You want to make your web pages stand out.

Is using a colorful background a good way to do that?

What if it distracts people from your content?

Find out why white backgrounds are the best background for any web page or blog post.

Low Eye Strain

As someone who suffers from I fatigue, I can testify to the fact that white backgrounds are much easier on the eyes.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Rachel, everyone knows that the nighttime sitting on apps has a dark background so that you don't strain your eyes."

You're right.

A dark gray background is great when you are looking at a screen in the dark. 

However, not all of your customers will be looking at your website in the dark. People who struggle with eye fatigue usually have as much light in the room as possible when reading or looking at their computer screen.

Besides, there's a big difference between reading the description of a YouTube video and reading a blog post for 5 minutes. 

Focusing on all the small lines that make up the text takes a lot more effort when you have black words on a dark background or white words on a dark background.

Some people won't want to put in the extra effort and click off of your website immediately.

Make The Details Pop

Everything stands out on a white background.

Even if your color scheme includes a light pink or yellow, people will still be able to see it on a white web page. Once you start using colored backgrounds, you significantly limit your options for colorful details.

Plus, it can be very distracting and decrease the attention your pictures and excerpts receive.

Take this page for example:

This is just an example page I threw together. I apologize if there is an EGGINIT company out there that I’m unaware of. 

What stands out on this page?

The first thing you notice is the background. There's no way around it. You're used to seeing a white background, so you're immediately intrigued by the brown background with white lettering. 

Once that split second of intrigue wears off, you notice that nothing on the page jumps out at you. It looks very bland.

That's the biggest pitfall of using colorful backgrounds. They might work for grabbing that first second of interest, but after that, your page will look boring, unprofessional, and difficult to read.

Using Color Blocks

If you still have your heart set on a colorful background, why not try using colored blocks instead?

Written With Design's homepage is a perfect example of this. 

You'll notice that my main background is white, but I've added smaller blocks that range from dark brown to gold. In these blocks, I use white or black text. This allows me to add diversity to the page layout without straining my visitor's eyes or distracting them.

So, with all that being said, what are your thoughts on colored backgrounds?

Also keep an eye out for my next blog post for more tips on creating websites, content, and more.