1. Use simple layouts.
One big picture works better than several small pictures. Avoid cluttered pages. (Layouts that resemble the magazine’s editorial format are well read.)
2. Always put a caption under a photograph.
Readership of picture captions is generally twice as great as that of body copy.
3. Don’t be afraid of long copy.
The people who read beyond the headline are prospects for your product or your service. Consider long copy if you have a complex story to tell, many different product points to make, or an expensive product or service to sell.
4. Avoid negative headlines.
People are literal minded and may remember only the negatives. Sell the positive benefits in your product. Look for emotional words that attract and motivate, like free and new and love.
5. Don’t be afraid of long headlines.
Research shows that, on the average, long headlines sell more merchandise than short ones.
6. Look for story appeal.
After the headline, a striking visual in the most effective way to get the reader’s attention. Try for story appeal-the kind of visual that makes the reader ask: “What’s going on here?”
7. Photographs are better than drawings.
Research says that photography increases recall an average of 26% over artwork.
8. Look at your advertisement the way it will appear in print.
Beautifully mounted layouts are deceptive. The reader will never see your ad printed on high gloss paper, with a big white border. It’s misleading for you to look at it that way.
9. Develop a single advertising format.
An overall format for all print advertising can double recognition. One format will help readers see your advertisements as coming from one large corporation, rather than several small companies.
I would also add under #1 that you can use multiple photos, just make sure to have one dominant photo that is larger than the rest. A simple layout can have a few photos as long as you design them to flow well and readers can tell which photo they should look at first, second and so on.