This post will be continuing my post about the use of colors on payday loan sites. Today’s topic is the use (or non-use) of web safe colors when picking graphics, layouts, or even CSS styles for your site – but first we need to answer the larger question…
Are Web Safe Colors Even Necessary?
The short answer is no. The need for a web safe color scheme died about the time better graphics cards and high tech monitors became commonplace in the market on a large scale. It used to be that graphic designers were the only ones with access to these technologies, but no more. Very few people make use of the 216 palette anymore, so it’s more or less safe to abandon the use of a web safe scheme altogether for most audiences.
Who Might Use/Prefer the Web Safe Scheme?
People with older machines or lower-end operating systems are your likely candidates for this preference. Unfortunately this may encompass your average payday loan client (notice I said most audiences) so even though the web safe model is more or less dead, you might want to keep it alive just to be super sure your payday loan customers get the experience you intended (from a color perspective at least).
What are the Advantages/Disadvantages of a Web Safe Scheme?
These don’t include the hues/saturations that many artists prefer, which means that your choices are cut from 16.7 millionish to 216 right away. Finding colors and achieving desired shading can be tough, but you’re guaranteed to have the desired outcome for each user, regardless their computer setup. It’s a little tougher to get the 216 colors to work together since they’re more bold, but many artists wear this as a badge of achievement; conversely, many employers see this as a plus (but these are the ones that were designing with 216 colors way back in the day.)
Does it Really Matter Anyhow?
In my opinion, probably not. Payday loan clients aren’t necessarily as discerning as your typical art student. It’s also been my experience that affiliates who write in and ask about the use of colors usually have enough design chutzpah to hold their own with or without web safe colors, so the point might be moot anyhow.
Resources Worth Checking Out
- Blumey