Clutter can make your web design seem needlessly confusing to potential customers. That can lead to lost sales! One sure way to clutter a page is by not giving text the margins needed to "breathe". Give your paragraphs of text some space! Adding more white space, or margins around text can make the difference between a web design that is a pleasure to read and one that is confusing and tiring to the eye.

This web design makeover we completed recently illustrates our point. The old (at bottom of page) and new web designs have exactly the same amount of content and links. Notice how much easier it is to read the content in the new web design. Why? The generous use of margins allows the content to "breathe," avoiding a claustrophobic sense of clutter. Both the old and new designs are 780 pixels wide. Yet, the white space makes all the difference! Notice how the use of consistent margins makes the text in the right hand column more legible. The consistent use of white space around all elements on the page creates a neater, clearer design.

The web design makeover seems less complicated, easier to use. That makes your potential customers happy. Happy customers buy your products! So, in closing, again we say, let your web design breathe!