Promote the yearbook 24/7 with creative displays

Feature previous editions. Showcase photos. Celebrate achievements. Let the outside world have an inside look at the yearbook staff.

Promotion is key to building excitement and familiarity with the yearbook. To bring more awareness, create displays around the school that showcase the yearbook and the staff.

Outside the journalism classroom, Aledo High School showcases publication staffers.

Meet the staff Create a personal connection by introducing the staff to the school. Use a bulletin board near the journalism classroom to feature the entire yearbook staff. Include photos of staff members or get creative, using avatars, like a bitmoji or memoji. Consider adding extra details like the staffer’s position, years on staff and a fun fact.

Honors & Achievements Let your school community know about all the kudos you’ve received. Whether it’s individual awards, overall ones or critique certificates, showcase these honors in a trophy or display case.

In addition to a meet the staff billboard, Winnetonka High School also uses a trophy case to display trophies, plaques and awards the newspaper and yearbook staffs have received.

Books In the end, it’s all about the book. Feature yearbooks in a display case. If your school’s been around for years, this is a cool opportunity to showcase books from 20, 30 or even 50 years ago. Consider having some of the books open to display an old Homecoming spread, a beloved school tradition or a historic state championship. Don’t forget to include a sign with current yearbook order information.

Photos Share the most stunning photographs with your campus. It could be as simple as running a series of photos above lockers in 8x10, 11x14 or 16x20 sizes. Or take the best photos and have them printed on giant pieces of canvas, vinyl, wood or aluminum. Feature these photos in prominent locations like an entry foyer, the main hallway and the gym. Add a photo credit or social media handle so the school community knows the images were taken by journalism students. The photos do more than promote the yearbook. They are giant recruitment ads for student media as well as a public relations tool. They celebrate the students, programs and sports of the school, a visual manifestation of school spirit.

The main foyer at Magnolia West High School is flanked by student media pictures taken at school events. The images were enlarged and printed on thin sheets of aluminum.

Utilizing displays, trophy cases and photographs is a smart way to promote your program. They will build awareness and create familiarity for the yearbook. Letting the community have an inside look at the program will ultimately build excitement for the book to come.