Link Color Notes

[fastfish720]

So I've been experimenting with link color and how it affects CTR. One might think that if you have a red background, with a white text area and black font on your site that you should make all of your links red to match the theme. This is exactly the opposite if what you want to do because your links will blend in with the rest of your text. A great color is Blue. Think Opposites on the color wheel, but make sure the color can still be read on the text area. A yellow link on a white text area is not a good idea.

 

[Noban]

Red also, at least in the common mind, tends to indicate that it's something bad (even if it isn't, but it might subconsciously encourage people not to click it).

Silly, but true and relevant.

 

[yanamk]

We all tend to have assosiations with each color since the childhood. Red means stop, danger, blood ; green means nature... trees...picnik... friends; blue is sky, freedom, ocean, swimming pool, parties ; black is scary, submissive, overpowering...; white is innocent and pure; etc.

Anyway, there is definitely a psychology behind colors. It is well known that people are much more relaxed in the green room, for example. And yellow color tends to create tension and stress despite the fact that it is commonly assosiated with sun and happiness.

As for hyperlinks - I would stick to green or blue... definitely nothing yellow on the black background!

This actually reminds me of one of my university teachers. He was a daltonic (couldn't see colors properly). During one of his lectures he used powerpoint slideshow - and the colors he used were SO crazy (yellow letters on pink background) that all the students started to have a major headache within 5 minutes and started leaving the classroom!

 

[jamian]

If you are using light colors for your website, it is advisable to use dark colors for your font, however using light colors for your font, and background at the same time is not good, because you will not understand what you're reading.

 

[Noban]

This actually reminds me of one of my university teachers. He was a daltonic (couldn't see colors properly). During one of his lectures he used powerpoint slideshow - and the colors he used were SO crazy (yellow letters on pink background) that all the students started to have a major headache within 5 minutes and started leaving the classroom!

Hahahaha, that's funny.

It's kinda weird though (and sorta annoying) that my favorite colors (red & black) also happen to be the colors that everyone is afraid to click on due to what society raises us to believe. Whatever, guess I'll just have to stick with the lovely, peaceful green and blue.

Hey, what can I say? I'm an energetic, active go-getter kinda guy, and society has taught me to associate such colors with Red and Black! But, I can't express my favorite colors with my links... such a pitty...

 

[Cindy Bidar]

I think it really depends on your market. If your readers are heavy Internet users, most any color link - as long as it's different from the text - will work. We know that different colors indicates a link, so we'll at least try to click it. But if your market is not Internet savvy, it's best to stick with the standard blue and nevermind your theme colors. Your readers expect blue, underlined links.

 

[Noban]

I think it really depends on your market. If your readers are heavy Internet users, most any color link - as long as it's different from the text - will work. We know that different colors indicates a link, so we'll at least try to click it. But if your market is not Internet savvy, it's best to stick with the standard blue and nevermind your theme colors. Your readers expect blue, underlined links.

True, those who use the internet less are probably more... shall we say, ignorant?

However, it's ironic that most of our sales actually come from this... ignorant type of internet user. Not to say the products we promote are bad or useless or anything, but I think more seasoned internet users may actually have a tendency to discriminate against clicking or buying affiliated promotions because they assume from their experiences that they must all be "scams".

 

[john43]

I agree that something should be written on a background of the opposite color.
This is how the best contrast is created.
Remember, it's hard to see a black face in the black night.

 

[bbdirect]

The most common color used to links in many sites is blue. People and used of it so when they see a text in the color of blue they already know that it is a link and there is more chance that the viewer will click the link.