How can the color red influence your audience’s purchasing decisions?

Research has shown that red is one of the most persuasive colors when it comes to influencing consumer behavior. Among the many studies conducted on the psychology of colors, red has been shown to increase an athlete’s chances of winning (compared to similarly-talented athletes wearing blue), and increase perceptions about a woman’s attractiveness.

Isn’t that fascinating? In marketing, we know that colors are not randomly decided for logos, landing page backgrounds, website fonts, and other visual collateral – but have you ever really considered how the color red might positively or negatively influence your audience’s perceptions of your ads and website?

Red Creates Excitement

More than any other color, red creates a sense of urgency and excitement. It gets our blood racing and hearts pounding, which might explain why so many retailers use the color red for their clearance and sales signs. Red has also been linked to increases in appetite, which is why companies like McDonalds and Wendy’s and Coca-Cola favor red in their logos and advertising.

Does this mean you should include more red in your landing pages? That depends. Some studies say red is the best color for call-to-action buttons, while other studies say red can have a detrimental effect. The fact of the matter is that color is just one of many aspects of your marketing campaign, so a landing page with poorly written copy or hideous imagery might not convert, even with a red call-to-action button. However, if the other components of your site and ad campaigns are high-quality, then incorporating more red could increase your conversions.

Drive Them Away

On the flip side, red can be a deterrent. After all, we use the color red for stop signs, warning signs, and other visual indicators of danger (such as red flag warnings for beachgoers or red cards in sports). The trick here is testing different variants of your landing pages with different colors for your call-to-action button. Red is not a universal deterrent, but your chances of success could depend on how your other colors and imagery on the page mesh with the color red.