2. Ask readers what they want
Conduct surveys, interviews and focus groups
Uncover ways to work their ideas into the book
Tell both individual and collective stories
One-of-a-kind experiences
Common activities and events
Brainstorm fresh angles and new ideas
Discover unique aspects of repeatable stories
Add stories that have not appeared in the book
Coverage
PERSONALIZE COVERAGEPERSONALIZE COVERAGE
3. PLAN the LADDERPLAN the LADDER Coverage
Facing pages
are side-by-side
on the ladder
Plan pages in signatures,
which are 16-page groups
Flats, 8-page groups,
are designated by the
shading on the ladder
4. • Focus on the people aspect —
include as many students as possible
• Emphasize diversity — relate to as
many groups as possible
• Make connections — coordinate
stories, headlines, photos and info
graphics to tell the complete story
of the year
Coverage
REMEMBERREMEMBER
5. Coverage
• STUDENT LIFE
• SPORTS
• CLUBS & ACADEMICS
(combined)
• PEOPLE
• INDEX
TRADITIONAL SECTIONSTRADITIONAL SECTIONS
7. Coverage
SPIN-OFFSPIN-OFFWORDS & PHRASES
• live like you mean it
student life
• see for yourself
organizations
• i get it
academics
• seeing red
sports
• easy on the eyes
people
• look at me now
senior ads
13. • Who is involved?
The higher the student involvement, the
more coverage it should have.
• What happened?
Understanding the purpose of the activity
enables you to better organize the section.
• When does it occur?
If an event happens after the final deadline,
it is not realistic to include it.
Plan deadlines to complete signatures.
Coverage
CONSIDERCONSIDER
14. Coverage
PAGE PERCENTAGESPAGE PERCENTAGES
Calculate last year’s data:
Total number of pages
- Minus total theme pages
- Minus total ads and index pages
= base pages for coverage
(title, opening, dividers and closing)
in last year’s book:
15. During the planning process,
think about how you can
cover the events of the year
and get more people in the
book.
Coverage
MAXIMIZE COVERAGEMAXIMIZE COVERAGE
18. •Cover anything that directly
affects students.
•Show student involvement rather
than relying on stock images.
NATIONAL, STATE & LOCALNATIONAL, STATE & LOCALCoverageISSUES & EVENTS
21. • Include every social group, sport,
team, club and class that is active
on campus.
• Incorporate things that students
do off campus that impact their
lives.
COMPLETECOMPLETE Coverage
37. • Students want to see pictures of
themselves and their friends.
• Count how many recognizable
faces are in your pictures.
•Try to include at least 27 students
on every spread.
GET MORE STUDENTSGET MORE STUDENTSCoverageIN THE BOOK
41. • Occasionally, introduce a
radical change in coverage and
design.
• Look at magazines for
inspiration.
CREATE SHOWSTOPPERSCREATE SHOWSTOPPERSCoverage
46. Even the ads section should feel
like part of the book. Incorporate
relevant community stories into
this section to round out your
coverage.
ADVERTISINGADVERTISING Coverage
53. -With your group, discuss how you want to
organize your 2015 book.
-What topics were over-covered in your
2013 edition? What was left out?
-What new topics do you need to add?
-Turn to Yearbook Playbook page five and
begin pre-planning your ladder.
YOUR TURNYOUR TURN Coverage