Effects of color co-ordination affecting CTR.

[fi5hbone]

I think colors play a very critical role in a website. Not only that, for ads as well. People have been talking about ad placements, content and everything, but colors seem to have been overlooked. (correct me if I am wrong :) )

And I am not just talking about color co-ordination. Or having a good color matched website. But colors which bring out the "clicker" in the visitor. I have no scientific proof for this, but the color scheme (not the colors of the ad text or background or whatever). I believe certain color schemes are more "friendly" for visitors and make them want to click your links more. For example, I think a website with a glaring color scheme tend to have a lower CTR as compared to a website which gives you a warm or cool feeling about it.

What do you guys think?

[abbeyvet]

There is no question but that some colour schemes can make a site seem more authoritative, friendly, exciting, cutting edge or whatever. But what works on one site with one layout/design might be a disaster with another layout or on another site.

I think it would be impossible to say what how colour choices would affect CTR or other activities without also knowing quite a lot about the audience for the site, its purpose and a whole host of other factors. And even then without extensive testing.

There are loads of reports from people who did great with clashing (even horrible) colours, loads more who improved things with very close blending. It has an effect, but defining it is the thing.

A great book for anyone interested in this area is "Color and Art: The Biology of Seeing" by Margaret Livingstone.