Should You Have White Space On Your Website?

Beginning web designers often make the mistake of filling their websites with too many words. Words on a page are important for communicating an idea, but only if they're properly presented in a manner that can be understood by the reader. White space helps make words more understandable and readable.  

What Counts As White Space?

White space is often treated like negative space because it represents a void on the screen. White space is space that often falls on the sides of the screen, in between paragraphs and in between photos. White space doesn't have to be white; it can be any color provided that it serves as padding for text and as an architectural element on the screen.  

Benefits of White Space

There are many benefits of white space.

• Frames text in a way that makes sense. White space adds a natural, attractive frame around text on a website.  
• Makes websites more elegant and simple. White space is elegant, especially when it's actually white. The color white pairs well with nearly any other color, and can be used with a variety of neutral shades to make your website look more simplistic and natural.   
• Make text more readable. White space is solid and flat, which makes it easier to read text on a website.
• Keep the focus on the text. Photographs and videos can distract readers and distribute attention around the page in a way that might seem random. White space helps create a sense of peace and order on the page, which can help keep reader attention on the website itself.
• Makes websites more scannable. White space makes websites easier to scan. By keeping the background simple, this negative space around text can help bolded words stand out.

Using White Space Properly

Using white space is an art. Once you recognize the need to have white space on a page, introducing white space successfully can be a challenge. Here are some tips:

• Start with a flat white background, then change it to another color later if desired.
• Leave plenty of space between paragraphs.
• Limit the number of photographs that can be seen on each webpage.
• Use white space to limit the length of a single line of text. Do not let lines of text spread from one side of the screen to another, because long lines can be harder to read.

Contact Your Digital Marketing Professional

Take a look at your business's website. Do you see long lines of text? Where is the white space? How many photographs are on your website? Asking yourself these questions can help you decide whether or not your website makes proper use of white space.

As your digital marketing professionals, we understand the importance of white space on a website. Using white space properly is one of the best practices that we follow when designing an online advertisement, website or email marketing campaign. At ProFromGo, we're happy to help you design a website or an email marketing campaign that makes proper use of white space. To get started with a consultation, contact us today at (412) 530-5027.