Design for Action: How White Space Drives Higher Conversion Rates

One of the most common misconceptions about sales-inspiring web design is that it needs to be chock-full of content and conversion elements.

However, while a well-positioned value proposition, call to action, or even trust signal can help convince your target audience to invest in your solutions, there's plenty to gain by leaving some of the available space blank.

In the design world, any area surrounding various website elements is considered white (or negative) space.

It can consist of anything — colors, textures, patterns, or images (so, not necessarily white space) — and its primary function is to provide breathing room for important web content.

The impressive thing about successfully implementing negative space in web design is that it offers multiple benefits, including a significant boost in sales.

So, if you want to design for action, here's how white space can help you drive higher conversion rates.

Aesthetic Appeal and Improved UX

Websites that are visually appealing and perform better in terms of UX are usually more successful at engaging (and converting) customers.

According to a scientific study by Google, web users find web designs that exhibit the following characteristics highly appealing:

1.They score low in terms of visual complexity — meaning they're simple.
2. They score high in prototypicality — they align with well-established design directions that people have gotten used to interacting with.

So, why does this matter when aiming to boost conversion rates with white space? Research suggests that today's consumers have little patience for clunky or unattractive web pages.

Adobe found that 59% of consumers prefer to consume beautifully designed content over something overly simplified. However, between 30% and 41% would also stop interacting with an online resource if it took too long to load or didn't display properly on their devices.

In fact, slow load times can negatively affect conversion rates and customer satisfaction, showing just how important it is to create a seamless user experience for your web visitors.

Taking the data into consideration, it becomes evident that white space provides a valuable opportunity to design websites that are more attractive and perform better, thus elevating conversion potential.

No, this doesn't necessarily have to mean that you should go in a minimalist, negative-space-dominated direction for your website. Nevertheless, it does testify to the fact that reducing the number of web page elements could be beneficial when trying to elevate conversion rates.

The Ritz-Carlton homepage is an exceptional example of how effectively white space can improve a website's aesthetic appeal and usability. If you check it out, you'll find that the use of negative space allows the most powerful, conversion-inspiring element (the header video) to stand out, ensuring that web visitors enjoy their browsing journeys and directly elevating their purchase intent.

Avoiding Overwhelming Visual Design

Another huge reason simple (not necessarily minimalist) web design with plenty of white space works better at driving conversions is that it actively avoids analysis (or choice) paralysis.

At its core, analysis paralysis is a phenomenon where people overthink a problem so much that it becomes easier not to do anything than to proceed with the decision-making process.

Now, there are several causes of choice paralysis. However, one of the most common ones (and the most relevant one when it comes to web design) boils down to cognitive overload.

Essentially, by designing webpages with too many conversion elements vying for your prospects' attention, you're creating an overwhelming environment where you're reducing their capacity to comprehend and focus on content that matters.

Fortunately, by decluttering your web design and enriching it with white space, you can create much-needed clarity and chunking.

This approach will create a more enjoyable browsing experience that doesn't bombard your audience with several CTAs simultaneously. It can also enhance USP understanding, making it easier for prospects to comprehend the value your solutions offer.

For example, check out how OrthoBracing uses white space to elevate conversion intent. This retail business sells a large number of products. Thus, to prevent its homepage from being too much, OrthoBracing utilizes white space to bring a sense of calm to an otherwise busy web design direction. The final effect is that of a well-designed website that provides visitors with sufficient insight into the various products on offer without bombarding them with CTAs and other conversion-oriented content.

Directing Web Visitor Attention Toward High-Value Conversion Elements

Another way in which white space can be effective at driving high conversion rates is by directing web visitors' attention toward high-value web page elements.

According to web user behavior research, there are specific page-viewing patterns that most people employ when looking at website content.

And, sure, these commonplace tendencies can provide designers and business owners with guidelines on creating page layouts that convert. Nevertheless, they can also be limiting when trying to ensure that prospects notice specific web page elements.

The solution to this is implementing visual hierarchy in your website design.

Because it actively contributes to visual hierarchy, negative space offers the valuable opportunity to highlight the CTAs and USPs you want your prospects to notice and zoom in on.

For instance, check out the hero section on the Vidpros homepage. You'll see that the brand effectively utilizes white space (along with typography) to guarantee web visitors pay attention to the two most important elements on the page — the unique value proposition and the "Get Started" CTA.

For starters, this design approach prevents web visitors from aimlessly scrolling down the page. It also encourages them to stop and pause to consider each element, maximizing its chances of appealing to them and elevating their purchase intent.

Boost in Content Readability, Accessibility, and Comprehension

Website engagement rates can be a good predictor of your site's conversion potential. The thing about white space is that it can offer an effective method to draw your target audience in (and make them more receptive to your value propositions).

The primary reason for this is that negative space directly impacts content readability, accessibility, and comprehension.

According to research, 11% of a site's conversion rate is dependent on its readability score. Poor website accessibility directly harms user experience (which affects conversion rates as well). And too much content that lacks chunking detracts from people's ability to comprehend purchase-inspiring information.

So, if you're looking to design your website in a way that will drive user action, why not break up your homepage content with some much-needed negative space?

The easiest way to do it is, doubtlessly, to break up lengthy sentences and paragraphs into shorter sections. This approach — which is used by brands such as Bang & Olufsen below — is an exceptional method to guarantee that your audience notices and understands each of the unique benefits your brand offers.

Alternatively, you could employ white space to visually separate different value propositions or user benefits.

Check out how RE Cost Seg does it. Knowing that it offers a complex service, this brand created a "How it Works" section for its homepage. By using negative space to partition the three steps of the process, Re Cost Seg provides its prospects with sufficient time to process each phase, allowing them to comprehend what the service includes and how that could benefit them in the long run.

Finally, check out Sewing Parts Online. This business provides shoppers with hundreds of available products. However, the unique value this brand offers lies in its dedication to customer satisfaction.

Sewing Parts Online actively employs white space to emphasize the unique CX benefits it delivers — free shipping and easy returns. The tactic works seamlessly. On the one hand, it maximizes the chances of web visitors noticing these CX benefits. On the other, it gives them sufficient space to process and comprehend these value propositions, making them much more open to buying from the brand.

White Space Increases Product Photo Attractiveness

Did you know that 75% of online shoppers rely on product photography to make buying decisions? So, if you're looking for conversion-boosting web design tactics, investing in product photos should be a no-brainer.

But here's the deal. Not all product photography is equally attractive. In fact, scientific research suggests that the background against which a photo was taken directly impacts its attractiveness.

So, if you're looking for tactics to help your product imagery pop, engage, and inspire conversions, why not use negative space to guarantee that web visitors find your solutions appealing?

The great thing about this tactic is that it's exceptionally easy to implement — especially in ecommerce. All you have to aim for is a simple visual representation of your products — similar to what Transparent Labs does on its Casein Protein Powder page.

Of course, if you sell aspirational or complex solutions, you will need some in-context shots. But even with those, a primary product photo that shows off your solution surrounded by plenty of white space will be a great first step toward maximizing its allure and elevating conversion rates.

Can Make Websites Feel More Premium

Another benefit of incorporating white space into your website design is that it can create a more premium feel. And while that may not be your primary goal, keep in mind that 39% of today's consumers are aspirational shoppers.

In other words, more than one-third of the global population wants to make purchases that will help them get more from life (whether that's success, luxury, or anything else). That's why you need to present your offer in a way that makes it clear that you offer unique and premium value.

In fact, if you check out the websites of some of the most successful brands in the world, you'll see that they often utilize white space to create a premium feel.

Apple is well-known for its minimalist approach to design.

But you can see similar tendencies from brands in entirely unexpected industries, too — such as Passioni, a business that produces and sells handcrafted bicycles.

Enhances Mobile Responsiveness

Lastly, if you want to learn how white space contributes to elevated website conversion rates, don't forget that it's one of the key elements of a mobile-friendly site.

According to the latest data, over 60% of all web traffic comes from people using mobile devices. So, if you want to create an enjoyable (and conversion-inspiring) browsing experience for your web visitors, it's essential that you pay attention to mobile responsiveness.

The great thing is that negative space can hugely elevate the attractiveness (and comprehensiveness) of web content when viewed on small screens.

From a practical point of view, white space prevents web visitors from being overwhelmed by too many small page elements. It encourages scrolling. Lastly, it ensures touch-friendly navigation, which is a crucial element in enabling engagement and product discovery.

The John Lobb homepage is an exceptional example of a site that uses negative space to improve mobile UX. Firstly, it consists of large, touch-friendly content blocks to encourage product evaluation. Secondly, the ample white space also allows each highlighted product category to stand out. The latter is key to making them appear more attractive and inspiring web visitors to take a closer look at the brand's offer.

Final Thoughts

Although it's commonly overlooked in website design (and content creation), white space is a key factor in creating an enjoyable and conversion-inspiring browsing experience.

So, if you want to boost sales on your site, consider enhancing it with more negative space.

You don't have to go overboard. But, by smartly incorporating visual vacancy into your site's overall appearance, you can ensure that your future customers notice high-value web elements. You can help them understand your value propositions, and, most importantly, you can provide them with a more premium brand interaction. That is guaranteed to create a liking for your business and elevate their chances of converting into loyal customers.