At one time the purpose of desktop publishing software was to aid in
the creation of articles for print. It presented a timesaving method for
graphic artists and writers to streamline page layout, font choices,
and image positioning. This software was typically used to create
designs and articles to be printed as menus, newsletters, magazines,
books, and reports. As these desktop publishing programs became more affordable and were included in various bundled software programs, many
people began using them on their personal computers. These programs
allowed people with very little graphics background to create
sophisticated documents, newsletters, and articles complete with
pictures and custom fonts. Desktop publishing today is used not only for
streamlining articles for printing; it is also widely used for
designing websites, e-books, and e-commerce sites on the Internet.
Whether designing for print or websites, basic layout elements and
concerns are similar. Included here are tips for writing great desktop
publishing articles for print or websites.
Consider how the Article Will be Used
The first step to consider before writing a single word is to know
how or where the article will be used. Decide if the piece will be
strictly used in a printed format, such as a brochure or report, or if
it will be used on websites, or possibly both. Today, it is common for
articles to be used both in printed form such as printed flyers and the
company’s website sales page. When strictly creating the article for
print, a desktop publishing program such as Microsoft Word may suffice.
When creating for websites, an editor program such as WordPress should
be used as it includes robust desktop publishing features partnered with
computer code for viewing on the Internet. When the article will be
used in both mediums it may be necessary to use a combination of tools,
such as Microsoft Word for generating the content, Adobe InDesign for
creating the print-ready layout, and WordPress for configuring the
article for use on the Web and mobile devices.
Consider the Layout
The layout considerations for a printed piece are often a bit
different than that of an article designed for websites. A brochure, for
example, will have printing on both sides and may use pictures and
bright colors to grab the reader’s attention. The placement of the text
and images is laid out in a structured format often from left to right,
as that is how printed text is commonly read. In contrast, when a person
reads a webpage they often scan the article content and don’t fully
read the article. For this reason it is important to design the layout with attention-grabbing text in the title or heading and in the upper third of the page. This upper area is called above the fold, and is the
image that is displayed on a computer screen before scrolling down. The
goal is always, to capture the reader’s attention so they continue to
read.
The words “desktop publishing” were first coined by the Aldus
Corporation, the manufacturer of many early desktop publishing software
packages to differentiate their products from the typesetting programs
available. These products included the ability to work with both images
and text where the typesetting programs dealt only with text and fonts.
Consider the Appropriate Font Usage
When considering the font usage in the desktop publishing article,
general rules apply to both printed pieces and those prepared for
websites. Avoid using multiple font styles on the same page as it makes
the piece difficult to read and follow. One or two fonts are best to
keep the article focused and professional looking. Titles and headers
should use a Sans Serif font like Arial, and the body text should use
either a Serif font such as Times New Roman or the same Sans Serif font.
The font size is also important. Typically, text fonts should be a 10
or 12 point font for easy reading.
Consider the Appropriate use of Color
Color is great for attracting attention, but when used
inappropriately it can create an article that is difficult to read or a
webpage that is immediately clicked away from. Consider the tone of the
article when selecting colors, for example, if the topic of the article
is massage or relaxation, use shades of blue and soft hues. When
including the company’s brand colors consider how the use of additional
colors will blend. It is best to stick to two to four colors within one
article to help it flow smoothly. Additionally, when using the piece
both in printed form and on websites remember that the desktop
publishing or design program will need to convert the colors separately
for different mediums.
Focus on Quality Content
Whether creating for print or websites the best tip may be to always
focus on generating quality content. The content should be original and
compelling to the reader. It should provide useful information about
products or services, or provide answers to a problem or concern of the
reader. The content should be written in a tone best fitting to the
article. For example, a financial report should take on a very
professional and serious tone, whereas a newsletter may take on an entertaining tone. Grammar and correct spelling are important for all
pieces and many desktop publishing programs incorporate helpful tools
for this purpose.
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