My childhood was marked by a fascination with construction sites. I was captivated by the process of transforming nothing into something, observing as bricks were meticulously stacked, door frames precisely measured, and drywall skillfully hammered into place.
Creating a landing page is akin to erecting a building—you start with a blank canvas. However, as you commence adding the necessary elements, a remarkable transformation takes place. The final structure only shines when constructed with the right materials in the right locations—the same principle applies to landing pages. Apart from a lead capture form, every landing page is composed of a blend of elements such as headlines, body text, images, customer testimonials, trust seals, customer badges, call-to-action buttons, and videos or gifs. Each element contributes to guiding the visitor towards conversion. For instance, you cannot prioritize the headline’s prominence at the expense of the copy, nor can you neglect the form to highlight the CTA button. All elements warrant a prominent position on your dedicated page, as the delicate balance between them is crucial for persuading visitors to convert into leads or customers. When this balance is absent, this is the kind of page you can anticipate encountering the following:
Conversely, when each element is given the opportunity to stand out, the kind of page you can achieve is exemplified below:
So, what differentiates these two landing pages? Both possess the essential elements required for conversions. The key distinction lies in the Freshdesk page’s incorporation of an often-overlooked element in landing page design—white space, which the TaxSlayer page lacks.
What Exactly Is “White Space”?
Jan Tschichold had this to say aptly describes white space: it “should be treated as an active element, not merely a passive background.” White space (also known as negative space) refers to any unmarked area on a page—the empty space. In design terminology, white space encompasses the space between text, margins, columns, graphics, and other page elements.
This open space serves to emphasize all other landing page elements, drawing focus towards them. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that white space acts as the adhesive that binds a landing page together. Without it, you’re left with a cluttered page (like the TaxSlayer example) that’s unlikely to convert effectively. While termed “white” space, it doesn’t always need to be white. This space can be any color that complements the overall design and effectively highlights each element, particularly your CTA and form. You can incorporate white space virtually anywhere on a landing page to differentiate elements and capture your visitor’s attention.
The Four Categories of White Space Design
There are four main types of white space design:
- Micro white space: This refers to the negative space between smaller elements, such as the space between an image and its caption or between words and letters.
- Macro white space: This denotes the blank space between major elements, like the space between the headline and the body copy.
- Active white space: This type of space is intentionally incorporated to enhance page structure. It’s typically asymmetrical, lending a dynamic feel to the page.
- Passive white space: This is naturally occurring white space, not deliberately added. Examples include the space between words on a line or around a graphic. All four types of white space are essential for effective landing page design, ensuring that your elements stand out. Negative space plays a crucial role in landing page design. Let’s delve into some reasons why you should incorporate this element into all your landing pages you create.
White Space Design Enhances Readability
By incorporating white space into your copy, you declutter the text, providing visitors with a more enjoyable reading experience. To illustrate this, let’s examine a paragraph of copy that doesn’t have any whitespace:
How many lines did you manage to read? Or did you, like me, find it too daunting to even attempt? Clutter is detrimental to conversions; white space acts like a superhero, rescuing your page from its clutches. Let’s observe how the same text appears after introducing active whitespace:
Much better, right? Especially if you’re a cricket enthusiast and a fan of Ponting. Line spacing, also known as “leading,” has a big impact on readability. This is the micro white space present between lines of text. Generally, the wider the leading, the easier it becomes to read and understand the copy. Compare the readability of the following paragraphs:
Just as cluttered letters hinder readability, excessive leading can have the same effect. For instance, letters with too much space between them might be mistaken for words rather than individual characters. Ensure you incorporate the right amount of white space in your copy, just like Halogen does on their landing page:
White Space Design Guides Your Visitor’s Gaze
of white space, you can establish a visual hierarchy for visitors by dictating the order in which elements are perceived. White space ensures that your visitors first encounter your headline, then move on to the copy, followed by the form, and finally, your call-to-action button. White space enables you to establish spatial relationships between page elements, effectively guiding your visitors through the page. Consider this Sendible landing page as an illustration:
The negative space flanking both sides of the page directs the viewer’s eyes towards the center, where the primary and secondary headlines reside. This approach contrasts with F and Z page patterns dictate. However, the strategic use of white space compels you to begin your visual journey from the middle.
White Space Design Elevates Your Landing Page’s Aesthetic
White space can infuse your landing pages with an air of sophistication and elegance. Limited white space often conveys a sense of low quality, while a page generously endowed with negative space exudes a premium and luxurious aura. Take these these two ads as an example:
Which one projects a more premium image? Landing pages are no different. The Ultimate Tax page lacks a sophisticated vibe due to its insufficient use of negative space:
While there’s ample white space at the bottom, the upper section of the landing page is excessively text-heavy. Conversely, this E-file page appears cleaner, more sophisticated, and consequently, more premium:
White Space Optimizes Your Lead Capture Forms
Lead capture forms can significantly impact your landing page conversion rates. A poorly designed form risks alienating potential leads who are ready to convert but are deterred by the form’s appearance. White space mitigates this risk by facilitating clear and organized form field layouts. The Gestalt principle suggests that visitors tend to overlook elements positioned too close together. You can circumvent this by incorporating sufficient white space between fields, preventing confusion when visitors are inputting their information. Clicking through this Animoto page reveals the page and form below, which effectively utilizes white space:
White Space Is Anything But Wasted Space
Although sometimes referred to as “empty space,” white space is far from wasted. It’s not simply an area you couldn’t fill; rather, it’s a deliberate blank canvas that allows other areas to shine brighter. White space provides breathing room for your page elements, resulting in a simple yet sophisticated design capable of persuading visitors to convert—the ultimate goal of any landing page.