White space: the secret to effective web design 

Do you think that an effective website should be jampacked with information to convince your visitors? Well, no! The sites that convert best master the art of white space. These "empty" areas are not wasteful: they guide the eye, reduce eye strain and encourage users to act. The biggest brands, such as Apple and Google, have understood this for a long time. Learn how to use white space to improve your website's conversion rate.

WHAT IS WHITE SPACE EXACTLY?

White space is also known as negative space and empty space. This concept exists in all areas of design: web, graphic, interior, etc. These are areas where space is deliberately left empty in a layout to give it breathing room. Despite the name, don't assume that these spaces must necessarily be white! Rather, they are areas where space is left blank, without covering it with text, buttons, or graphic elements.

When a website's design effectively incorporates white space, it positively influences the user and guides them to click more on buttons and calls to action. White space also makes a user's visit more enjoyable, among other things because visual and cognitive overload is reduced. Users don't even notice its presence, as the uncluttered design seems natural and intuitive to them.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WHITE SPACE?

Web design mainly uses four categories of white space: macro white space, micro white space, passive white space, and active white space.

• Macro white space is the foundation of your site. It's often the one that comes to mind when someone mentions white space. So, we're talking about the margins between the edge of the page and your content, the space around an image, between your navigation icons or around the buttons and your logo. If you use one of the themes offered by WebSelf to design your website, you will notice that macro-white space is already integrated into it. With the editor, you can easily adjust the amount, add new space, or remove some of it.
  
  

• Micro-white space is, as the name suggests, a small mount of white. It can be found between each letter, paragraphs, lines of your texts and images in a gallery. This white space is small, but it has a real impact on the user experience. It significantly improves the readability of text and makes it easier for visitors to consume your content.
  
  

• Passive white space is the blank space that is automatically generated when you or your web designer integrates new components onto a page. These are the settings pre-established by the site editor.
  
  

• Active white space is intentionally added to your website design. It includes margins and spacing between the various components on your page.

WHY WHITE SPACE IS ESSENTIAL ON YOUR WEBSITE

There are several reasons why it's important to incorporate negative space on your site. We can assure you that no, your pages will not look empty! It will have a modern and clean look that will help improve your visitors' user experience. Users will find the information they're looking for faster thanks to an effective visual hierarchy of your content. This ease of navigation helps keep visitors on your site longer and significantly decreases the bounce rate. It is also a criterion appreciated by search engines: a clear, well-structured and easy-to-consult website is better referenced.

We mentioned it above, but using white space also goes a long way in making your content readable. You work hard to create it, so don't let a lack of empty space stop your community from consuming it!

One last point that should not be overlooked: white space directly improves the conversion rate. That's right! By leaving a gap around your buttons and CTAs, you highlight them, encouraging visitors to take the intended action.

White space can therefore transform your company's bottom line. Imagine a visitor who arrives on your site looking for a specific service. A well-spaced design immediately shows them your what your main offer is. They can easily find your testimonials that are arranged with enough spacing to be readable. Then, the visitor naturally clicks on your "Request a Quote" button highlighted by the space around it. Without white space, that same visitor may get lost in a jumble of information and likely leave your site frustrated.

HOW TO USE WHITE SPACE EFFECTIVELY ON YOUR SITE

Now that you understand the importance of white space, it's time to take action. Here are some tips on how to integrate it effectively into your website.

First, to make good use of white space when creating your site, you need to think of it as a design component. It is like blocks of text and images not something that is blank. This approach fundamentally changes your perspective. Instead of seeing white space as a waste of space, you strategically plan it to guide your visitors' eyes and create a seamless experience.

You'll also have to find a balance between macro- and micro-white space. Start by structuring the empty space in your overall layout, then tweak the micro-spacing within each design component.

Keep in mind that white space is there to build a strong visual hierarchy, to facilitate understanding and to encourage action. Its layout must be carefully thought out to be as effective as possible. For example, around a "Buy Now" button, leave enough space around it for it to attract attention, but don't completely isolate it. In concrete terms, this CTA button could be about twenty pixels below the product description and sixty pixels from the next component on the page, another product, footer, etc. This difference in spacing creates a visual group that makes it clear what the button applies to.

Spacing between similar elements should remain uniform across all your pages. However, avoid excessive white space, which makes your site look incomplete or impairs understanding. The goal is to find the perfect balance between content and emptiness.

Also think about the mobile version of your site. The positioning and amount of white space must be responsive, that means they must adapt according to the size of the screen. An airy and nicely organized design on a computer can become completely disorganized on a smaller device, forcing the user to scroll too long before reaching your content. You may lose their attention and see them leave your site. WebSelf allows you to easily adjust the size and layout of white space depending on the device used, ensuring a smooth and optimal experience on all screens.

White space isn't a luxury reserved for big brands. It's a simple and powerful tool at your fingertips. By applying these principles when designing your website, you will instantly improve your visitors' experience. Start small, and adjust the spacing around your main buttons, give blocks of text breathing room, then observe the impact on user behavior.

Try WebSelf now to easily create a clear, aesthetically pleasing and high-performance website!