Magazine Conventions

Masthead - The masthead is the title of the magazine, which is typically in block writing. It is like this so that it is recognisable and distinctive to the audience when they first see it. It should be one of the first things they notice. The masthead can sometimes be designed in a particular in order to match the genre of the magazine. It is conventionally at the top of the magazine, either at the very top or just below the strap line.

Main Image - The main image of the magazine is distinctive to the audience and stands out when they first look at it. It should be big and cover lots of the front cover. It should be one of the first things they notice. The main image on the front cover of a magazine is conventionally in the centre of the page, although it can sometimes be placed on the right or left of the page.

Main Cover Line - The main cover line is what story the magazine is focusing on. It is related to the main image seen on the front cover. It is sometimes what attracts the audience to the magazine, due to the use of bold, colourful or distinctive writing.

Strap Line / Selling Line - This is a line of text, usually found at the top of a magazine, but is sometimes in other places on the front cover as well, such as directly below the main cover line. The selling line advertises the magazine and attempts to make the audience pick it up and buy it.

Cover Lines - The cover lines on the magazine front cover show the other things that are inside the magazine. They are not the main focus of the magazine, which is the main cover line, but they tell the audience about the other articles that can be found in it. These can sometimes be the reason why people are attracted to the magazine because they typically feature names that people may like. they are usually on the side of the page. They are also typically at the very bottom of the magazine page.

Barcode and QR code - The barcode allows the reader to know how much they are paying for the magazine. The QR code allows people to scan it on their phone in order to pay for it or to find out more, such as other magazines that are available for purchase, similar to the one they just bought. They are always in one of the bottom corners of the front cover.

Website - This gives the audience information about where they can find the magazine online. They can visit the website page if they want to know more about the magazine. For example, to find out about past and future issues of the magazine, and how the magazines are created. This is seen near the top somewhere.

Date / Issue - The date tells the audience when the magazine was published. The issue number tells them which edition of the magazine it is, and how many editions have been produced before. They are found near the top of the page somewhere, alongside the website usually.