The Impact of Web Page Text-Background Color Combinations on Readability, Retention, Aesthetics, and Behavioral Intention

The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effect of web page text/background color combination on readability, retention, aesthetics, and behavioral intention. One hundred and thirty-six participants studied two Web pages, one with educational content and one with commercial content, in one of four color-combination conditions. Major findings were: a) Colors with greater contrast ratio generally lead to greater readability; b) Color combination did not significantly affect retention; c) Preferred colors (i.e., blues and chromatic colors) lead to higher ratings of aesthetic quality and intention to purchase; and d) Ratings of aesthetic quality were significantly related to intention to purchase.