Using Negative Space Positively in Web Design

Using Negative Space Positively in Web Design

When it comes to web design, it’s not always about what you put on the page, but also what you don’t. Many web designers make the mistake of creating websites that are too cluttered and packed with content. This can cause many issues with search engine rankings, design hierarchy and website performance. So today, we’re literally talking about nothing. Or more to the point, how to use negative space in your web designs.

The space on your page without any content is called negative space. Normally, it would be easy to write off this extra space as unimportant or unnoticeable, but that’s far from the case. It’s one of the most underappreciated aspects of design, because it adds symmetry and balance to achieve a cleaner user experience. It’s also a really easily used design concept for both entry level and advanced designers, and if implemented correctly, it can make a very noticeable difference in a website’s design.

The primary reason your visitors are coming to your site is for your content, but all the features and copy you worked so hard to create need breathing room in order to be appreciated and recognized by site visitors. It’s one of the reasons that minimalistic design is so successful. The hierarchy is very easily established, which makes it really easy for people to know what they’re supposed to click on and pay attention to.

The point of a website is to allow people to easily find the information they need or purchase a product or service, but an overly crowded design can prevent them from doing so. Design and functionality go hand in hand, but if you have content that hampers the function of other content, you’re really taking a huge step backwards.

So how can you add more negative space to your site? Start by stripping away everything on your site that isn’t necessary. If there’s something worth keeping, but it’s fighting for space with something else, move it to a place on the site where it can get the full attention it deserves. Admittedly, this isn’t always the easiest thing to do (especially if you’re building said website for a client), because everything can feel important. But a strict commitment to essential content can make the difference between a design that converts customers and a design that doesn’t.

Pro Tip: If you are building a site for a client and they’re insisting on trying to shoehorn a lot of information into a very limited space, create two mockups—one that shows them what they’re asking for and one that shows them how you think it should look. Nine times out of ten, they’ll pick the one that looks better.

The most basic rule of thumb to achieve balance with your core design elements is to be consistent with your spacing and alignment. Those might seem like small details, but it makes the flow of your website much smoother when these elements are connected by standards that you establish throughout your site.

It’s also critical to remember that this spacing may work fine for desktop, but the story may be different on tablet or mobile. Paying attention to the use of negative space is especially important for these smaller screen sizes as it becomes way more obvious if you haven’t managed your spacing well. This is just one more reason it’s often a good idea to design for mobile first and then work your way up to desktop, instead of other way around. 

Hopefully, this concept of negative space will help you with your next web design project, and if you have any other tips for using negative space, let us know in the comments below.

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