Colors are everywhere. They can inspire us, soothe us, motivate us, and make us feel angry.
Beyond how colors can make us feel, they can also be healing (chakra colors). In fact, colors are often viewed as a form of nonverbal communication.
As writers, whether you're an author or a freelance writer, you need to know how to take advantage of colors to promote yourself, your books, and your services.
You need to know which colors will evoke the right response from your reader and visitor.
According to Psychology.About.com, colors are “a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood, and cause physiological reactions.”
So, it’s easy to see that colors are a critical element to your author/writer website and branding. While it may not influence your search engine optimization, it will directly influence those visitors who see your site or your posts on social media.
But how do you use this information?
Put this knowledge into action.
First, consider the purpose of your website.
• Is it an action gaming site?
• Is it a food site?
• Is it a health site?
• Is it a writing site?
• A children’s writing site?
• Is it a business site offering products – if so, what kind of products?
• Do you offer services - if so, what kind of services?
• Do you want to evoke action?
• Do you want to evoke trust?
• Do you want to evoke relaxation and calm?
You get the idea. You need to know your site's purpose before you choose colors.
Another factor to take into account is ‘color’ visibility. Similar to fonts, computers may not display (read) the colors you’re using as they appear on your website.
Be sure to use web-safe colors.
Sites like Techbom.com offer a ‘fixed’ color palette that you can browse through.
What colors should you use?
Because colors matter in your website design and branding, it’s essential to know what colors cause what reactions. Below are five basic colors and how they can make visitors to your site feel.
-Red is an action color, a color of passion. It can motivate you to take action.
-Yellow evokes feelings of lightness and cheer. It’s an uplifting color.
-Orange is another uplifting color. It evokes warmth and mental energy.
-Green is a soothing color that evokes a feeling of balance.
-Blue evokes feelings of trust and loyalty.
Take the time to do some ‘color’ research. It will help you decide which colors will work best for your site.
Be color careful.
While colors are essential to your author platform, it’s important to keep in mind that some colors carry both positive and negative associations.
Take the color green, which I happen to love. It evokes feelings of relaxation, harmony, balance, and rebirth (think trees and grass in the spring).
On the flip side, it’s also associated with envy and jealousy.
Shakespeare described envy as “the green-eyed monster" (from Othello).
Keep this in mind when choosing your color scheme.
My website and branding color scheme.
When I wrote about marketing, my branding colors were blue and grey. While the blue works well conveying trust and loyalty, the grey is an unemotional color. However, it does evoke a sense of stability.
Then I switched to writing for children. And of course, I needed a different color scheme.
I did my research and decided on an orange scheme for my website. It’s warm and friendly, exactly what a children’s writing site should convey. After many years, I updated my website to black and white for a more professional look.
I took a different approach with my social media posts. I use different colors for the images I create for my blog posts and my writing services posts.
It was a gamble, but I didn't want all the images in my posts to look alike. I wanted each post to stand out and grab the users’ attention.
I did, though, stay consistent with the orange scheme with my nonfiction book, How to Write a Children’s Fiction Book. And I will stick to that color scheme for my future nonfiction books.
What’s your branding color scheme and why?
Reference:
https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-2795824
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I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, book doctor, editor, and self-publishing consultant. I help turn your idea, outline, or manuscript into a book you’ll be proud to call your own—and provide hands-on guidance through every step of the self-publishing process.
OTHER HELP I OFFER:
HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK
A 200+ page book that will help you write your own children’s book.
CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK AND CHAPTER BOOK COACHING
4- to 12-week programs
WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDANCE & SERVICES
Guidance and more for children’s authors (specializing in picture books and chapter books)
You can contact me at kcioffiventrice@gmail.com.
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