People are surrounded by colors. We see them everywhere – vibrant and neutral, dark and light, ubiquitous and unique.

According to numerous psychological studies, colors are closely connected to our mood, perception, emotions, and even decision making processes. That said, colors can influence attitudes towards certain products, which is the primary goal of marketing.

Even though the important role of color in marketing is undeniable, it remains to be one of the most controversial subjects of discussion. Do colors really matter or it’s a myth? How to pick the right color for your visual content?

These questions are especially important for video creators, who only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the audience and convince to keep watching their videos.

In this article, we’ll discuss the psychology of color in social videos and how to successfully implement it in your video marketing strategy.

Does color matter in social videos?

Color is an important part of a brand’s marketing strategy. It differentiates a product from the competitors, influences moods and feelings of the audience, and helps form a certain attitude towards a brand.

According to the “Impact of Color on Marketing” study, up to 90% of the initial assessment of a product is based on colors alone. And most of the time, the first impression is the strongest one!

Ideally, major brand elements like logo, website, marketing materials – should be visually concordant, specifically in terms of colors. But do we have to pay attention to colors when making social videos?

The answer is yes.

There is no need to explain why having a solid video marketing strategy is essential for any business nowadays. Social videos are certainly one of the key elements in these strategies.

Often, social videos introduce a brand to the audience that has never heard of it before – and it’s critical to make a strong positive impression and stick to the memory of the potential customers. Catchy, remarkable color patterns can definitely assist with that.

The colors that you choose for social videos can also impact the audience that is familiar with your brand. Colors, when picked right, can ensure successful positioning against competitors and transparency of the video’s main message.

Is there a business that would say no to that?

How Brands Use Color in Social Videos

You may have noticed that companies often use specific color schemes in their social videos. Most of the time, companies use their signature colors to brand videos and make them recognizable across various social platforms.

To see how brands implement it in their social videos, let’s focus on the 3 primary colors – red, blue, and yellow.

The Color Red in Social Videos

Energy, movement, passion, excitement – these are the terms that come to mind when you think of the message the color red conveys.

Studies have shown that red is tightly associated with different kinds of activity. This color is even considered to increase blood pressure and heart rate!

It’s widely believed that red stimulates appetite, and the fact that a lot of food companies use it as a brand color supports this belief. However, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that could confirm this.

Nevertheless, you don’t have to be a scientist to acknowledge that red is one of the strongest and most conspicuous colors. Using it in marketing and social videos is a great way to make them more prominent and eye-catchy.

McDonald’s is actively using various shades of red in their social videos:

The regular appearance of this color helps videos stick in the viewers’ memory and trigger instant associations with the brand. We’re lovin’ it!

The Color Blue in Social Videos

Blue is one of the most popular colors in the world. People enjoy seeing it, and businesses love employing it.

Have you noticed how many social platforms have chosen blue as their brand color? Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Periscope, Skype – the list goes on.

Blue is often associated with peace, safety, reliability, comfort, and calmness. These are very desirable associations for a lot of companies, especially social platforms.

Moreover, psychologists found out that a person’s inclination for a given color is mostly determined by this person’s associations (positive or negative) with the objects connected to this color. And the color blue is usually associated with positive things – sky on a clear day, water, and ocean.

Facebook uses dark blue as the signature color since the company’s foundation. It is safe to say that this color has become a big part of their brand identity.

No surprise Facebook uses this color in most of their social videos. Take this one as an example:

Here, color is not the central part of the story – it’s an element of the setting. From the first seconds of the video, people see Facebook’s signature color and have a feeling of familiarity (or even recognize it right away!).

The Color Yellow in Social Videos

What comes to mind when you think of the color yellow? Most likely, sunshine is the first association that pops into the head.

Brands often use yellow to represent cheerfulness, fun, logic, and fast movement. Yellow is difficult to overlook – and Snapchat is using its signature yellow in all types of social videos, including educational ones.

Here’s a perfect example of how a whole video can be based on a single color without looking monotonous:

Tips on Picking the Right Colors for your Social Videos

Research Your Audience

Knowing the audience is absolutely essential for any business. Making assumptions about what your audience likes and wants without an actual research is one of the biggest marketing mistakes. The same goes for social videos.

Pick the color that is perfect for your audience.

Make sure that your color choice is appropriate and relevant. According to research on consumers’ color preferences, the reaction to color appropriateness is more important than the individual color itself. If your social video and your products are off-key in terms of color, chances are you’re not going to achieve prominent results.

Will your audience find a certain color suitable for your social videos? The goal is to find that out!

Moreover, an environment and cultural perception of a person also play a strong role in evaluating color appropriateness and having color preferences. Make sure that you pay proper attention to these aspects, too.

Be Consistent

Consistency is the key to effective branding. When people know what to expect, their experience with the brand becomes more coherent and comfortable. This applies to social videos, too.

A study on the brain’s response to product branding has shown that human’s brain prefers immediately recognizable brands. To make your videos recognizable at a glance, be consistent with your color choices.

Choose a color scheme or a detail that will make your videos stand out. The more regular you use similar color patterns in your videos, the stronger is the association between them.

Take a look at how National Geographic brands their videos:

You don’t even need to read the title of the video to realize that it has been published by National Geographic. Thanks to the yellow details on their videos’ thumbnails!

Let the Color Transmit your Message

Colors are not just visual decorations of your videos. They can transmit the message that you put into them.

What’s the goal of your video? To demonstrate your advantage over the competitors, to showcase a new product – no matter what the answer is, colors can assist you in achieving that goal.

Take a look at how Wistia used colors to highlight a number of solutions for various users’ needs:

Wrapping Up

We may not notice that, but colors play a major role in how people perceive social videos. When there’s a chance to enhance viewer’s experience, try not to miss it!

Are you thinking through your color choices when making social videos?

Let us know in the comments below!