Five things to grow and five to trim down

A benefit of experience is understanding that you probably don’t know nearly as much as you once thought you did. Something I love about leading focus groups is being surprised. Let’s face it, not much is surprising any more.

With that in mind, I’d like to share ten findings related to size that often appear during newspaper focus groups.

Five things to grow:

Font sizes in headlines: Bigger fonts are no more expensive than smaller fonts. Use a font that draws attention to the story. Let’s face it: we put much effort into increasing readership. One of the simplest ways I know to draw more readers to the page is by using bigger fonts on our headlines.

Top of the front page: In my travels, I’ve heard this area being called the masthead, nameplate and all types of other names. I simply refer to it as “the flag”. The area at the top of page one is crucial in getting potential readers to pick up the page.

Too many newspapers have tint flags. Let’s face it: this is prime real estate for advertising your newspaper. Draw readers too the page with a large flag.

Letters to the editor: Readers love letters to the editor. Every focus group asks for more of them. Try to recruit more readers to send in letters to the editor.

Space for kids: Whether hand a page or a whole section, areas designed for young readers are popular in newspapers; it’s a win/win. Anything we can do to attract young families and readers is a plus. I’ve learned that even older readers enjoy reading pages intended for young readers.

Body text: Let’s face it, nobody likes reading text that it too small. I notice focus groups often say text is “alright” because they have become so used to small text. However, as soon as the redesigned version of their paper comes out, readers will praise the “easier to read text”. I once redesigned a newspaper in Kansas. A few weeks later the publisher sent me an email from the local optometrist. He thanked her for the larger text and noted that many of his clients though their sight was improving because reading the newspaper was so much easier.

Five things to trim

Line weight: Thin is in, and we are talking about more than waistlines. Like other areas, heavy is out when it comes to design. Never use frames heavier than .5. I tend os use .4 in redesigns.

Wordy headlines: Wait. Didn’t I just write not have bigger fronts in headlines? Yes, I did. Bigger fonts, fewer words. The headline draws the readers to the story, the subhead tells the story. Use as few words as possible in the headline, then let the subhead do the rest of the job. For example:

School board meets to examine budget, lowering amount set aside for extra curricular activities

Instead, let’s use a headline/subhead combo:

School board cuts activities

Board meets to examine budget, lowering amount set aside for extracurricular activties

Length of stories: A publisher in Tennessee told me about a study done by his paper. They sent readers copies of the paper along with red pens. They were asked to circle everything they read in the paper, not just the headlines but everything.

What was learned? Most readers never got past the first two paragraphs. Very few readers are reading your long stories. Fewer words means more space for larger body text and white space.

Wasted space in photos: Cropping is an art. I have been an adherent to the “shoulder rule” since leaning about it from Ed Menninger in a class at the University of Tennessee. In more photos the areas outside the shoulder(s) is unnecessary.

Obviously there are exceptions to every rule but cropping out blurry trees, rooms etc make it possible to enlarge the interesting area of a photo.

Paragraph length: Long paragraphs lead tp suffering yes among readers. Keep paragraphs to no longer than 4-6 sentences. Remember the RETURN key is your friend.

I bet many of you have items you’d add to this list. I always stop when I reach my 800 word limit (it’s a self-imposed limit, by the way). Send your suggestions to me at kevin@kevenslimp.com

And you might help me become even better at redesigning newspapers. I may not know as much as I once thought I did, but I am always happy too learn more.

• Kevin Slimp is a consultant, author and trainer in the newspaper industry. From 1997-2018, he directed the Newspaper Institute of the University of Tennessee; he currently serves as chief executive of Market Square Publishing and chief guru at NewspaperAcademy.com