Balance Explained: Balance is an abstract, and some might think an obscure, concept so it might be good to show what is really meant by it in the case of newsletters before discussing how to achieve it. In the real world we know that, in order to achieve balance, a weight must be countered by an opposing weight. In publishing, it means something similar but it depends, to an extent, on whether we are talking about the physical aspects of a publication (how it looks) or the 'editorial' side (the content). Editorial and lead articles set the tone for a publication and consideration of 'counterweights' necessarily start there. Be cautious though. Whilst trying to introduce balance it can sometimes be only too easy to inadvertently change the tone of the entire newsletter.
Layout Balance: A page containing a great amount of text is best balanced by the introduction of graphics and illustrations but even simple white space can be a huge improvement. A crowded page, especially one that is entirely presented in a tiny typeface with few or no breaks, is not good at any time. It is too suggestive of a legal document rather than an informative article. The introduction of space however, and other effects that 'break up' the piece into easily digested segments, can make a quite remarkable difference. These other effects include headings and sub-headings, usually in a different typeface than the main body, color in the form of headings, captions etc, pullquotes, perhaps with a shaded or colored background, and so on.
Content Balance: In terms of the newsletter content, sober matter needs to be equilibrated by an opposing amount of light matter; 'one-off' items can be balanced by serialized material, instructional or 'how-to' articles by question and answer features etc. It is much more of a 'balancing act' though, than is the case with the visual aspects, because there is no way of measuring whether or not you have got the 'mix' right. It's the reader's perception that matters and the publisher needs to employ a little empathy, coupled with her own instinct and experience.
The Use Of Humor: The secret here is to bear in mind the call for good taste and the sensitivities of your audience. That way, you can expect them to respond positively to the use of humor whenever and wherever you decide to employ it. Everybody enjoys a bit of mirth from time to time and using the a newsletter as a vehicle for it is a great way to cultivate 'reader loyalty'. Humor comes in many shapes and sizes. Jokes most often come to mind initially, but other titillaters are funny stories, funny pictures, funny verses and so on. If the humor relates to real people or a real incident in the organisation to which your readers belong, so much the better. It then becomes an 'in' joke and reinforces their sense of belonging. One word of caution, though. Newsletters, because they are so often associated with a tightly knit group, are often read by people who know each other. Therefore take care to avoid seeming to poke fun at any one individual or sub-group.
Quizzes And Puzzles: These can prove very welcome as a way of balancing content and you do not have to be a author yourself to know that crosswords are one of the most popular pastimes ever devised. As with most other fillers, topic-focused material tends to be more effective than non-topic specific copy but it does not need to be anywhere near as relevant to the subject as is the case with humor or advice-type features. Don't underestimate the potential that these types of items offer your newsletters. Many people scan every publication that falls into their hands for their crossword 'fix'.
Giving Advice: Any kind of 'advice' items can ameliorate newsletter balance. The best types are usually of the regular 'tips' variety. 'This Month's Car Tips', 'The Weight Loss Column', 'Household Hints', are all examples of the types of titles that might be used. Included as part of this genre would be astrological prognostications or 'What the Stars Say'. Admittedly, these would be entirely undesirable for many newsletters; they would need to have very specific readership profiles for them to be considered desirable. But, for the right type of readers, they could prove a very popular addition. Recipes and similar items are also forms of 'advice' fillers but, popular though they might sometimes be, the same reservations apply for them as they do for astrology columns.
Layout Balance: A page containing a great amount of text is best balanced by the introduction of graphics and illustrations but even simple white space can be a huge improvement. A crowded page, especially one that is entirely presented in a tiny typeface with few or no breaks, is not good at any time. It is too suggestive of a legal document rather than an informative article. The introduction of space however, and other effects that 'break up' the piece into easily digested segments, can make a quite remarkable difference. These other effects include headings and sub-headings, usually in a different typeface than the main body, color in the form of headings, captions etc, pullquotes, perhaps with a shaded or colored background, and so on.
Content Balance: In terms of the newsletter content, sober matter needs to be equilibrated by an opposing amount of light matter; 'one-off' items can be balanced by serialized material, instructional or 'how-to' articles by question and answer features etc. It is much more of a 'balancing act' though, than is the case with the visual aspects, because there is no way of measuring whether or not you have got the 'mix' right. It's the reader's perception that matters and the publisher needs to employ a little empathy, coupled with her own instinct and experience.
The Use Of Humor: The secret here is to bear in mind the call for good taste and the sensitivities of your audience. That way, you can expect them to respond positively to the use of humor whenever and wherever you decide to employ it. Everybody enjoys a bit of mirth from time to time and using the a newsletter as a vehicle for it is a great way to cultivate 'reader loyalty'. Humor comes in many shapes and sizes. Jokes most often come to mind initially, but other titillaters are funny stories, funny pictures, funny verses and so on. If the humor relates to real people or a real incident in the organisation to which your readers belong, so much the better. It then becomes an 'in' joke and reinforces their sense of belonging. One word of caution, though. Newsletters, because they are so often associated with a tightly knit group, are often read by people who know each other. Therefore take care to avoid seeming to poke fun at any one individual or sub-group.
Quizzes And Puzzles: These can prove very welcome as a way of balancing content and you do not have to be a author yourself to know that crosswords are one of the most popular pastimes ever devised. As with most other fillers, topic-focused material tends to be more effective than non-topic specific copy but it does not need to be anywhere near as relevant to the subject as is the case with humor or advice-type features. Don't underestimate the potential that these types of items offer your newsletters. Many people scan every publication that falls into their hands for their crossword 'fix'.
Giving Advice: Any kind of 'advice' items can ameliorate newsletter balance. The best types are usually of the regular 'tips' variety. 'This Month's Car Tips', 'The Weight Loss Column', 'Household Hints', are all examples of the types of titles that might be used. Included as part of this genre would be astrological prognostications or 'What the Stars Say'. Admittedly, these would be entirely undesirable for many newsletters; they would need to have very specific readership profiles for them to be considered desirable. But, for the right type of readers, they could prove a very popular addition. Recipes and similar items are also forms of 'advice' fillers but, popular though they might sometimes be, the same reservations apply for them as they do for astrology columns.
About the Author:
Mike Alexander is a 'content' expert, having created and edited a print publication with nation-wide distribution. He has several online interests, among which is ClipCopy Content Solutions, where you will find a number of articles covering topics similar to above. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire