Editors: Content is not always king

Without strong layout and design, killer content matters little.

Without strong layout and design, killer content matters little

Lifeway Christian Resources’ employee publication LifeLines is only four pages (although one issue each month is eight pages). Four pages can appear skimpy. Good content will belie this false observation, but first impressions are often the longest lasting. Consequently, a well-designed four-page newsletter is nearly—if not equally—as important as strong content. Without strong layout and design, killer content matters little because readers might forego reading it altogether.

LifeLines is printed on nice paper—that’s apparent immediately. “It is printed on 80-pound paper,” said editor Kelly Davis Shrout. Nice paper might seem unimportant or inane, but a newsletter that’s printed on thick paper does more than just feel good: It inspires confidence in the publication.

LifeLines is an 8.5-by-11-inch four-color newsletter, and these colors also inspire confidence. This observation may seem shallow, but it’s one of those inexplicable attractions. The strong red that runs across the bottom of every LifeLines looks good when combined with white or any of a number of shades of blue, green or yellow.

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