Talk to me: Connect personally with interactive coverage

Make it theirs. The yearbook staff chronicles the year, sharing moments in pictures and words. But staffs should also let readers personalize the book with their own stories.

There’s something deeply satisfying about connecting with your audience. Photographs of pep rallies and championships resonate with buyers because of the collective experience of school. But the yearbook should also include the individual’s experience. That’s easy with quotes in captions, stories and sidebars.

And yet, it’s unlikely that ALL students will be featured. Interactive coverage solves this problem. Having pages where buyers can chronicle their own experiences lets them personalize the book. Students will feel ownership and have a stronger connection to the yearbook if they can contribute to it too.

Here are three examples from 2021 yearbooks to inspire your interactive coverage:

In their chronological book, The Warrior staff ran this fill-in-the-blanks layout in the fall section of the Oak Grove High School yearbook. It focuses on several pivotal moments in 2020, including the extended summer, Homecoming and of course, COVID-19. There’s also a small sidebar for students to fill in a few 2020 highlights, like the best school lunch, who was their crush, and a job they had.

Zion Lutheran School ran this adorable layout, thanks to the creativity of their Balfour representative. The left page features a bingo board with activities students can mark. The right side has fill in the blanks with a journal feel: students can record their best memory, close friends and favorite things.

Bowie High School’s yearbook staff featured a variety of coverage on their interactive layout. It included a space to fill in the student’s schedule, select their online and in-person preferences, and answer their favorite things, quiz-style.

Need more inspiration? Check out our folder of interactive coverage examples on the Balfour Exchange. Also, if space is limited, don’t hesitate to feature this type of content on a smaller scale in the people section.

Think of your yearbook as an ongoing conversation with readers. As the staff chronicles the year, provide space so students can personalize the book with their own reflections.