Hello! We’re John and Brian, and we’ve been designing websites from our office in Preston, Lancashire since 2009. Red is one of the most powerful colours you can use on a website. Used well, it grabs attention and adds energy. Used badly, it can overwhelm visitors or make text hard to read. So is red a good colour for web design, and how do you use it effectively? Here’s our guide to red web design.

Is red a good colour for web design?

Yes, red can be an excellent colour for web design when it’s used deliberately. It’s brilliant for drawing the eye to key elements like buttons, offers and highlights, and it can make a bold brand colour. It’s harder to use for large backgrounds behind text, and pure bright red doesn’t have enough contrast with white text for normal-sized writing. The trick is choosing the right shade and using it in the right places.

What does the colour red mean?

Red can mean many different things, including:

Energy and excitement
Passion and love
Urgency
Danger, warnings and errors

These are all strong reactions, which shows how powerful red is. Being complicated doesn’t mean it should be avoided. Many well-known brands, such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Ferrari, have built strong identities around red. Remember that colour meanings vary between cultures and people, so think about what red will say to your customers. If you’d like something softer, our guides to peach colour and purple website colours may help.

How to use red effectively in web design

As an accent colour. Bold, vibrant reds are most effective when used sparingly to draw attention to key elements, such as a call to action button, a sale label or an important word in a heading.
As a background colour. A bright red background will probably be too overwhelming and hit visitors like a wall. Paler reds or deep, rich reds can both work well, though, and so can a gradient from one shade of red to another.
As a secondary colour. Instead of using red only as an accent, you could use it more often as your secondary colour, for icons, headings and list markers. If you do, choosing the right shade to match your branding is essential.
For headings. Red headings near the top of the page can capture attention as soon as the page loads, as long as there’s enough contrast with the background. This matters even more on a phone screen.

Red and accessibility

Pure red (#FF0000) with white text has a contrast ratio of about 4.0:1, which falls short of the 4.5:1 that the WCAG accessibility guidelines ask for with normal-sized text. Slightly deeper reds solve the problem: #D32F2F with white text is about 5.0:1, and #C00000 is about 6.5:1.

Red is also one of the colours most affected by colour blindness. Red-green colour vision deficiency is the most common type, so some visitors won’t see the difference between red and green. Never use colour alone to show meaning: pair a red error message with an icon and clear text, for example “Please enter your email address”, rather than just turning the box red.

Red buttons and calls to action

Red can make a call to action button stand out, but there’s no colour that works best on every website. What matters is that the button contrasts with everything around it, has clear wording and is easy to tap. If your brand already uses lots of red, a contrasting colour may stand out more. Bear in mind that people associate red with errors, so it’s best avoided for “Submit” or “Continue” buttons on forms. Our post on call to action buttons and text covers this in more detail.

Colours that go with red

White and soft cream, for a clean, fresh look
Charcoal and black, for a bold, high-impact design
Greys, to calm red down
Navy, for a classic, confident feel

Common mistakes with red

Using red everywhere. If headings, buttons, links and banners are all red, nothing stands out. Red works hardest when it’s used sparingly.
Bright red text on dark backgrounds. Bright red on black or navy can be tiring to read and may not have enough contrast.
Mixing up messages. If your brand colour is red, make sure error messages still look different, for example with an icon and a clear heading.
Red and green side by side. For visitors with red-green colour blindness, these can look almost the same, so don’t use them as the only way to tell two things apart.

Red web design FAQs

Does red increase conversions?

Not on its own. Red can draw attention, but clear wording, contrast and a well-placed button matter more than the colour itself. The only way to know for your website is to test.

What shade of red is best for a website?

For buttons and backgrounds with white text, a slightly deeper red such as #C00000 or #D32F2F gives you enough contrast while still feeling like red.

Is a red background a good idea?

Use it carefully. Small sections or banners can work well, but large areas of bright red can feel overwhelming. Deep or pale reds are easier on the eye.

Want help choosing colours for your website?

Our post on choosing the right colour scheme for your website is a good place to start. If you’d like a hand, give John and Brian a call on 01772 822626 or get in touch online. You’re welcome to pop into our Preston office for a coffee too.

Red web design: is red a good colour for your website?