Using color to manage attention
Color can also be used to effectively focus your visitors’ attention on important or actionable elements. For example, during the US presidential election, pretty much all of the candidates’ websites had the donation button colored red. Red is a very bright and powerful color so it attracts attention, and it stands out even more when the rest of the website is blue or another colder color.
Warmer tones like red, yellow and orange are naturally bright and so tend to attract the eye. They also “expand” when set against colder colors like blue and green. This means that an orange button on a blue background looks like it’s flowing outwards and taking the front seat. Conversely, a blue button on an orange background contracts inward, wishing to stay in the background. Here’s a picture to illustrate:
Want the “About” blurb on your website to grab the visitor’s focus? Make the background yellow. Want to make the “Join” button stand out? Color it orange. Make sure not to highlight too many elements, though; if you do, they may get lost in each other’s company.
Function features a “We’re Hiring” link on its jobs page. To ensure the link is not missed, the designers set it against a red background that pops out from the dark background header, effectively grabbing attention.
