an excellent choice for online coaches.

Select a Dynamic Secondary Color

The secondary color should complement the primary color you’ve chosen. They should be hue besties, balancing each other out.

The secondary color will be used for highlights and secondary buttons. You can also use it for other elements that need to stand out but aren’t as dominant as those using your primary color. 

Add Pops of Eye-Catching Accent Colors

Now for the interesting part: accent colors. These are ones you use to grab people’s attention immediately, so use them sparingly; I’d say use one or two, max. 

Obviously, these accent colors should be bright and highly contrasted with your primary and secondary colors to really pop out of the page. Ideal areas to use them are on elements like call-to-action (CTA) buttons, links, or important messages. 

Avoid using accent colors in large spaces, as it can be obnoxious and off-putting. Plus, they’ll lose their punchiness, so you want to use them where they matter.

Slip in Sophisticated Neutral Colors

To complete your complementary color scheme, use serene neutral colors. The exact number you should pick will depend on what other brand colors already exist.

The point of these neutral colors is to balance the primary and secondary colors. Also, they ensure readability; you want your potential clients to read your brand messages clearly. So use your best judgment to not go overboard with any colors, including neutral ones.

Use the 60-30-10 Rule

When in doubt, use the 60-30-10 rule to determine the numbers and ratios of colors for your site:

• 60% of the dominant color
• 30% of the secondary color
• 10% of an accent color

Other Expert Tips to Follow

When considering your options, the secret is using contrast. We’re not just talking about picking different colors either; think tones and tints too! The more contrast you can get in, the more colors you can fit comfortably into your website.

Better contrast also helps with accessibility, which means you can reach more potential clients and scale your business faster. You can always use tools like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to check your site’s contrast ratios.

No matter what you do, be consistent! If you’ve used a color for, say, a CTA, then it shouldn’t appear on the background as well. 

And it’s absolutely essential that your color palette aligns seamlessly with your brand identity and evokes the desired emotional responses. Without this cohesiveness, the customer journey becomes disjointed.

Of course, if you’re struggling, you can always turn to our team. We can help you come up with your business colors and fonts to define and strengthen your brand message.

Select the Ideal Colors to Propel Your Website

So how many colors should a website have? I’d say you’re fine if you stay between two to eight, but the fewer, the better. 

Keep it simple by choosing a website color and building around it with the color wheel. Stick to primary, secondary, accent, and neutral selections, and your pages will come together. And remember the 60-30-10 rule since that’ll give you a visually pleasing and engaging site too.

Book a call with my team now if you’d like expert help with branding a website. Our 30-minute power session will bring clarity regarding your website design.

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