Of all of the publications that you might expect a web design and development team to be reading, fashion trend reports might not necessarily top the list. Yet we do, and here’s why:

Today’s customer, even those who aren’t the least bit interested in fashion and style, are constantly bombarded by messaging from people who are. Sartorial trends are only the tip of the iceberg; the fashion world heavily influences which color palates look current, and which ones appear tired and dated. Imagine for a moment a harvest gold refrigerator: even if it’s perfectly brand new, would it look right in your modern kitchen?

Choosing Colors for Your Website & Social Media Presence

Successful digital branding is a balancing act. On one hand, you have the colors that you use to identify your brand (think Coca-Cola’s red and white, or John Deere’s iconic green and yellow) which need to be used consistently and often. On the other hand, you have the ever-changing rainbow of colors that are popular or trendy – necessary to attract customer attention and reassure them that you’re in step with what they’re currently looking for aesthetically.

The sweet spot comes when you can communicate both messages simultaneously: to see this done expertly, check out any of Harley-Davidson’s branding work, where the trademark black, white, and orange has appeared consistently throughout campaigns crafted to a very diverse target market, using every color of the rainbow over the course of generations. On your website and social media, this can manifest as your branding colors being used in logos, site architectural elements like navigation bars and headlines, and call to action buttons while trendier colors star in imagery and graphics.

Bear in mind that the relative need to focus on color trends will vary industry by industry, business by business. If you’re selling apparel, accessories, or jewelry, knowing what people will be wearing next season is of top importance. On the other hand, if you’re a retailer of deep sea fishing equipment, those concerns, while never disappearing entirely, become less pressing.

Need help figuring out how to use color effectively on your website and social media sites? Give us a call! Our world-class creative team and branding experts will be more than happy to help you out.