What is a contents page?
In magazines, there are contents pages that serve as a roadmap for its readers -- so they have a clear idea of the topics featured in the magazine. As each magazine has a specific target market they cater their products to, even if they are under the same genre, it is important that customers can have an easy to navigate system that allows them to pick and choose topics of personal interest. For instance, there may be a celebrity on the front cover of a magazine, their fans will want to read their interview and the contents page allows them to efficiently navigate themselves through the magazine. Therefore, the user experience is more customisable than other forms of print media like newspapers that make them flip through the entire issue.
While functionality is a core part of contents pages, the design of them also reflect things about the brand of a certain magazines. No two publications are the same, even those under the same genre, due to branding and variation in their house style. They are, additionally, a marketing tactic used to create engagement and brand recognition for their audiences.
Codes/conventions of contents pages
To ensure they are visually appealing and easily navigated by the audience, contents pages follow specific codes and conventions suitable for pieces of media like magazines. While all conventions are the same, many magazine publications employ them in slightly different, unique ways.
- Title/heading: title labelled as "Contents" or anything along the lines of this. Indicates where the contents page starts and is written in a large, bold typeface to grab attention
- Sectioned listings: Contents are organised into specific categories with clear headings. This helps readers find topics that interest them (customisable user experience). While style magazines predominantly focus on fashion, they have other topics like politics, beauty, and celebrity culture as subcategories
- Page numbers: Each article/section of the magazines has an accompanying page number, typically aligned to the left or right of the section's title. This allows for smooth and easy navigation for the consumers of the magazine
- Columns or grids: Text is arranged in a grid or column layout. This serves visual appeal as well as ensuring readability for the audience
- Visual hierarchy: Important and key articles are made to stand out from the others (usually the main coverline). They are made to stand out using larger/bolder fonts, different colours, or in boxes
- Article titles: Written to be short and catchy. Usually more prominent to catch the attention of the reader
- Subheadings/descriptions: Brief descriptions under titles to give teasers for the article's content. This entices the audience to read that article without revealing too much about it
- Consistent typography: Fonts that match the magazine's branding: serif for magazines with traditional styles, sans-serif to signify modernity. In some cases, a combination of both is used
- Images: Illustrations, photos, or icons that have anchorage with major articles. Often placed near the title or in a designated image section on the page
- Colour scheme: Colours are used strategically to attract the audiences' attention and align with the magazine's brand identity. Bright or muted accents used for different things
- Lines and dividers: To keep the contents page organised, horizontal/vertical lines divide content into separate sections. Retains the clean and polished look of style magazines
- White space: Content is strategically spaced out to prevent clutter and make the contents page look inviting and approachable rather than overwhelming for the eye
- Order: Listing of articles/sections in the magazine may appear in a chronological order (front to back), though some order content differently such as ordering by topic
- Issue details: Details such as the issue number, publication name, and date appear in small print on the contents page for reference
- Branding: The way that the magazine's brand identity is reinforced. This is done using logos, taglines, and signature design choices to be inviting and memorable to readers
Conventions by genre
While these specific conventions exist in any magazine genre, they are not rigid rules for magazine publications to follow. They can be employed in many different ways depending on the genre of their content. Publications have varying brand values, intentions, and audience expectations -- so these conventions are not a one-size-fits-all principle and can be applied differently. Lifestyle/fashion magazines such as Vogue are known for their timeless and minimalist approach to design, which is also reflected in the topics they cover. Magazine publications that tailor to a more niche audience (with hobbies such as cooking, sports, and music) will employ thematic graphics throughout to reinforce their goal to attract those that share a passion for its topics. All magazine contents pages will achieve their goal of serving as a roadmap for the audience if they follow codes and conventions appropriately.
Contents page analysis - style magazines
