Do you find yourself scratching your head when your designer/marketing manager talks to you about whitespace? The idea of omitting information from your marketing material in lieu of empty space may not seem to make sense to you -- if you’re paying to have marketing material produced, shouldn’t you try to include as much information on it that you possibly can? Well, the answer is actually no.

Whitespace is not merely empty space that is not filled by text, images or graphics. It is the strategic use of negative space to give a design a feeling of balance. A page filled with text and design elements, and very little whitespace, can appear cluttered and difficult to read. By introducing whitespace into a design, and being more concise with your choice of text and graphics, your audience will be able to decipher the important messages you are trying to convey about your company.

Whitespace is important for many reasons, but most importantly, it will focus the attention of your audience to your key message. If you have too many elements on a page, you run the risk of your audience becoming overwhelmed or confused, and moving on. Whitespace can allow you to convey your desired message more effectively by giving balance and breathing room to the design.

We live in a society where businesses are competing for consumer’s attention. Consumers are bombarded by these messages every day, and have become experts at blocking out the things that aren’t clear and easy to interpret. Because of this trend, businesses need to be diligent in ensuring the designs they are utilizing are clear and easy to understand. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this, and ensure you’re getting value in your marketing materials, is to use whitespace!