The idea of launching your first website and blog and sharing your insights with the world is exciting. It isn’t just about building a readership and generating revenue. It’s also about all the tips that others shared and helped you come up with the right look.
Many first time bloggers don’t think much about blog colors. After all, isn’t the text the main thing? Even so, it doesn’t take long to learn that color choices do matter. Here are some of the tricks that will help the blog look its best.
Identifying Your Favorite Colors
Everybody has a favorite color, plus several more that they like. As you begin to design the layout of the home page and the other pages, consider using your three favorite colors. The goal is to see how well they work together and what they do in terms of calling attention to the content. If the color scheme works fine, the task is done. When something is still not quite right, employ another strategy to come up with the right mix.
Check Out the Color Schemes Used on Similar Blogs
Don’t hesitate to find out what colors other bloggers are using for their pages. The process is not hard to manage. Conduct a quick search and come up with a listing of several blogs that happen to be focused on the same subject matter that will be featured on your blog. Visit each one and make a note of the blog colors used. Remember to go beyond simply writing down the color; make a note of whether each one was a deep jewel tone, a medium shade, or a pastel.
Thanks to the effort, you now have a tidy list of colors and combinations to consider. One by one, try each of the combinations and see how well they seem to work on your pages. Even if none of them are exactly right for the blog, eliminating those combinations does move you closer to finding the perfect mix.
Using a Color Wheel
Remember the color wheel? It’s a tool that many decorators use to this day. The wheel makes it easy to identify contrasting colors that will look great together. There are wheels online that are static, and some that allow users to alter some of the color shading of various combinations. With the aid of the digital wheel, it is possible to come up with another set of color combinations that are worth trying.
If the idea of a color wheel seems old-fashioned, think about the four colors that a printer uses to create all kinds of hues. Typically, color printer cartridges use yellow, cyan, magenta and black. These four are all that’s needed to come up with any color and shade imaginable. Mix and match them and see what color combinations look right to you.
Taking Cues from the Images
Your probably have images set aside for the home page and each of the blog posts. Consider using some of the secondary colors in the pictures as part of the color scheme for the pages. Including one of those minor colors in the background will help elements of those images to become more prominent. The images can also be the inspiration for a core set of colors that are found on all the blog pages. Along with the core, use one different color from the image as an accent element. The core colors tied gave the site a unified look, while using one additional unique color on each page will make it have its own visual appeal.
Colors That Don’t Obscure the Content
The colors need to enhance the look of the pages and motivate the visitor to read the content. Some colors will do just the opposite. When the color scheme overpowers the content and makes it hard for the visitor to read, that individual will likely not make it to the end of the post.
Designing blogs is a lot like designing brochures and company letterhead. Your favorite colors may be fine for clothing or the living room wall, but they are less than attractive on anything that is supposed to project a professional look. If necessary, dump one or more of the colors in favor of something that helps the pages to look more businesslike.
Colors That Work on All Devices
Gone are the days when everyone read blogs on large desktop screens. Always take the time to see how the colors and general layout look on different devices.
Check the pages via a desktop computer first. If the look is fine, try a tablet. Assuming the pages pass that test, see how they do when viewed on a smart phone.
Since so many people rely on smart phones for browsing and reading online content, the selected colors should not obscure the images or text on each of the pages. This one tip will eliminate several possible color combinations and zero in on a handful that display well on all sorts of devices.
The Psychology Angle
It is no secret that colors can affect the way people feel and think. For example, cooler colors in a bedroom purportedly make it easier to sleep. Warm colors are great for keeping people awake and alert.
You would think that the connection to a blog would be obvious. Even so, it may take some trial and error to realize that the reason some of the color combinations worked better than others is because they entice readers to stay on the pages until the last word is read. Assuming the text is interesting and the pages are attractive, the reader will be back.
As the layout and the color selection begin to come together, it’s easier to see how the right blog colors do make a difference. Depending on the subject matter and the mood you want to convey to the readers, some color choices and shades will work better than others.
Remember that you want your blog to have it’s own look and appeal. Compelling content is important for bringing people back, but using the right colors for your pages also matters. Choose wisely and always keep a backup set on hand. If you decide that the blog needs updating, you can always switch out the colors without having to spend more time coming up with ideas.