Whitespace is often intimidating to companies. A world where we have little time to get our customers’ attention can make us want to shout everything at them all at once. If you’re not careful, this can backfire on your brand and leave your target audience with the opposite taste of what you intended.
Whether you are designing an advertisement, a marketing piece or a website, it is important to be confident in your use of whitespace and to use it strategically. Here are a few reasons why whitespace can be beneficial for your brand.
1. It gives a better understanding of your offer. Whitespace between paragraphs and around text boxes help to focus your readers’ attention and can help with their comprehension. According to a study done by Lin in 2004, leaving whitespace increase viewers’ understanding by 20%.
2. It creates the appropriate tone for your messaging. Often times, the use of whitespace can be a commanding way to communicate elegance, freshness and crispness. This helps to grab your readers’ attention as well.
3. Whitespace brings a positive response. There are no second chances for first impressions. So make sure your designs give good impressions by using whitespace to attract the eyes.
4. It directs your viewer’s eye. Whitespace used effectively can draw your readers’ attention to where you want it. It also gives their brain a little “breathing space” to provide them the time to digest, understand and want more.
5. Whitespace creates balance. Too little whitespace can lead to confusion, disorganization and your reader feeling overwhelmed; all qualities you don’t want associated with your company’s brand. The key is to balance your design and let whitespace act as a tool to separate chunks of content for accessibility and improved user experience.
Whitespace should be considered in digital marketing, as well as traditional. When creating your website, remember these points above too. Websites are your first impression to much of the world and the proper use of whitespace is essential in creating calm so visitors will want to explore more of your site. If you and your company would like assistance with navigating the use of whitespace, call Bellagurl. We make marketing that matters.
