Creating a newspaper Cover - your layout guide

Creating the front page of a newspaper is one of the most important tasks of a newspaper maker. As the door opener of a newspaper, the front page decides whether a reader will pick up the newspaper with interest or leave it on the left. That is exactly why it is worth investing a lot of work and effort here. But what does a successful front page look like? How should text and photos be arranged? And what should not be missing? Here are 5 pieces of advice that you should always keep in mind when designing a front page:

1. Design the title page clearly

The first commandment for a front page is: Order & clarity. Try to clearly state the topic of your newspaper and give your reader an overview of the contents of the next pages. Of course, the front page of a newspaper must also look nice and appealing. Bright colours, enticing photos and great graphics will only help you if they have a red thread. Prepare your front page in a well-structured and easy-to-understand way so that the reader can immediately recognise the most important message. Therefore: Do not overload your title page with too much content, but with the highest quality content possible. These 4 points give your title page a good structure:

• Unambiguous hierarchy of headlines: Place the main headline large and central on the title page. Less important headings are correspondingly smaller.
• Uniform visual language: The images on your front page must fit together harmoniously and mesh like cogs. Colour contrasts and breaks in style can certainly attract additional attention, but should generally be used sparingly
• Clear dividing lines between the contents: Make sure that your articles and topics are well separated from each other on the front page. If your content is too close together or there is no clear separation, the reader will quickly lose orientation. Therefore, use delicate lines or small white spaces to keep order.
• High quality content: The front page must convince the reader at first glance. For this, you need interesting and informative content with real added value. So don't wait until the end for the best, but put your strongest texts, images and headlines directly on the title page.

2. Create newspaper header for front page

The newspaper header is one of the main elements of a front page. In addition to the title and the logo of the newspaper, it contains further information about the date, the price and the issue number. It is these small pieces of information that give your front page the typical newspaper look. In addition, you create a direct recognition value with an individual newspaper header. The reader will immediately know which newspaper it is and how up-to-date it is.

3. Large cover

The success of a front page depends largely on the choice of the cover picture. Readers are often only interested in the actual content when the cover picture either appeals to them aesthetically or contains a topical explosiveness. Therefore, try to use an expressive photo with high resolution as the lead image on your No. 1 page. From portraits of people to impressive nature shots or funny animal photos to biting caricatures - anything that makes you want more is suitable as a cover image.

4. Formulate headlines for the cover

True headlines and headlines have a magnetic effect. The eye automatically wanders to large and bold texts when reading. If you want to create a good front page, you therefore need headlines that immediately trigger the reader. You can further increase the attraction and appeal of your headlines by following these rules:

• Short & snappy: Headlines must get to the point quickly. Therefore, try to be brief and use a maximum of 5 to 7 words for a headline.
• Magical adjectives: Adjectives give the headlines on your title page the necessary zing. Here are a few examples: adventurous, brilliant, charming, exclusive, mysterious, regal, sensational, shocking, dreamlike, ultimate. Adjectives of this kind work wonders and activate the interest of your readers.
• Even numbers: Odd numbers have a similar effect as adjectives. They immediately catch the eye, appear unusual and thus increase our thirst for knowledge.
• W-questions: How? Where? When? Who? Why? The so-called W-questions are excellent for introducing a headline and encouraging the reader to find out the answer.
• Comprehensibility & Honesty: Technical jargon and false promises are deadly sins for any headline. Instead, your headline must convey your topic in simple terms and deliver exactly what it promises. If your headline is too highbrow, your readers will jump off faster than you would like.

5. Arouse curiosity - create a title page as a teaser

The front page of a newspaper must arouse the reader's curiosity. Newspapers often make the mistake of giving too much away on the first page. A good front page must anticipate the topics and not already anticipate the punch line. Therefore, think of the title page as a kind of cliffhanger that encourages the reader to keep turning the pages. At the end of the text or in the margin, for example, it is worthwhile to include a small note such as "Read more on page 7".

Create & print a newspaper with your own front page

You are now fully into the topic and can't wait to create a individual front page for your newspaper? Then take a look at our online newspaper printing offers now and get started as your own newspaper maker. You can easily design your newspaper with the templates of our designer and then have it printed from 1 piece. The designer is a free online programme with practical design tools: insert texts, upload photos, move layouts. With just a few clicks, you can create a real newspaper that meets all expectations. The templates show you sample front pages, which you can use as a guide. Alternatively, you can adapt the front pages to your personal ideas in no time at all. All objects are freely movable and can be positioned flexibly on the newspaper pages. Just choose a template and start designing the cover page of your newspaper according to your wishes.

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