In the contemporary era where everyone is taking the digital path, getting your message delivered to the right set of people, at the right time is a matter of survival for businesses.
Hence, you try to blast everything you can to get the customers’ attention and reap in more and more sales figures. But, have you pondered how much information can your subscriber consume at a time?
To make your brand’s messaging more effective, you must stuff only that content which the audience can comprehend and take action on. And, here comes the key to this balancing act – white space. Yes, the ‘blank’ white space that you consider (or don’t even consider in most cases) has a purpose and a special one at that.
Today, we will have a look at how this seemingly empty space can fill the void and take your email marketing campaigns to the next league.
Why is white space essential and how it can be best utilized?
White space is a crucial element of the design aesthetics. If executed properly, white space has the power to transform the design and even the overall fate of a brand.
Not just out and out aesthetics, it goes a long way in elevating the UI and UX of a page. Let’s wander beyond just the visual appeal and delve deeper into the effects of having white space in your emails.
Better understanding
If your email has evenly distributed white space, then the improved legibility makes it easier for the reader to process the content and comprehend it.
Various reports in the past have emphasized the impact that white space between the left and right margins and lines of paragraphs makes on readers’ minds. These small spaces are referred to as Micro White Spaces. They are present between paragraphs, lines, or between menu items.
Below is an excellent email example from MetaLab. One look and you’d understand how the extensive use of white space enhances the overall readability and the visual appeal of the email.
Source: Really Good Emails
Getting the attention
The large spaces between the layouts and the layout elements are known as Macro White Spaces. They usually go unnoticed while we process the ‘relevant’ content in the email.
But these empty white spaces make us find and consume that relevant content. How? Well, they direct our focus and attention to the areas where it matters the most. The emails look uncluttered because of them, and hence, the essential bits are duly highlighted.
If there’s one brand that nails the white spaces and especially the macro white spaces in their designs, it’s Apple. The brand speaks way more by speaking less and keeping it simple.
Have a look at the example mentioned below, and your entire perspective about designs would be changed. If you are still struggling with the designs of your emails, then look no further than hand coded HTML email templates or plain emails. They would make your job a lot easier.
Now, let’s just look at the Apple email.
Source: Really Good Emails
Higher interactions
In the email marketing domain, we all are aware of and suffer from the ever-so-shrinking attention span of our audience. A regular email has a lot to deliver than say, a regular Facebook or Instagram post.
Hence, things become all the more difficult for email marketers when it comes to getting the message delivered clearly and make someone click on those CTAs.
Someone has rightly said:
“As designers, it is our duty to create communication lines between the design and users and white space can help a great deal in it.”
White space can make this easier, though. The design can be leveraged to deliver the message effectively and increase the interaction rate by popping the CTAs out.
Want to create the best impression on your readers and make them smash those CTA buttons? Well, Marketo certified associates or Mailchimp email experts are the email wizards that can turn your email marketing campaign into a masterpiece.
Now let’s have a look at an email from Google. Don’t forget to notice how much white space the email contains. It is done to highlight the call-to-action button and boost click-through rates or CTRs.
Source: Really Good Emails
Overall branding
Being a primary design element, micro and macro white spaces influence the character and appeal of an email and even a regular web page for that matter. Using white spaces prominently conveys a sense of luxury and sophistication to the recipients.
Have a look at this email from Zara. Observe the macro white space being used to a T. The appeal of the email is precisely in line with the branding and customer perception of the brand.
Source: Really Good Emails
Wrapping up
The point that I have tried to emphasize in this entire blog is that white space is way more than just an empty space. It is an influential design element, a perfect amalgamation of aesthetics and visual science. It is imperative to have a good command over white spaces for churning out the perfect emails.