How to get the best color combinations to boost interactivity in email marketing

Introduction

In our last blog, we learned that colors don’t merely exist in emails—they also convey messages. Depending upon how your contacts are segmented, the use of particular colors can lead to increased engagement. On the other hand, an ill-informed use of color can fetch less or no interaction from recipients. Thus, colors determine the effectiveness of the email content.

In this blog, we’ll focus on the different colors and how they can be used to great effect in emails.

Color scheme and its uses

Color schemes—particular combinations of colors—can be determined based on where a color is placed in a color wheel. These schemes add visual aesthetics to an email template by offering combinations of colors that are aligned to the mood and purpose of the email campaign.

There are mainly six color schemes that you can use in your email templates:

• ACHROMATIC

• MONOCHROMATIC

• ANALOGOUS

• TRIADIC

• WARM COLORS

• COOL COLORS

Let’s look at how each of these are composed and what effect they can have on your email’s visual impact.

ACHROMATIC

• These colors are bereft of any hue—for example, white, grey, and black

• Combinations of achromatic colors are simple in form—for example, a white background and a black foreground (specifically letters)

• An achromatic color scheme can give your email a professional look without cluttering the space

• An achromatic color scheme works best while promoting new electronic products or party apparel—this color scheme puts the focus on the products

MONOCHROMATIC

• A monochromatic color scheme requires a combination of one major color (hue) with its various tints and shades—for example, blue (hue) with blue gray, (tint) and royal blue (shade); or grey (hue) with white (tint) or black (shade)

• A monochromatic color scheme offers uniformity in the email template, providing a soothing effect to readers

• If you’re sending out a newsletter, you can accommodate three to four colors based on a monochromatic scheme matching a particular festivity or emotion, or just the color pattern of your brand

ANALOGOUS

• An analogous color scheme consists of three different colors next to each other in the color wheel—for example, magenta, violet, and purple—that can be combined to create a pleasant palette

• This combination offers an otherwise softer or darker feel to the dominant color used in the template

• Analogous colors can be used in emails associated to seasons or natural phenomenons as it will strengthen the color pattern of the template—for example, blue, blue-green, and green can be used in decreasing order for emails specific to winter season

TRIADIC

• A triadic color scheme revolves around the combination of three colors spaced equally apart in the color wheel

• This combination usually combines colors that are nearly opposite to each other in the color wheel—for example, crimson, purple, and dark blue

• Triadic colors are usually combinations of two warm and one cold color or two cold and one warm color, so they offer a balanced palette

• The accompanying colors not only provide harmony to the combination but also magnify the presence of the dominant color, thus strengthening the message it conveys

• You can implement the dominant color in the most important sections of the template for maximum engagement from viewers—for example, CTA buttons

WARM COLORS

• Warm hues, tints, and shades include yellow, yellow-orange, orange, red-orange, red, and red-violet

• Warm colors represent the warmth of nature or are associated with energy. They are generally thought to be very welcoming and thus are used by many brands worldwide

• Brands seeking to convey messages about urgency and optimism often combine orange and yellow in their template design

• You can try using warm colors in your signup forms to create immediacy in action along while being welcoming

COLD COLORS

• Cold hues, tints, and shades include yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, and violet

• Cold colors depict calmness and tranquility. Being associated with natural occurrences like vegetation, sky, and oceans, cold colors are also known to create a sense of space and abundance among viewers

• Brands that are connected to trust and hope often use cold colors—for example, healthcare brands

• You can opt for cold colors in your survey campaigns to provide trust among contacts who fill them out

Conclusion 

Combining certain colors correctly in an email template brings out many expressions.  Often, certain color combinations become synonymous with brands and the ideas they convey, thus resonating the tastes of the customers. This leads to a symbiotic relationship between the brand and its customers.

If some permutation and combination can fetch you greater engagement, why not try it with your next email campaign?