What's one effective way you've used white space to improve a website's design? Can you share or describe the impact?

Question

White space in web design is a powerful tool that can significantly impact user experience and conversion rates. This article presents expert insights on how strategic use of spacing can enhance various aspects of web design, from legal websites to e-commerce platforms. Discover practical tips for implementing white space effectively to improve user engagement, streamline customer support, and boost overall website performance.

Siddharth Vij · Answer

One of the most dramatic improvements we've achieved came from something as simple as spacing. On a pricing page, increasing the negative space around the primary plan raised its selection rate from 18% to 41%. We didn't change the copy, visuals, or pricing — only the layout. That was a turning point in how we approached white space, not as "empty design," but as a precise tool to guide attention and influence decision-making.
Since then, we've treated white space as a measurable part of conversion strategy. For example: we work with a 14-spacing rhythm — tight spacing within elements, medium spacing between related components, and wide spacing between sections. On an AI platform's homepage, this approach turned chaotic user journeys into predictable Z-pattern reading flows, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement with calls-to-action.
It's also critical to align space with meaning. In form design, for instance, we keep labels and fields tightly grouped, but increase spacing between form sections to make the process feel shorter.
On a fintech onboarding flow, this adjustment alone improved completion rates by 28%. The takeaway is that white space isn't just a decorative element, but an active design element that shapes user behavior and ultimately drives results.

Jason Bland · Answer

One of the most effective ways to improve a law firm website's design is by strategically increasing the spacing around calls-to-action (CTAs) and key messaging. In legal marketing, clarity and trust are paramount—prospective clients need to quickly find essential information and feel confident in the firm's professionalism. By intentionally adding more white space around contact forms, "Free Consultation" buttons, and core practice area descriptions, we can prevent visual clutter, making high-value elements stand out.
For example, in a recent redesign for a mid-sized personal injury firm, we moved from dense blocks of content to a layout that embraced generous margins and padding. The result? Users were naturally drawn to the main CTAs because there was less competition for their attention. This not only improved aesthetics but also had a measurable impact: We saw a 28 percent increase in consultation requests within four months post-launch.
White space isn't just about making things look pretty; it's a functional asset. It reduces cognitive overload, guides the visitor's eye, and subtly underscores the professionalism of the firm. In the legal field, where attention to detail and clear communication are vital, leveraging white space can directly enhance a site's user experience and conversion rates.

Kevin Heimlich · Answer

We incorporate white space strategically to convey a feeling of balance and tranquility. It is a design feature that lets the content breathe. In the case of a recent client in the financial services business, the previous site was full of crowded paragraphs and superimpositions. It seemed overwhelming and, in fact, unreliable. We redesigned the layout to have much wider margins, more space between lines of text, and bigger gaps between sections. The direct result was a reduction of the bounce rate by 35% and growth of the time on page by 20%. The visitors were no longer leaving the site overwhelmed. They were reading, staying, and engaging. The spacing allowed the content to appear more authoritative and easier to follow, gaining trust and keeping them longer on the site. This serenity was immediately transferred into increased leads as people could actually pay attention to their message.

Marc Bishop · Answer

For one of our clients, we used white space in their customer support portal, spreading articles and FAQs across clean, open layouts. The previous version overwhelmed visitors with endless walls of text, making solutions harder to find quickly. With breathing room, the knowledge base became intuitive and easy to navigate. Users solved problems faster, reducing reliance on support tickets significantly. That design shift saved money and improved customer trust simultaneously.
The results validated the effort: support ticket volume dropped, customer satisfaction scores rose, and resolution times shortened. People described the portal as "calm" and "easy," which mirrored our desired brand values perfectly. White space turned problem-solving into a reassuring experience. The openness emphasized empathy, showing customers that the client valued their time. Simplicity again delivered measurable business results.

Jason Hennessey · Answer

We used white space in email templates, creating separation between text blocks and calls-to-action intentionally. Campaigns immediately looked cleaner, less pushy, and more aligned with our brand's premium tone. Recipients began engaging more thoughtfully, clicking because they wanted to, not because we shouted visually. The breathing room emphasized clarity while highlighting essential actions without clutter. White space turned noisy promotions into guided journeys toward meaningful interaction.
The results stunned us: open-to-click rates rose, unsubscribe rates fell, and customer feedback praised "clarity." White space, often overlooked in email design, delivered results by respecting attention spans. The emptiness created anticipation rather than indifference. Our emails now felt like personal invitations instead of advertisements. Simplicity became the secret weapon behind stronger engagement.

Or Moshe · Answer

I discovered the magic of white space when redesigning Tevello's course creation flow. Adding generous spacing around our 'Create Course' button made it instantly jump off the page. Students now find the main action 40% faster, and I've seen completion rates climb because people aren't overwhelmed by cramped interface elements anymore.

Itamar Haim · Answer

At Elementor, I redesigned our landing pages by adding generous white space between sections and around our AI tool descriptions. Users could suddenly scan the content much faster, and our bounce rate dropped by about 15% within two weeks. The cleaner layout also helped Google better crawl our page structure, which improved our rankings for competitive keywords.

Aaron Whittaker · Answer

In a redesign of a client's service landing pages, I employed what I refer to as the "DIRECTIONAL WHITE SPACE METHOD": expansively opening up the gap between big headlines, body copy, and CTAs, while contracting the space around more ancillary information. Rather than bombarding the visitor with competing elements on the screen, we allowed the white space to lead the visitor's eye along a clean, logical path. Think of it as making invisible arrows that guide the eye where you want it to go. No longer did visitors have to 'hunt for the next step,' it was intuitive.
The impact was absolutely noticeable. A healthcare client saw a 23% increase in form completions on the following page by cleaning the visual noise and allowing it to breathe between the CTA and adjacent text. And most importantly, the bounce rate decreased as the content was more digestible on an initial view. My advice: don't treat white space as "empty" space — it's a strategic element that helps to clarify hierarchy and create trust. It creates more intentionality around each element, thereby lending each one more importance since often pulling back leads to more engagement and conversions.

Sheyne Branconnier · Answer

We can improve a website design by using white space. I conducted an experiment by creating a cleaner layout. It was well-organized and implemented on a product page for my client in the e-commerce space. We made it user-friendly by adding descriptions and call-to-action buttons. We ensured easier readability by increasing the spacing around product images. It made the page visually better by reducing clutter. The design was further improved by adding key information. Our immediate result was a 20% increase in conversion rates, as the design looked more intuitive. Users spent 15% more time on the page.

Jacob Elban · Answer

A great example of how I was able to get it right with white space was when I redesigned a product landing page that felt cluttered and busy when it was first set in front of me. And every part of the screen was excitable with text, pictures or graphics competing for attention, so much that our visitors became completely overwhelmed. We eliminated extraneous elements, expanded margins and reduced the amount of space between the headline, image and call to action.
But with that breathing space the sentence took a fundamental shift in communication. By giving people a really easy process to follow, the design prevented them from giving them all the information at once. The headline was great and dramatic, the imagery worked better and so did the call-to-action, without being attention-grabbing for its own sake.
Again, this effect could be felt across the board from a stats perspective - longer time on page and a higher click-through rate. But outside of measurements, they changed the tone of the brand voice. The site appeared more relaxed, confident and professional. White space wasn't a lack of design, it was a choice of design where it lent importance to the story where it was needed and heard.

Danielle Birriel · Answer

Working with local service businesses for over 12 years, I've seen how cramped contact forms kill conversions faster than anything else. One HVAC client in Florida had their quote request form buried between testimonials, service descriptions, and contact info--all competing for attention on mobile screens.
I stripped everything away and gave their "Emergency Repair Request" form its own dedicated section with massive white space around it. No distracting elements, just clean space that made the form impossible to miss on phones where 60% of their traffic comes from.
Their emergency service calls jumped 47% within two months because panicked homeowners could actually find and complete the form during AC breakdowns. The white space eliminated decision paralysis--when someone's air conditioning dies in Florida heat, they need one clear path to get help, not visual chaos.
What shocked me most was how this affected their Google Business Profile performance. More completed forms meant more jobs, which led to more reviews, boosting their local rankings. Sometimes the biggest SEO wins come from simple design changes that let customers actually use your website when they need you most.

Anna Zhang · Answer

The checkout flow improved when we spaced out the steps. Each stage - billing, review, and confirm - is positioned on its own panel with clear gaps, and the main button has a buffer above and below. The first thing I check is whether a new buyer can see the price, delivery window, and the next action without needing to pinch zoom. We tightened the copy, maintained line length near 60 characters, and kept paragraph blocks short. On mobile, we used 20 to 24-pixel gaps so the thumb lands cleanly.
The impact was easy to measure. The completion rate increased by 14 percent, misclicks on heatmaps decreased by 23 percent, and support tickets about where to click reduced week over week. One thing I always notice is how white space reduces doubt during payment. A clean layout lowers cognitive load and builds trust without additional graphics. For anyone starting out, make one choice per screen and give it room to breathe. This simple use of white space for conversion turns hesitation into action.

Gunnar Blakeway-Walen TLH · Answer

As Marketing Manager for FLATS(r), I've learned that white space isn't just about aesthetics—it's about conversion optimization. When we redesigned our floor plan pages for The Lawrence House, we removed cluttered sidebar elements and gave each unit layout massive breathing room around the key details.
The impact was immediate and measurable. Our tour-to-lease conversions increased by 7% because prospects could actually focus on the floor plan dimensions and features without visual distractions competing for attention. Clean spacing made our luxury apartments feel more premium, which justified our Uptown Chicago pricing.
What really sealed it for me was testing our YouTube-integrated video tours with minimal overlay text versus heavy branding elements. The clean versions with strategic white space around the play button drove 25% faster lease-ups because people weren't overwhelmed by competing visual elements while trying to watch the walkthrough.
The lesson from managing $2.9M in marketing spend: white space is expensive real estate on your page, but it pays rent by making everything else work harder.

Alexander Liebisch · Answer

When redesigning TinderProfile.ai, I added white space around the AI-generated photos--about 40px more than before--and it instantly made the images stand out instead of blending into the page clutter. We noticed a 23% jump in profile completions, which convinced me that 'breathing room' often matters more than packing in features.

How to Use White Space in Web Design

How to Use White Space in Web Design

Spacing Boosts Conversion Rates

White Space Enhances Legal Website Clarity

Strategic Margins Improve User Engagement

Clean Layouts Streamline Customer Support

Email Design Breathes with Intentional Gaps

Generous Spacing Speeds Up Course Creation

White Space Reduces Bounce Rates

Directional Spacing Guides User Journey

Cleaner Layout Increases Product Page Conversions

Expanded Margins Transform Brand Communication

Dedicated Space Boosts Emergency Service Requests

Spaced-Out Checkout Flow Improves Completion

Strategic Whitespace Enhances Apartment Leasing

Added Breathing Room Increases Profile Completions

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