Empty Space Speaks Volumes: Why Less Is More in Design

Have you ever been in a situation where you realized the saying, “silence speaks louder than words,” is actually true? The same concept applies in marketing and design. Empty space often speaks louder than a thousand lines of text ever could.

When you think about building your brand, it is tempting to fill your designs with everything: text, photos, colors, icons, and your logo stamped everywhere. The truth is, one of the most powerful design choices you can make is what you leave out. If you look at some of the biggest companies in the world, you will notice that their ads sometimes do not even include a logo or the name of the brand, yet they are instantly recognizable. That is the level of success you should aim for in the long run.

Designed by Leo Burnett 

In The Elements of Graphic Design, Alex White makes it clear: space is not wasted. He explains that empty space “directs the eye and gives the page breathing room,” making your design feel more balanced, professional, and easy to understand. White also highlights that emptiness carries its own meaning; large, open areas can communicate calm, elegance, and confidence.

Why Space Matters for Small Businesses

• Your message stands out:

  • Empty space acts like a spotlight, directing attention to what matters most instead of forcing your audience to sift through clutter.

• It feels confident and high-end:

  • A clean design looks polished and intentional. By holding back, you show that your brand does not need to shout for attention. You are saying, “My brand speaks for itself.”         

• It creates visual ease:

  • Your audience is busy and easily distracted. Designs that are simple yet effective are more inviting, easier to read, and more likely to hold attention.

• It adds emotional impact:

  • Space created meaning. A bold headline with nothing else around it feels powerful. A single product photo with a clean background feels intentional.

Designs by Coca-Cola

Take a look at these two Coca-Cola ads. The top one uses empty space beautifully. It is simple, clean, and instantly delivers the message. It is quick to digest, easy on the eyes, and gets the point across without extra effort from the audience. The second ad, although it's not bad, fills more of the space with text and details. Realistically, most people are not going to care enough to read that sentence under “Share a Coke with a friend.” The eye-catching part is still the names on the bottles, but the lack of empty space makes it take more work for the audience to process. This goal is to make the message stronger and faster to absorb.

How We Use Empty Space at Elevate with MGM

At Elevate with MGM, we practice what we teach. If you look through our website, you will notice that we do not bombard you with walls of text or cluttered layouts. Instead, we focus on giving you just enough information to understand who we are and what we can do for your business. By using empty space strategically, our site feels approachable, easy to navigate, and aligned with our mission: to help small business owners grow with clarity, confidence, and focus.

A Small Shift That Elevates Everything

The next time you sit down to design, whether it is a flyer, a website update, or a new Instagram post, hold off on piling in extra text, graphics, or flashy elements. First, ask yourself, “Is my message already coming across clearly?” If it is, adding more might do the opposite of what you want and can even turn your audience away. Instead of engaging, they may scroll past your ad faster or ignore it altogether because they do not want to spend the effort breaking down what you are really trying to say.