Magazine sales in the United States are holding steady, with over 7,000 to choose from. By moving from direct print-to-purchase and allowing digital copies to be sold, it’s even easier to get magazines into the hands of people. Phones and tablet readers have become the new-age way to access printed content.
With that many magazines at their fingertips, consumers are shopping with their eyes, and that makes magazine cover design more important to sell your product. Even unique niches are finding the competition rising.
What makes up a good magazine cover? Continue reading for 4 tips explaining how to design a magazine cover.
1. Be Consistent
Popular magazines utilize the same cover design, with small changes. A complete re-design with every cover printed can cause confusion over your brand and leave customers wondering if this is the same magazine that they love.
Finding a look that works for you, but is different enough to stand out from the competition might take some time. Bringing in test groups before you switch covers completely will allow you to gauge what changes will work and what might fall flat.
Instead of starting completely over, use your current magazine cover templates as a starting point to begin.
2. Headline
Too many headlines can confuse a reader. Giving them one big, bold, and catchy headline will give them something to focus on and look forward to when they open your magazine. Smaller secondary headlines can be used as well, but they shouldn’t detract from your main focal point.
The key to writing good headlines is to be specific, create a sense of urgency, and provide something useful in the text. Creative or emotional adjectives attract readers too.
3. Main Image
The central image on a magazine cover should be of good quality and draw attention to the cover so that people will read the headlines. The two combined are what make readers pick your magazine over others. The image should also match the main topic featured inside.
A new and growing trend with the primary image on a magazine cover is to combine photography with drawings or artwork to create something unique.
4. Graphic Design
Hiring a graphic designer to put all the elements of your cover together is well worth the cost. In the marketing industry, having people on staff who know what they are doing and are qualified can make the difference between a competitive cover and a cheap or confusing-looking one.
If you are printing your magazine, you will also want to make sure that your cover is printed with a high-caliber printer. With companies like QinPrinting magazine printing is easy and often more competitive with their pricing than local print stores.
Experiment With Your Magazine Cover Design
Finding the right magazine cover design for your brand won’t happen overnight. But by following these magazine cover tips, you are off to a great start and well on your way to getting people to notice your magazine first.
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