Today in Digital Marketing

Boosting Conversions with White Space

May 9, 2023 | Industry Articles

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Today in Digital Marketing

A simple change in your product photo compositions might be all it takes to boost conversions. 

New research found that click-through rates were 3x higher when items in an ad or product image were placed close together in the center, with plenty of white or empty space around the edges. 

This layout also led consumers to: 

  • Liking the ad more
  • Say they're more likely to buy the product 

đź’ˇ Why it Works 

According to the study's researchers, this is because white space helps our minds arrange and group the items in the image, making it easier to understand and process. When objects are situated closely together, we assume they are linked or connected, leading us to view the products as more effective or beneficial than if they were separate.

This layout is effective with multiple copies of the same item, or a group of related items. However, if consumers can’t connect the items, placing them close together won’t be as effective.

The paper was published in the Journal of Advertising. It’s called “How to Allocate White Space in Ad Design? The Impact of Product Layouts on Perceived Entitativity and Advertising Performance”.

Images: Ariyh / The Body Shop

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